The primary goal of modern theories of critical phenomena is the evaluation of critical exponents from first principles, implying the need to get beyond mean field theories which predict the same exponents independent of the nature of the system. This chapter focuses on a new approach emerged in the 1960s based on two ideas—scaling and renormalization. It presents the physical picture developed by L. P. Kadanoff that provides a conceptual basis for scaling and which has become part of the standard language of critical phenomena. Renormalization provides a way to calculate the free energy not involving a direct evaluation of the partition function—it's a new paradigm in statistical mechanics. The chapter analyzes a simplified, approximate set of recursion relations valid at high temperature for a model with nearest and next-nearest-neighbor interactions. In 1971 K. G. Wilson published two articles marking the introduction of the renormalization group to the study of critical phenomena.The primary goal of modern theories of critical phenomena is the evaluation of critical exponents from first principles, implying the need to get beyond mean field theories which predict the same exponents independent of the nature of the system. This chapter focuses on a new approach emerged in the 1960s based on two ideas—scaling and renormalization. It presents the physical picture developed by L. P. Kadanoff that provides a conceptual basis for scaling and which has become part of the standard language of critical phenomena. Renormalization provides a way to calculate the free energy not involving a direct evaluation of the partition function—it's a new paradigm in statistical mechanics. The chapter analyzes a simplified, approximate set of recursion relations valid at high temperature for a model with nearest and next-nearest-neighbor interactions. In 1971 K. G. Wilson published two articles marking the introduction of the renormalization group to the study of critical phenomena.

CRC Press eBooksJan 9, 20210 citations

Developments in the Theory of Critical Phenomena

G. Toulouse

Elsevier eBooksJan 1, 19730 citations

Rethinking Dimensional Regularization in Critical Phenomena

P. Beretta, Alessandro Codello

We show that it is possible to use dimensional regularization (DR) beyond the usual $\varepsilon$ -expansion in the context of renormalization group (RG) calculations in Critical Phenomena. Based on this fact, we propose a new functional RG scheme - Functional Dimensional Regularization (FDR) - and apply it to a scalar theory in three dimensions. We compute the critical exponents of the Ising universality class directly in $d=3$ under various typical approximations. The method that emerges combines the agility typical of DR with the generality proper of functional RG. Moreover, at a given order of approximation, FDR seems to provide faster convergence and better estimates than other functional RGs.We show that it is possible to use dimensional regularization (DR) beyond the usual $\varepsilon$-expansion in the context of renormalization group (RG) calculations in Critical Phenomena. Based on this fact, we propose a new functional RG scheme - Functional Dimensional Regularization (FDR) - and apply it to a scalar theory in three dimensions. We compute the critical exponents of the Ising universality class directly in $d=3$ under various typical approximations. The method that emerges combines the agility typical of DR with the generality proper of functional RG. Moreover, at a given order of approximation, FDR seems to provide faster convergence and better estimates than other functional RGs.

arXiv:2604.25103Apr 28, 20260 citations

Theory of Critical Phenomena with Memory

Shaolong Zeng, Sue ping Szeto, Fan Zhong

Memory is a ubiquitous characteristic of complex systems, and critical phenomena are one of the most intriguing phenomena in nature. Here, we propose an Ising model with memory, develop a corresponding theory of critical phenomena with memory for complex systems, and discover a series of surprising novel results. We show that a naive theory of a usual Hamiltonian with a direct inclusion of a power-law decaying long-range temporal interaction violates radically a hyperscaling law for all spatial dimensions even at and below the upper critical dimension. This entails both indispensable consideration of the Hamiltonian for dynamics, rather than the usual practice of just focusing on the corresponding dynamic Lagrangian alone, and transformations that result in a correct theory in which space and time are inextricably interwoven, leading to an effective spatial dimension that repairs the hyperscaling law. The theory gives rise to a set of novel mean-field critical exponents, which are different from the usual Landau ones, as well as new universality classes. These exponents are verified by numerical simulations of the Ising model with memory in two and three spatial dimensions.Memory is a ubiquitous characteristic of complex systems, and critical phenomena are one of the most intriguing phenomena in nature. Here, we propose an Ising model with memory, develop a corresponding theory of critical phenomena with memory for complex systems, and discover a series of surprising novel results. We show that a naive theory of a usual Hamiltonian with a direct inclusion of a power-law decaying long-range temporal interaction violates radically a hyperscaling law for all spatial dimensions even at and below the upper critical dimension. This entails both indispensable consideration of the Hamiltonian for dynamics, rather than the usual practice of just focusing on the corresponding dynamic Lagrangian alone, and transformations that result in a correct theory in which space and time are inextricably interwoven, leading to an effective spatial dimension that repairs the hyperscaling law. The theory gives rise to a set of novel mean-field critical exponents, which are different from the usual Landau ones, as well as new universality classes. These exponents are verified by numerical simulations of the Ising model with memory in two and three spatial dimensions.

arXiv:2203.16243Chinese Physics LettersNov 1, 20223 citations

Lectures on Critical Phenomena

Melville C. Green

Statistical mechanicsJan 1, 19662 citations

We show that it is possible to use dimensional regularization (DR) beyond the usual

\varepsilon

-expansion in the context of renormalization group (RG) calculations in Critical Phenomena. Based on this fact, we propose a new functional RG scheme - Functional Dimensional Regularization (FDR) - and apply it to a scalar theory in three dimensions. We compute the critical exponents of the Ising universality class directly in

d=3

under various typical approximations. The method that emerges combines the agility typical of DR with the generality proper of functional RG. Moreover, at a given order of approximation, FDR seems to provide faster convergence and better estimates than other functional RGs.