Phase Diagram of a Loop on the Square Lattice

The phase diagram of the O(n) model, in particular the special case $n=0$, is studied by means of transfer-matrix calculations on the loop representation of the O(n) model. The model is defined on the square lattice; the loops are allowed to collide at the lattice vertices, but not to intersect. The loop model contains three variable parameters that determine the loop density or temperature, the energy of a bend in a loop, and the interaction energy of colliding loop segments. A finite-size analysis of the transfer-matrix results yields the phase diagram in a special plane of the parameter space. These results confirm the existence of a multicritical point and an Ising-like critical line in the low-temperature O(n) phase.Comment: LaTeX, 3 eps file

Emergent O(n) Symmetry in a series of three-dimensional Potts Models

We study the q-state Potts model on the simple cubic lattice with ferromagnetic interactions in one lattice direction, and antiferromagnetic interactions in the two other directions. As the temperature T decreases, the system undergoes a second-order phase transition that fits in the universality class of the 3D O(n) model with n=q-1. This conclusion is based on the estimated critical exponents, and histograms of the order parameter. At even smaller T we find, for q=4 and 5, a first-order transition to a phase with a different type of long-range order. This long-range order dissolves at T=0, and the system effectively reduces to a disordered two-dimensional Potts antiferromagnet. These results are obtained by means of Monte Carlo simulations and finite-size scaling.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures, accepted by Physical Review

First and second order transitions in dilute O(n) models

We explore the phase diagram of an O(n) model on the honeycomb lattice with vacancies, using finite-size scaling and transfer-matrix methods. We make use of the loop representation of the O(n) model, so that $n$ is not restricted to positive integers. For low activities of the vacancies, we observe critical points of the known universality class. At high activities the transition becomes first order. For n=0 the model includes an exactly known theta point, used to describe a collapsing polymer in two dimensions. When we vary $n$ from 0 to 1, we observe a tricritical point which interpolates between the universality classes of the theta point and the Ising tricritical point.Comment: LaTeX, 6 eps file

Entropy bounds and Cardy-Verlinde formula in Yang-Mills theory

Using gauge formulation of gravity the three-dimensional SU(2) YM theory equations of motion are presented in equivalent form as FRW cosmological equations. With the radiation, the particular (periodic, big bang-big crunch) three-dimensional universe is constructed. Cosmological entropy bounds (so-called Cardy-Verlinde formula) have the standard form in such universe. Mapping such universe back to YM formulation we got the thermal solution of YM theory. The corresponding holographic entropy bounds (Cardy-Verlinde formula) in YM theory are constructed. This indicates to universal character of holographic relations.Comment: LaTeX file, 11 pages, a reference is adde

Critical frontier of the triangular antiferromagnet in a field

We study the critical line of the triangular Ising antiferromagnet in an external magnetic field by means of a finite-size analysis of results obtained by transfer-matrix and Monte Carlo techniques. We compare the shape of the critical line with predictions of two different theoretical scenarios. Both scenarios, while plausible, involve assumptions. The first scenario is based on the generalization of the model to a vertex model, and the assumption that the exact analytic form of the critical manifold of this vertex model is determined by the zeroes of an O(2) gauge-invariant polynomial in the vertex weights. However, it is not possible to fit the coefficients of such polynomials of orders up to 10, such as to reproduce the numerical data for the critical points. The second theoretical prediction is based on the assumption that a renormalization mapping exists of the Ising model on the Coulomb gas, and analysis of the resulting renormalization equations. It leads to a shape of the critical line that is inconsistent with the first prediction, but consistent with the numerical data.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure

c-Theorem for Disordered Systems

We find an analog of Zamolodchikov's c-theorem for disordered two dimensional noninteracting systems in their supersymmetric representation. For this purpose we introduce a new parameter b which flows along the renormalization group trajectories much like the central charge for unitary two dimensional field theories. However, it is not known yet if this flow is irreversible. b turns out to be related to the central extension of a certain algebra, a generalization of the Virasoro algebra, which we show may be present at the critical points of these theories. b is also related to the physical free energy of the disordered system defined on a cylinder. We discuss possible applications by computing b for two dimensional Dirac fermions with random gauge potential.Comment: 7 page

