Using two sets of high-precision Monte Carlo data for the two-dimensional XY model in the Villain formulation on square L\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}L lattices, the scaling behavior of the susceptibility \ensuremath{\chi} and correlation length \ensuremath{\xi} at the Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition is analyzed with emphasis on multiplicative logarithmic corrections (ln L${)}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2\mathrm{r}}$ in the finite-size scaling region and (ln \ensuremath{\xi}${)}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2\mathrm{r}}$ in the high-temperature phase near criticality, respectively. By analyzing the susceptibility at criticality on lattices of size up to
5122 we obtain r=-0.0270(10), in agreement with recent work of Kenna and Irving on the finite-size scaling of Lee-Yang zeros in the cosine formulation of the XY model. By studying susceptibilities and correlation lengths up to \ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremath{\approx}140 in the high-temperature phase, however, we arrive at quite a different estimate of r=0.0560(17), which is in good agreement with recent analyses of thermodynamic Monte Carlo data and high-temperature series expansions of the cosine formulation.
We present detailed Monte Carlo results for the susceptibility \ensuremath{\chi}, correlation length \ensuremath{\xi}, and specific heat
Cv for the XY model. The simulations are done on
642,
1282,
2562, and
5122 lattices over the temperature range 0.98\ensuremath{\le}T\ensuremath{\le}1.43 corresponding to 270. Fits to \ensuremath{\chi} and \ensuremath{\xi} data favor a Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) singularity over a second-order transition; however, unconstrained four-parameter KT fits do not confirm the predicted values \ensuremath{\nu}=0.5 and \ensuremath{\eta}=0.25. Our best estimate,
Tc=0.894(5), is obtained using KT fits with \ensuremath{\nu} fixed at 0.5. The exponent \ensuremath{\eta} is calculated as a function of temperature in the spin-wave phase using Monte Carlo renormalization-group and finite-size-scaling methods. Both methods give consistent results and we find \ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\approxeq}0.235 at T=0.894. We also present results for the behavior of vortex density across the transition and exhibit how the dilute-gas approximation breaks down.
We study the classical XY (plane rotator) model at the Kosterlitz–Thouless phase transition. We simulate the model using the single-cluster algorithm on square lattices of a linear size up to L = 2048. We derive the finite-size behaviour of the second moment correlation length over the lattice size ξ 2nd / L at the transition temperature. This new prediction and the analogous one for the helicity modulus ϒ are confronted with our Monte Carlo data. This way β KT = 1.1199 is confirmed as inverse transition temperature. Finally, we address the puzzle of logarithmic corrections of the magnetic susceptibility χ at the transition temperature.
We report Monte Carlo simulations of Villain's periodic Gaussian XY model on
L2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}N lattices of film geometry (L\ensuremath{\gg}N) with up to N=16 layers, employing the single-cluster update algorithm combined with improved estimators for measurements. The boundary conditions are periodic within each layer and free at the bottom and top layer. Based on data for the specific heat, the spin-spin correlation function, and the susceptibility in the high-temperature phase we study the crossover from three- to two-dimensional behavior as criticality is approached. For the transition temperatures, determined from Kosterlitz-Thouless fits to the correlation length and susceptibility, we observe a pronounced scaling behavior with N. The associated critical exponent, however, deviates from theoretical expectations. More qualitatively, we further discuss the distribution and shapes of vortex loops in the crossover region.
We have simulated the three-dimensional Heisenberg model on simple cubic lattices, using the single-cluster Monte Carlo update algorithm. The expected pronounced reduction of critical slowing down at the phase transition is verified. This allows simulations on significantly larger lattices than in previous studies and consequently a better control over systematic errors. In one set of simulations we employ the usual finite-size scaling methods to compute the critical exponents \ensuremath{\nu},\ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\beta},\ensuremath{\gamma},\ensuremath{\eta} from a few measurements in the vicinity of the critical point, making extensive use of histogram reweighting and optimization techniques. In another set of simulations we report measurements of improved estimators for the spatial correlation length and the susceptibility in the high-temperature phase, obtained on lattices with up to
1003 spins. This enables us to compute independent estimates of \ensuremath{\nu} and \ensuremath{\gamma} from power-law fits of their critical divergencies.
The fully frustrated XY model with Villain interaction on a square lattice is studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations. On the basis of the universal jump condition it is argued that there are two distinct transitions in the model, corresponding to the loss of XY order and
Z2 order, respectively. The Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) transition is analyzed by finite-size scaling of the helicity modulus at lattices of size L=32 through 128, giving
TKT\ensuremath{\approx}0.8108(1). The vorticity-vorticity correlation function is used to determine two different characteristic lengths, the
Z2 correlation length \ensuremath{\xi}, and the screening length \ensuremath{\lambda}, associated with the KT transition and free vortices. The temperature dependence of \ensuremath{\xi} is examined in order to determine
Tc and the correlation length exponent, \ensuremath{\nu}. The exponent is found to be consistent with the two-dimensional (2D) Ising value, \ensuremath{\nu}=1, and the obtained critical temperature is
Tc=0.8225(5). The determinations of both \ensuremath{\xi} and \ensuremath{\nu} are done carefully, first applying the techniques to the 2D Ising model, which serves as a convenient testing ground.