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Physical Review Letters

Multifractals, operator-product expansion, and field theory

Bertrand Duplantier, Andreas W. W. Ludwig

Published Jan 21, 1991• 99 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We explore possible distinctions between multifractal scaling phenomena and Lagrangian field theories (FT's) describing standard critical phenomena, via the operator-product expansion. While the scaling dimensions ${\mathit{x}}_{\mathit{n}}$ of multifractal moments must be convex functions of the order n, analogous FT exponents of powers of the field are concave, by stability and correlation inequalities, and cannot describe multifractal scaling. However, powers of gradients of the field may lead to a novel and unexpected multifractal convexity in a FT, such as, e.g., the nonlinear \ensuremath{\sigma} model.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.66.247

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Critical Exponents from Other Expansions

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We explore possible distinctions between multifractal scaling phenomena and Lagrangian field theories (FT's) describing standard critical phenomena, via the operator-product expansion. While the scaling dimensions xn{\mathit{x}}_{\mathit{n}}xn​ of multifractal moments must be convex functions of the order n, analogous FT exponents of powers of the field are concave, by stability and correlation inequalities, and cannot describe multifractal scaling. However, powers of gradients of the field may lead to a novel and unexpected multifractal convexity in a FT, such as, e.g., the nonlinear \ensuremath{\sigma} model.
Multifractals arise in various systems across nature whose scaling behavior is characterized by a continuous spectrum of multifractal exponents Δ_{q}. In the context of Anderson transitions, the multifractality of critical wave functions is described by operators O_{q} with scaling dimensions Δ_{q} in a field-theory description of the transitions. The operators O_{q} satisfy the so-called Abelian fusion expressed as a simple operator product expansion. Assuming conformal invariance and Abelian fusion, we use the conformal bootstrap framework to derive a constraint that implies that the multifractal spectrum Δ_{q} (and its generalized form) must be quadratic in its arguments in any dimension d≥2.
Recently, a concept of generalized multifractality, which characterizes fluctuations and correlations of critical eigenstates, was introduced and explored for all 10 symmetry classes of disordered systems. Here, by using the nonlinear sigma-model ($\mathrm{NL}\ensuremath{\sigma}\mathrm{M}$) field theory, we extend the theory of generalized multifractality to boundaries of systems at criticality. Our numerical simulations on two-dimensional systems of symmetry classes A, C, and AII fully confirm the analytical predictions of pure-scaling observables and Weyl symmetry relations between critical exponents of surface generalized multifractality. This demonstrates the validity of the $\mathrm{NL}\ensuremath{\sigma}\mathrm{M}$ for the description of Anderson-localization critical phenomena, not only in the bulk but also on the boundary. The critical exponents strongly violate generalized parabolicity, in analogy with earlier results for the bulk, corroborating the conclusion that the considered Anderson-localization critical points are not described by conformal field theories. We further derive relations between generalized surface multifractal spectra and linear combinations of Lyapunov exponents of a strip in quasi-one-dimensional geometry, which hold under the assumption of invariance with respect to a logarithmic conformal map. Our numerics demonstrate that these relations hold with an excellent accuracy. Taken together, our results indicate an intriguing situation: the conformal invariance is broken but holds partially at critical points of Anderson localization.
Motivated by the recent interest in the criticality of open quantum many-body systems, we study nonlinear sigma models with complexified couplings as a general framework for nonunitary field theory. Applying the perturbative renormalization-group analysis to the tenfold symmetric spaces, we demonstrate that fixed points with complex scaling dimensions and critical exponents arise generically, without counterparts in conventional nonlinear sigma models with real couplings. We further clarify the global phase diagrams in the complex-coupling plane and identify both continuous and discontinuous phase transitions. Our work thus identifies nonlinear sigma models as a representative setting for studying complex critical points and elucidates universal aspects of critical phenomena in complexified field theory.
It is useful to compare the results obtained so far with other approaches to the critical exponents. One is a similar field-theoretic approach based on perturbation expansions of φ 4-theories. But instead of working in D = 4−ε dimensions and continuing the results to ε = 1 to obtain critical exponents in the physical dimension D = 3, perturbation expansions can be derived directly in three dimensions, and studied in the regime of small masses. Fundamentally, this approach is less satisfactory than the previous one since there is no small parameter analogous to ε which permits us to prove the existence of a scaling limit at least for small ε. Another disadvantage is that it is impossible to calculate the expansion coefficients analytically, except for one- and two loop-diagrams. In one respect the three-dimensional approach has, however, an advantage: the power series have long been available up to six loops for ω, η, and ν, and there exist recent results up to seven loops for the critical exponents η and ν. Although numerical expansions are not as esthetic as the exact expansions derived in this book, their increased order leads to a higher accuracy in the critical exponents, as we shall see below in Section 20.4. Another approach is based on high-temperature expansions for lattice models of the O(N)symmetric classical Heisenberg model with the energy of Eq. (1.52). The critical exponents will be derived from such expansions in Section 20.8. Finally we take advantage of the fact that the O(N)-symmetric classical Heisenberg model is exactly solvable in the limit of large N, where it reduces to the spherical model [recall the remark after Eq. (1.69)]. It is therefore possible to expand the φ 4-theory around this limit in powers of 1/N. The results will be compared with those from the perturbation expansions in
By the early 1960's advances in statistical physics had established the existence of universality classes for systems with second-order phase transitions and characterized these by critical exponents which are different to the classical ones. There followed the discovery of (now famous) scaling relations between the power-law critical exponents describing second-order criticality. These scaling relations are of fundamental importance and now form a cornerstone of statistical mechanics. In certain circumstances, such scaling behaviour is modified by multiplicative logarithmic corrections. These are also characterized by critical exponents, analogous to the standard ones. Recently scaling relations between these logarithmic exponents have been established. Here, the theories associated with these advances are presented and expanded and the status of investigations into logarithmic corrections in a variety of models is reviewed.
By the early 1960's advances in statistical physics had established the existence of universality classes for systems with second-order phase transitions and characterized these by critical exponents which are different to the classical ones. There followed the discovery of (now famous) scaling relations between the power-law critical exponents describing second-order criticality. These scaling relations are of fundamental importance and now form a cornerstone of statistical mechanics. In certain circumstances, such scaling behaviour is modified by multiplicative logarithmic corrections. These are also characterized by critical exponents, analogous to the standard ones. Recently scaling relations between these logarithmic exponents have been established. Here, the theories associated with these advances are presented and expanded and the status of investigations into logarithmic corrections in a variety of models is reviewed.