Calculating Vacuum Energies in Renormalizable Quantum Field Theories: A New Approach to the Casimir Problem

The Casimir problem is usually posed as the response of a fluctuating quantum field to externally imposed boundary conditions. In reality, however, no interaction is strong enough to enforce a boundary condition on all frequencies of a fluctuating field. We construct a more physical model of the situation by coupling the fluctuating field to a smooth background potential that implements the boundary condition in a certain limit. To study this problem, we develop general new methods to compute renormalized one--loop quantum energies and energy densities. We use analytic properties of scattering data to compute Green's functions in time--independent background fields at imaginary momenta. Our calculational method is particularly useful for numerical studies of singular limits because it avoids terms that oscillate or require cancellation of exponentially growing and decaying factors. To renormalize, we identify potentially divergent contributions to the Casimir energy with low orders in the Born series to the Green's function. We subtract these contributions and add back the corresponding Feynman diagrams, which we combine with counterterms fixed by imposing standard renormalization conditions on low--order Green's functions. The resulting Casimir energy and energy density are finite functionals for smooth background potentials. In general, however, the Casimir energy diverges in the boundary condition limit. This divergence is real and reflects the infinite energy needed to constrain a fluctuating field on all energy scales; renormalizable quantum field theories have no place for ad hoc surface counterterms. We apply our methods to simple examples to illustrate cases where these subtleties invalidate the conclusions of the boundary condition approach.Comment: 36pages, Latex, 20 eps files. included via epsfi

Boundary Entropy Can Increase Under Bulk RG Flow

The boundary entropy log(g) of a critical one-dimensional quantum system (or two-dimensional conformal field theory) is known to decrease under renormalization group (RG) flow of the boundary theory. We study instead the behavior of the boundary entropy as the bulk theory flows between two nearby critical points. We use conformal perturbation theory to calculate the change in g due to a slightly relevant bulk perturbation and find that it has no preferred sign. The boundary entropy log(g) can therefore increase during appropriate bulk flows. This is demonstrated explicitly in flows between minimal models. We discuss the applications of this result to D-branes in string theory and to impurity problems in condensed matter.Comment: 20 page

On the integrability of two-dimensional models with U(1)xSU(N) symmetry

In this paper we study the integrability of a family of models with U(1)xSU(N) symmetry. They admit fermionic and bosonic formulations related through bosonization and subsequent T-duality. The fermionic theory is just the CP^(N-1) sigma model coupled to a self-interacting massless fermion, while the bosonic one defines a one-parameter deformation of the O(2N) sigma model. For N=2 the latter model is equivalent to the integrable deformation of the O(4) sigma model discovered by Wiegmann. At higher values of N we find that integrability is more sporadic and requires a fine-tuning of the parameters of the theory. A special case of our study is the N=4 model, which was found to describe the AdS_4xCP^3 string theory in the Alday-Maldacena decoupling limit. In this case we propose a set of asymptotic Bethe ansatz equations for the energy spectrum.Comment: 61 pages, 7 figure

Entropy from AdS(3)/CFT(2)

We parametrize the (2+1)-dimensional AdS space and the BTZ black hole with Fefferman-Graham coordinates starting from the AdS boundary. We consider various boundary metrics: Rindler, static de Sitter and FRW. In each case, we compute the holographic stress-energy tensor of the dual CFT and confirm that it has the correct form, including the effects of the conformal anomaly. We find that the Fefferman-Graham parametrization also spans a second copy of the AdS space, including a second boundary. For the boundary metrics we consider, the Fefferman-Graham coordinates do not cover the whole AdS space. We propose that the length of the line delimiting the excluded region at a given time can be identified with the entropy of the dual CFT on a background determined by the boundary metric. For Rindler and de Sitter backgrounds our proposal reproduces the expected entropy. For a FRW background it produces a generalization of the Cardy formula that takes into account the vacuum energy related to the expansion.Comment: major revision with several clarifications and corrections, 22 page