Ensemble equivalence in spin systems with short-range interactions

Y. Yamazaki

Y. Yamazaki

Ricardo Lima

Kazutaka Takahashi, Hidetoshi Nishimori, Víctor Martín-Mayor

We study the problem of ensemble equivalence in spin systems with short-range interactions under the existence of a first-order phase transition. The spherical model with nonlinear nearest-neighbour interactions is solved exactly for both canonical and microcanonical ensembles. The result reveals apparent ensemble inequivalence at the first-order transition point in the sense that the microcanonical entropy is non-concave as a function of the energy and consequently the specific heat is negative. In order to resolve the paradox, we show that an unconventional saddle point should be chosen in the microcanonical calculation that represents a phase separation. The XY model with nonlinear interactions is also studied by microcanonical Monte Carlo simulations in two dimensions to see how this model behaves in comparison with the spherical model.

Daniel Arrufat-Vicente, David Mukamel, Stefano Ruffo +1 more

Ensemble inequivalence, where a system's thermodynamic properties depend on the statistical ensemble used to describe it, is a well-established phenomenon in classical systems with long-range interactions. Here, we present a detailed analysis of a quantum ferromagnet spin model that exhibits this same behavior. We find that the microcanonical and canonical phase diagrams are identical at zero temperature ( T = 0 ), but differ significantly at finite temperatures. Our results highlight a breakdown of ensemble equivalence in this quantum long-range model, contrasting with what is observed for short range. These findings have important implications for the study and manipulation of long-range interacting quantum platforms, such as those used in atomic, molecular, and optical physics.

Yoshitake Yamazaki