The probability distribution of the largest cluster size is studied within a three-dimensional bond percolation model on small lattices. Cumulants of the distribution exhibit distinct features near the percolation transition (pseudocritical point), providing a method for its identification. The location of the critical point in the continuous limit can be estimated without variation of the system size. This method is remarkably insensitive to finite-size effects and may be applied even for a very small system. The possibility of using various measurable quantities for sorting events makes the procedure useful in studying clusterization phenomena, in particular nuclear multifragmentation. Finite-size scaling and \ensuremath{\Delta}-scaling relations are examined. The role of surface effects is evaluated by a comparison of results for free and periodic boundary conditions.
Using a histogram Monte Carlo simulation method (HMCSM), Hu, Lin, and Chen found that bond and site percolation models on planar lattices have universal finite-size scaling functions for the existence probability
Ep, the percolation probability
P, and the probability
Wn for the appearance of
n percolating clusters in these models. In this paper we extend above study to percolation on three-dimensional lattices with various linear dimensions
L. Using the HMCSM, we calculate the existence probability
Ep and the percolation probability
P for site and bond percolation on a simple-cubic (sc) lattice, and site percolation on body-centered-cubic and face-centered-cubic lattices; each lattice has the same linear dimension in three dimensions. Using the data of
Ep and
P in a percolation renormalization group method, we find that the critical exponents obtained are quite consistent with the universality of critical exponents. Using a small number of nonuniversal metric factors, we find that
Ep and
P have universal finite-size scaling functions. This implies that the critical
Ep is a universal quantity, which is $0.265\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.005$ for free boundary conditions and $0.924\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.005$ for periodic boundary conditions. We also find that
Wn for site and bond percolation on sc lattices have universal finite-size scaling functions.
We study the ratio of the number of sites in the largest and second largest clusters in random percolation. Using the scaling hypothesis that the ratio <M1>/<M2> of the mean cluster sizes M1 and M2 scales as f ((p - pc) L1/ν), we employ finite-size scaling analysis to find that <M1>/<M2> is nonuniversal with respect to the boundary conditions imposed. The mean <M1/M2> of the ratios behaves similarly although with a distinct critical value reflecting the relevance of mass fluctuations at the percolation threshold. These zero exponent ratios also allow for reliable estimates of the critical parameters at percolation from relatively small lattices.
We simulate the bond and site percolation models on a simple-cubic lattice with linear sizes up to
L=512, and estimate the percolation thresholds to be
pc(bond)=0.24881182(10) and
pc(site)=0.3116077(2). By performing extensive simulations at these estimated critical points, we then estimate the critical exponents $1/\ensuremath{\nu}=1.1410(15)$, $\ensuremath{\beta}/\ensuremath{\nu}=0.477\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}05(15)$, the leading correction exponent ${y}_{i}=\ensuremath{-}1.2(2)$, and the shortest-path exponent
dmin=1.3756(3). Various universal amplitudes are also obtained, including wrapping probabilities, ratios associated with the cluster-size distribution, and the excess cluster number. We observe that the leading finite-size corrections in certain wrapping probabilities are governed by an exponent $\ensuremath{\approx}$$\ensuremath{-}2$, rather than ${y}_{i}\ensuremath{\approx}\ensuremath{-}1.2$.
Based on the connection between the Ising model and a correlated percolation model, we calculate the distribution function for the fraction (c) of lattice sites in percolating clusters in subgraphs with n percolating clusters, f(n)(c), and the distribution function for magnetization (m) in subgraphs with n percolating clusters, p(n)(m). We find that f(n)(c) and p(n)(m) have very good finite-size scaling behavior and that they have universal finite-size scaling functions for the model on square, plane triangular, and honeycomb lattices when aspect ratios of these lattices have the proportions 1:square root[3]/2:square root[3]. The complex structure of the magnetization distribution function p(m) for the system with large aspect ratio could be understood from the independent orientations of two or more percolation clusters in such a system.
Using Monte Carlo methods and finite-size scaling, we investigate surface critical phenomena in the bond-percolation model on the simple-cubic lattice with two open surfaces in one direction. We decompose the whole lattice into percolation clusters and sample the surface and bulk dimensionless ratios Q1 and Qb, defined on the basis of the moments of the cluster-size distribution. These ratios are used to determine critical points. At the bulk percolation threshold pbc, we determine the surface bond-occupation probability at the special transition as p(s)1c = 0.418 17(2), and further obtain the corresponding surface thermal and magnetic exponents as y(s)t1 = 0.5387(2) and y(s)h1 = 1.8014(6), respectively. Next, from the pair correlation function on the surfaces, we determine y(o)h1 = 1.0246(4) and y(e)h1 = 1.25(6) for the ordinary and the extraordinary transition, respectively, of which the former is consistent with the existing result y(o)h1 = 1.024(4). We also numerically derive the line of surface phase transitions occurring at pb < pbc, and determine the pertinent asymptotic values of the universal ratios Q1 and Qb.