Abstract In this work, we define and calculate critical exponents associated with higher order thermodynamic phase transitions. Such phase transitions can be classified into two classes: with or without a local order parameter. For phase transitions involving a local order parameter, we write down the Landau theory and calculate critical exponents using the saddle point approximation. Further, we investigate fluctuations about the saddle point and demarcate when such fluctuations dominate over saddle point calculations by introducing the generalized Ginzburg criteria. We use Wilsonian renormalization group (RG) to derive scaling forms for observables near criticality and obtain scaling relations between the critical exponents. Afterwards, we find out fixed points of the RG flow using the one-loop beta function and calculate critical exponents about the fixed points for third and fourth order phase transitions.
Critical properties of the
Q-state Potts model for dimensions $3\ensuremath{\le}d\ensuremath{\le}6$ are calculated by means of Wilson's exact momentum-space renormalization-group equation. The scaling-field method of Golner and Riedel is used to approximate the functional differential equation by a set of 11 ordinary coupled differential equations. For $d=4\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\epsilon}$, lines of critical and tricritical Potts fixed points are found as functions of
Q that annihilate as
Q approaches a critical value ${Q}_{c}=\frac{2+{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{2}}{a+O({\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{3})}$. For
Q>Qc, the Potts transition is first order. Along these fixed lines the critical and tricritical exponents (upper and lower sign, respectively) are to leading order: $\frac{1}{\ensuremath{\nu}}=2\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{6}[\ensuremath{\epsilon}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{({\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{2}\ensuremath{-}a\ensuremath{\delta})}^{\frac{1}{2}}]$, $\frac{\ensuremath{\varphi}}{\ensuremath{\nu}}=\ensuremath{\mp}{({\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{2}\ensuremath{-}a\ensuremath{\delta})}^{\frac{1}{2}}$, and $\ensuremath{\eta}=\frac{{[\ensuremath{\epsilon}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{({\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{2}\ensuremath{-}a\ensuremath{\delta})}^{\frac{1}{2}}]}^{2}}{216}+b\ensuremath{\delta}$, where $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=4\ensuremath{-}d$, $\ensuremath{\delta}=Q\ensuremath{-}2$, and $\ensuremath{\delta}\ensuremath{\le}{\ensuremath{\delta}}_{c}=\frac{{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{2}}{a}+O({\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{3})$. While the form of the $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ and $\ensuremath{\delta}$ dependences is exact, the coefficients
a and
b cannot be obtained systematically by $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ expansion, since the upper critical dimensionality of the Potts model is six when $Q\ensuremath{\ne}2$. In our truncation,
a=6.52 and
b=0.065. The results have been extended to dimensions $3.4\ensuremath{\le}d\ensuremath{\lesssim}4$ by solving the renormalization-group equations numerically. The percolation limit of the Potts model,
Q=1, is also investigated and the critical exponents ${\ensuremath{\nu}}^{P},{\ensuremath{\varphi}}^{P}$, and ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{P}$ determined as functions of dimension for $3\ensuremath{\le}d\ensuremath{\le}6$.
This paper presents an extension of Wilson's renormalization-group calculation of Ising-model critical exponents to include calculation of the critical exponent $\ensuremath{\eta}$. New recursion formulas are derived using the simplest set of consistent approximations which allow a nonzero $\ensuremath{\eta}$. They are intended to demonstrate, qualitatively, how nonzero values for $\ensuremath{\eta}$ are consistent with the renormalization-group approach; they do not represent systematic, quantitative improvements to Wilson's earlier calculation of the exponents $\ensuremath{\nu}$ and $\ensuremath{\gamma}$. The equations are solved both by $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ expansion about four dimensions and by numerical integration in three dimensions. To order ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{2}$ we obtain $\ensuremath{\eta}=0.05{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{2}$. Numerical results in three dimension are $\ensuremath{\eta}=0.058$, $\ensuremath{\nu}=0.588$, and $\ensuremath{\gamma}=1.14$. The relation $\ensuremath{\gamma}=(2\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\eta})\ensuremath{\nu}$ is confirmed.
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 $\ensuremath{\epsilon}\ensuremath{\equiv}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{2}(2)=4\ensuremath{-}d$.
A class of renormalization groups characterized as the general Gaussian renormalization group is defined. It includes the sharp cutoff renormalization group of Wilson, the linear renormalization group of Bell and Wilson, and the incomplete‐integration renormalization group of Wilson. The renormalization group approach to critical phenomena and the expansion around four dimensions is reviewed. The fixed point of the general Gaussian renormalization group is determined to order ε2, where ε=4−d (d is the dimensionality of the system), and the critical exponents are determined to the same order. The main conclusion is that the exponents do not depend on the cutoff functions of the renormalization group.
The large distance behaviour, near the critical temperature, of continuous phase transitions with short range interactions can be reproduced by an effective local field theory. Within this framework, the universal properties of the large distance can be determined by finding fixed points of general, functional renormalization group (RG) equations (Wilson, Wegner). For dimension D > 4, the large scale behavior is governed by the Gaussian fixed point (related to mean field theory), while for D < 4 the Gaussian fixed point is unstable. Near D = 4, the RG equations can be solved in the form of an ǫ = 4 − D expansion, a new stable fixed point is found and this leads to the famous Wilson-Fisher expansion for critical exponents and other universal quantities. Moreover, one realizes that, in this framework, the effective field theory can be reduced to a renormalizable field theory and, at leading order in the critical domain, the much simpler quantum field theory renormalization group can be used. A number of physicists, including the Saclay group (Brezin, Le Guillou, Zinn-Justin) have developed sophisticated field theory techniques, to prove general scaling laws and to calculate exponents to higher orders [1].