Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Current physics sources and comments

Universal Term in the Free Energy at a Critical Point and the Conformal Anomaly

Ian K. Affleck

Published Jan 1, 1988• 29 citations
Publisher
DOI
10.1016/b978-0-444-87109-1.50034-0

Related papers

Evolution of free-energy expansion parameters in the critical region. An exactly solvable model

А. В. Радиевский, Alexander E. Filippov

Theoretical and Mathematical Physics•Sep 1, 1991•0 citations

Universal term in the free energy at a critical point and the conformal anomaly

Ian K. Affleck

We show that the leading finite-size correction to lnZ for a two-dimensional system at a conformally invariant critical point on a strip of length L width \ensuremath{\beta}(\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\ll}L) is (\ensuremath{\pi}/6)c(L/\ensuremath{\beta}), where c is the conformal anomaly. Equivalently, the leading low-temperature correction to the free energy of a one-dimensional quantum system is -(\ensuremath{\pi}/6)cL(kT${)}^{2}$\ensuremath{\Elzxh}v, where v is the effective ``velocity of light.'' The latter formula is used to check recently derived critical theories of spin-s quantum chains against Bethe-Ansatz solutions.

Physical Review Letters•Feb 17, 1986•1,219 citations

Conformal Invariance and Critical Phenomena

Malte Henkel

Springer eBooks•Jan 1, 1999•387 citations

Extracting the Central Charge of Conformal Field Theory by Central Spin Decoherence

Bo-Bo Wei

Conformal invariance powerfully constrains the critical behavior of two-dimensional classical systems with short-range interactions and the critical theories in two-dimensions are parametrized by a dimensional number, termed central charge or conformal anomaly $c$. However, experimental determination of the central charge of a conformal field theory has not been done before. Here we propose to extract the central charge of the conformal field theory corresponding to a critical point of a two-dimensional lattice models from the quantum decoherence measurement of a probe spin which is coupled to the two-dimensional lattice models. Conformal invariance predicts that the leading finite-size correction to the free energy for a two-dimensional system at a conformal invariant critical point is linearly related to the conformal anomaly for various boundary conditions. A recent discovery of thermodynamic holography allows us to obtain the free energy of many-body system from central spin decoherence measurement. Thus the central charge of the conformal field theory could be extracted from central spin decoherence measurement. We have applied the method to the two-dimensional Ising model and extracted the central charge of two-dimensional Ising model with good precision. This work provides a useful approach to extracting the central charge of conformal field theory in various two-dimensional lattice systems.

arXiv:1706.04294•Jun 14, 2017•0 citations

Critical behavior of the two-dimensional Ising model with a slit

Xintian Wu

The two-dimensional Ising model with a slit is studied. The slit free energy is defined, in which the bulk term, edge terms, and corner terms other than that of the slit are canceled. The bond propagation algorithm is used to calculate the free energy, internal energy, and heat capacity numerically. At the critical point, the slit free energy has a logarithmic correction L^{-1}lnL, in addition to the correction lnL, where L is the typical length of the system. The fitted coefficients of these terms agree with the conformal field theory very well. The integral constant and extrapolation length, which are pending in the conformal field theory, are obtained. In the slit internal energy, the leading term is proportional to L. There is a correction term, ln^{2}L, that has a geometry-independent coefficient, the exact value of which is conjectured to be -sqrt[2]/(2π^{2}). The leading term in the slit heat capacity is proportional to L^{2}. There is also a ln^{2}L term; however, its coefficient depends on the geometry. In the infinitely long strip limit, its exact value is conjectured to be 5/π^{2}. Near the critical point, for different size lattices, the rescaled slit free energies, internal energies, and heat capacities collapse onto the corresponding universal curves. According to the scaling and conformal field theory, the leading term of the slit free energy should be -c/8ln|t| for L|t|≫1 and |t|≪1, where t is the reduced temperature. The amplitude c/8 is universal, and c is the central charge. Our results validate these predictions qualitatively. For L|t|≫1 and |t|≪1, the slit internal energy and heat capacity scale as t^{-1} and t^{-2}, respectively.

Physical review. E•May 3, 2017•4 citations

Critical wall perturbations and a local free energy functional

Michael Ellis Fisher, Helen Au-Yang

Physica A Statistical Mechanics and its Applications•Apr 1, 1980•62 citations
We show that the leading finite-size correction to lnZ for a two-dimensional system at a conformally invariant critical point on a strip of length L width \ensuremath{\beta}(\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\ll}L) is (\ensuremath{\pi}/6)c(L/\ensuremath{\beta}), where c is the conformal anomaly. Equivalently, the leading low-temperature correction to the free energy of a one-dimensional quantum system is -(\ensuremath{\pi}/6)cL(kT)2{)}^{2})2\ensuremath{\Elzxh}v, where v is the effective ``velocity of light.'' The latter formula is used to check recently derived critical theories of spin-s quantum chains against Bethe-Ansatz solutions.
Conformal invariance powerfully constrains the critical behavior of two-dimensional classical systems with short-range interactions and the critical theories in two-dimensions are parametrized by a dimensional number, termed central charge or conformal anomaly ccc. However, experimental determination of the central charge of a conformal field theory has not been done before. Here we propose to extract the central charge of the conformal field theory corresponding to a critical point of a two-dimensional lattice models from the quantum decoherence measurement of a probe spin which is coupled to the two-dimensional lattice models. Conformal invariance predicts that the leading finite-size correction to the free energy for a two-dimensional system at a conformal invariant critical point is linearly related to the conformal anomaly for various boundary conditions. A recent discovery of thermodynamic holography allows us to obtain the free energy of many-body system from central spin decoherence measurement. Thus the central charge of the conformal field theory could be extracted from central spin decoherence measurement. We have applied the method to the two-dimensional Ising model and extracted the central charge of two-dimensional Ising model with good precision. This work provides a useful approach to extracting the central charge of conformal field theory in various two-dimensional lattice systems.
The two-dimensional Ising model with a slit is studied. The slit free energy is defined, in which the bulk term, edge terms, and corner terms other than that of the slit are canceled. The bond propagation algorithm is used to calculate the free energy, internal energy, and heat capacity numerically. At the critical point, the slit free energy has a logarithmic correction L^{-1}lnL, in addition to the correction lnL, where L is the typical length of the system. The fitted coefficients of these terms agree with the conformal field theory very well. The integral constant and extrapolation length, which are pending in the conformal field theory, are obtained. In the slit internal energy, the leading term is proportional to L. There is a correction term, ln^{2}L, that has a geometry-independent coefficient, the exact value of which is conjectured to be -sqrt[2]/(2π^{2}). The leading term in the slit heat capacity is proportional to L^{2}. There is also a ln^{2}L term; however, its coefficient depends on the geometry. In the infinitely long strip limit, its exact value is conjectured to be 5/π^{2}. Near the critical point, for different size lattices, the rescaled slit free energies, internal energies, and heat capacities collapse onto the corresponding universal curves. According to the scaling and conformal field theory, the leading term of the slit free energy should be -c/8ln|t| for L|t|≫1 and |t|≪1, where t is the reduced temperature. The amplitude c/8 is universal, and c is the central charge. Our results validate these predictions qualitatively. For L|t|≫1 and |t|≪1, the slit internal energy and heat capacity scale as t^{-1} and t^{-2}, respectively.