Exact expressions for the partition function, spin pair correlation function, and susceptibility of the onedimensional isotropic classical Heisenberg model are obtained in zero external field with cyclic boundary conditions. It is shown that the methods used to derive these results enable the partition functions and susceptibilities of finite clusters of interacting classical spins to be evaluated in terms of the $3n\ensuremath{-}j$ symbols of Wigner. Exact results in one dimension are also obtained for the partition function and susceptibility of a "planar" classical Heisenberg model. In this model the spin vectors interact via a Heisenberg coupling but each spin vector is restricted to lie in a plane.The anisotropic classical Heisenberg model described by the Hamiltonian $\mathcal{H}=\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Sigma}\stackrel{}{(\mathrm{ij})}2({{J}_{\mathrm{ij}}}^{x}{{s}_{i}}^{x}{{s}_{j}}^{x}+{{J}_{\mathrm{ij}}}^{y}{{s}_{i}}^{y}{{s}_{j}}^{y}+{{J}_{\mathrm{ij}}}^{z}{{s}_{i}}^{z}{{s}_{j}}^{z})\ensuremath{-}mH\ensuremath{\Sigma}\stackrel{N}{j=1}{{s}_{i}}^{z},$ where
six,
siy, and
siz are components of the unit vector
si, is also considered. A perturbation series for the zero-field free energy of the anisotropic model in one dimension with nearest-neighbor interactions
Jijx=Jijy=J and ${{J}_{\mathrm{ij}}}^{z}=\ensuremath{\gamma}J$ is developed in powers of $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{-}1$ using the isotropic model as the unperturbed system. Detailed calculations are performed to third order in $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{-}1$. It is found that the perturbation series for the energy per spin breaks down as $T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. A high-temperature series expansion for the anisotropic model, which is valid for a general interaction potential and lattice, is derived by generalizing the methods developed by Horwitz and Callen for the Ising model. This series is rearranged to give a simplified diagram expansion. Finally, a practical technique for calculating the high-temperature series expansions of the zero-field free energy and susceptibility of the isotropic classical Heisenberg model is presented.
The properties of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg model on 1, 2, and 3-dimensional lattices are calculated using the Decoupled Cell Method of Homma et al., and these results are compared with high temperature and spin-wave expansions, and with other numerical approaches. The DCM has advantages over other Monte Carlo methods currently in wide use in that the transition probability is positive definite, there is no need to introduce an additional imaginary time, or Trotter, dimension, and the acceptance rate for transitions is comparable to that of classical lattice models. We find very good agreement between the DCM and the high temperature expansion in the temperature region where the high temperature expansion is valid, and reasonably good agreement at low temperatures with spin wave theory. The DCM fails for temperatures T < Tc which decreases with the size of the cell.