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Reviews of Modern Physics

The renormalization group in the theory of critical behavior

Michael Ellis Fisher

Published Oct 1, 1974• 1,551 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The renormalization group approach to the theory of critical behavior is reviewed at an introductory level with emphasis on magnetic systems. Among recent results reported are the dependence of critical exponents above ${T}_{c}$ on dimensionality $d=4\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\epsilon}$; on the symmetry index or number of spin components, $n$; on the range and anisotropy of exchange couplings; and on dipolar interactions and lattice anisotropies, in ferro- and antiferromagnets. Calculations of the scaling functions for the equation of state and critical scattering are summarized.

DOI
10.1103/revmodphys.46.597

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The renormalization group approach to the theory of critical behavior is reviewed at an introductory level with emphasis on magnetic systems. Among recent results reported are the dependence of critical exponents above Tc{T}_{c}Tc​ on dimensionality d=4\ensuremath−\ensuremathϵd=4\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\epsilon}d=4\ensuremath−\ensuremathϵ; on the symmetry index or number of spin components, nnn; on the range and anisotropy of exchange couplings; and on dipolar interactions and lattice anisotropies, in ferro- and antiferromagnets. Calculations of the scaling functions for the equation of state and critical scattering are summarized.
We review results concerning the critical behavior of spin systems at equilibrium. We consider the Ising and the general O(N)-symmetric universality class. For each of them, we review the estimates of the critical exponents, of the equation of state, of several amplitude ratios, and of the two-point function of the order parameter. We report results in three and two dimensions. We discuss the crossover phenomena that are observed in this class of systems. In particular, we review the field-theoretical and numerical studies of systems with medium-range interactions. Moreover, we consider several examples of magnetic and structural phase transitions, which are described by more complex Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson Hamiltonians, such as N-component systems with cubic anisotropy, O(N)-symmetric systems in the presence of quenched disorder, frustrated spin systems with noncollinear or canted order, and finally, a class of systems described by the tetragonal Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson Hamiltonian with three quartic couplings. The results for the tetragonal Hamiltonian are original, in particular we present the six-loop perturbative series for the β-functions and the critical exponents.
The exact renormalization-group approach of Wilson is used to study the critical behavior for T>TcT>{T}_{c}T>Tc​, H=0H=0H=0, and small $\ensuremath{\epsilon}>0$, of an isotropic ferromagnetic system in $d=4\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ dimensions, with exchange and dipolar interactions between ddd-component spins. Normal isotropic Heisenberg behavior with $\frac{1}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{1}{2\ensuremath{\nu}}\ensuremath{\approx}1\ensuremath{-}\frac{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}{4}$ (to first order in $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$) is retained for $t=(\frac{T}{{T}_{c}})\ensuremath{-}1\ensuremath{\ll}\frac{G}{J{a}^{d}}$, where $G=\frac{{(g{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B})}^{2}}{2}$ measures the strength of the dipole-dipole interactions, JJJ is the short-range exchange parameter, and aaa is the lattice spacing. When ${t}^{\ensuremath{\varphi}}\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{G}{J{a}^{d}}$, where $\ensuremath{\varphi}\ensuremath{\approx}1+\frac{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}{4}$, crossover occurs to a characteristic dipolar behavior described by a new fixed point of the recursion relations. For $t\ensuremath{\ll}\frac{G}{J{a}^{d}}$ one thus finds $\frac{1}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{1}{2\ensuremath{\nu}}\ensuremath{\approx}1\ensuremath{-}\frac{9\ensuremath{\epsilon}}{34}$ {and, for spins of ndn dnd components, $\frac{1}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{1}{2\ensuremath{\nu}}\ensuremath{\approx}1\ensuremath{-}[\frac{(6n+3)}{2(6n+11)}]\ensuremath{\epsilon}$, which agrees with spherical-model results when $n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$}. In the dipolar regime the spin-correlation function $〈{s}_{q}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}{s}_{\ensuremath{-}q}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}〉$ has a factor [${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\beta}}\ensuremath{-}(\frac{{q}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}{q}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}}{{q}^{2}})$], which suppresses longitudinal spin fluctuations; the susceptibilities ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ display the expected demagnetization effects. It is found that dipolar anistropies derving from the lattice structure produce weak instabilities which should be hard to detect although their effects are not fully elucidated. Extensions of the results to nonzero magnetic fields, and to anistropic exchange interactions are indicated; the experimental situation is mentioned briefly.
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The exact renormalization-group approach is used to study the critical behavior for T>TcT>{T}_{c}T>Tc​, H=0H=0H=0 of a uniaxial ferromagnetic (or ferroelectric) system in ddd dimensions, with exchange and dipolar interactions between the (single-component) spins. Normal Ising-like behavior is retained for $t=\frac{T}{{T}_{c}}\ensuremath{-}1\ensuremath{\gg}\stackrel{^}{g}=\frac{{(g{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B})}^{2}}{J{a}^{d}}$, where JJJ is the exchange parameter, $g{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$ is the magnetic moment per spin, and aaa is the lattice spacing. Crossover to a characteristic dipolar behavior occurs when ${t}^{\ensuremath{\varphi}}\ensuremath{\approx}\stackrel{^}{g}$, where $\ensuremath{\varphi}=1+\frac{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}{6}$ (to first order in $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=4\ensuremath{-}d$). For $t\ensuremath{\ll}\stackrel{^}{g}$, the leading temperature singularity in the Fourier transform of the spin-spin correlation function $\ensuremath{\Gamma}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{q}})$ becomes ${\ensuremath{\xi}}^{2}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{[1+{(\ensuremath{\xi}q)}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{h}_{0}{(\ensuremath{\xi}{q}^{z})}^{2}+{g}_{0}{(\frac{{q}^{z}}{q})}^{2}]}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, where h0{h}_{0}h0​ and g0{g}_{0}g0​ are of order $\stackrel{^}{g}$ and $\ensuremath{\xi}(t)$ varies as ${t}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}}$ for d>3d>3d>3, as ${t}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}}{|\mathrm{ln}t|}^{\frac{1}{6}}$ for d=3d=3d=3, and as ${t}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\nu}}$ with $\frac{1}{2\ensuremath{\nu}}=1\ensuremath{-}\frac{(3\ensuremath{-}d)}{6}+O({(3\ensuremath{-}d)}^{2})$ for d<3d<3d<3. The susceptibility displays the expected demagnetization effects, namely, $({\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{-}{g}_{0}\mathcal{D})\ensuremath{\propto}{\ensuremath{\xi}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$. The experimental situation is mentioned briefly.
Studies of magnetic critical behavior using the recursion relation approach will be reviewed. For a Hamiltonian including both (anisotropic) exchange and dipole‐dipole interactions many fixed points arise, each representing distinct asymptotic critical behavior. Various non‐dipolar fixed points, for degree of isotropy m, describe the critical behavior of (rotationally invariant) antiferromagnets, except for additional, slowly decaying terms, which can lead to “effective critical exponents”. In addition one finds a series of “dipolar” fixed points. For m>1, these yield exponents which deviate slightly more from the classical values than those for the non‐dipolar fixed points. When m=1 the dipolar fixed point has classical exponents for dimension d>3, plus logarithmic corrections at d=3, but non‐classical behavior for d<3. The dipolar spin‐spin correlation functions always develop a characteristic angular dependence. Spatially anisotropic interactions, antisymmetric exchange interactions, terms of cubic symmetry, etc. may lead to still further fixed points, and hence to new critical behavior.