In dealing with critical phenomena of complex systems that simulate realistic materials, the full structure of the renormalization group is often unnecessarily cumbersome. For approximate calculations and for systems with special properties, specialized generators are simpler to apply. We derive several such exact and approximate differential generators and solve a number of interesting practical problems to illustrate this approach: (i) We derive a new approximate differential generator based on the Wilson incomplete-integration generator. Using this generator we calculate for an
n-component spin system the eigenvalues (critical-point exponents) associated with a critical point of arbitrary order
O and "propagator exponent" $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}$ to first order in the expansion parameter ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{\mathcal{O}}(\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\sigma}})=d+\mathcal{O}(\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}\ensuremath{-}d)$; this extends previous work for $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}=2$,
O arbitrary; $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}\ensuremath{\le}2$,
O=2 (long-rang forces); and $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}=4$,
O=2 (the "Lifshitz point"). Our results agree with those obtainable using an approximate generator based on the Wegner-Houghton equation. The cases $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}=2L$ (
L a positive integer \ensuremath{\ge}2) describe the onset of helical ordering for which $|\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}|\ensuremath{\sim}{(\ensuremath{-}p)}^{{\ensuremath{\beta}}_{k}}$, where ${\ensuremath{\beta}}_{k}=\frac{1}{2(L\ensuremath{-}1)}+o({\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{\mathcal{O}}^{2}(2L))$ and
p parametrizes the hypersurface of critical points. For
p>0, the ordered phase is uniform; for
p<0 there is spiral order. The point
p=0, at which such nonuniform ordering commences, we term a generalized Lifshitz point of Lifschitz character
L. (ii) We consider the full Wilson and Wegner-Houghton generators in the paired spin-momenta limit and the $n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ limit for even-order critical points. These limiting generators are identical for both full generators. This demonstrates that at least in these cases the Wilson and Wegner-Houghton generators agree exactly, without recourse to perturbation theory. These simple exact generators should provide "anchors" for calculations of exponents for higher-order critical points. (iii) We derive approximate generators which are suitable for compressible magnetic systems and more general systems with constraints for which the spin momenta are grouped in any arbitrary manner. We apply this to the case of a simple compressible magnet model and obtain the exact renormalization-group trajectories to order $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ with $\ensuremath{\epsilon}\ensuremath{\equiv}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{2}(2)=4\ensuremath{-}d$.
We give an approximate renormalization-group formulation which parallels that of Wilson. The group generator represents the momentum-independent limit of the differential generator of Wegner and Houghton. The eigenfunctions near the Gaussian point are computed for all spin dimensions
n and lattice dimensions
d, including
d=2. The nontrivial fixed-point Hamiltonian in dimensions near $d=\frac{2\mathcal{O}}{(\mathcal{O}\ensuremath{-}1)}$, together with the eigenvalues near that nontrivial fixed point, are found explicitly to first order in ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{\mathcal{O}}\ensuremath{\equiv}\mathcal{O}(2\ensuremath{-}d)+d$ for all values of
n and the order
O. Odd-dominated Ising systems and corresponding expansions in ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{\mathcal{O}\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}}$ are also treated.
We apply an approximate form of the exact one-particle-irreducible renormalization-group generator to the calculation of the equation of state. Several approaches are explored. (i) Global nonlinear trajectories for the Hamiltonian parameters are exploited to give nonlinear crossover equations of state. Logarithms of the reduced temperature $t\ensuremath{\equiv}\frac{(T\ensuremath{-}{T}_{c})}{{T}_{c}}$ are automatically exponentiated to give power-law behavior. (ii) The form and asymptotic properties of the equation of state are described for those systems whose complete nonlinear trajectories cannot be explicitly obtained. (iii) Nonlinear trajectories for the irreducible Green's functions are solved to give a fully exponentiated equation of state containing no logarithmic terms. (iv) Simple critical (noncrossover) equations of state are obtained by iteration of the generator with linear and quasilinear trajectories. (v) Operator nonlinear equations are solved to give the crossover equation of state for an arbitrary order $\ensuremath{\theta}$ critical system, both in an $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ expansion and at the borderline dimension. (vi) Combination of the Green's functions are formed into Green's eigenfunctions or operators and their nonlinear trajectories used to calculate fully exponentiated equations of state for order $\ensuremath{\theta}$ Ising systems. Systems considered include the usual Wilson-Fisher Hamiltonian [methods (i)-(iv)], the Sak-model compressible ferromagnet [(i)-(ii)], the
nm-hypercubical model (of which the dilute quenched random ferromagnet forms the $n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ limit) [(ii)], and the isotropic
n-component order $\ensuremath{\theta}$ ferromagnet [(iv)-(vi)]. The tricritical ($\ensuremath{\theta}=3$) case is given explicitly as an example of the general formalism of methods (iv)-(vi). Throughout, we use a bare critical propagator which is an arbitrary generalized homogeneous function of the components of the wave vector. This allows us to simultaneously describe ordinary critical systems and anisotropic Lifschitz points as well as certain structural and spin-reorientation phase transitions.
Wilson's exact smooth-cutoff renormalization-group (RG) equation for continuum spin Landau-Ginsburg models is shown to be equivalent to an easily constructed, infinite set of partial differential equations that provide a natural system of successive approximation for numerical calculation. It differs from other RG approaches in that an infinite number of couplings are included at each level of approximation. By way of illustration, preliminary results are presented for Ising-model critical exponents in three dimensions.
The relaxational models introduced in a previous treatment of critical dynamics are studied in detail using renormalization-group methods. The earlier results are justified by an analysis to all order in $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=4\ensuremath{-}d$, where
d is the dimensionality. The diagrammatic formalism of the full dynamic renormalization group is presented, and applied to the earlier models. A generalization of Wilson's Feynman-graph expansion method is used to calculate the exponents to second order in $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$. In model
C, where a nonconserved order parameter is coupled to a conserved energy field, ambiguities were found in the earlier recursion-relation treatment for
2<n<4, $d\ensuremath{\approx}4$ (
n is the number of components of the order parameter). These ambiguities are discussed in the present work, but are not fully resolved.
We give a self-contained derivation of the differential equations for Wilson's renormalization group for the one-particle irreducible Green functions in fermionic systems. The application of this equation to the (t,t′)-Hubbard model appears in Ref. [HSFR]. Here we focus on theoretical aspects. After deriving the equations, we discuss the restrictions imposed by symmetries on the effective action. We discuss scaling properties due to the geometry of the Fermi surface and give precise criteria to determine when they justify the use of one-loop flows. We also discuss the relationship of this approach to other RG treatments, as well as aspects of the practical treatment of truncated equations, such as the projection to the Fermi surface and the calculation of susceptibilities.