Monte Carlo Study of Topological Defects in the 3D Heisenberg Model

We use single-cluster Monte Carlo simulations to study the role of topological defects in the three-dimensional classical Heisenberg model on simple cubic lattices of size up to $80^3$. By applying reweighting techniques to time series generated in the vicinity of the approximate infinite volume transition point $K_c$, we obtain clear evidence that the temperature derivative of the average defect density $d\langle n \rangle/dT$ behaves qualitatively like the specific heat, i.e., both observables are finite in the infinite volume limit. This is in contrast to results by Lau and Dasgupta [{\em Phys. Rev.\/} {\bf B39} (1989) 7212] who extrapolated a divergent behavior of $d\langle n \rangle/dT$ at $K_c$ from simulations on lattices of size up to $16^3$. We obtain weak evidence that $d\langle n \rangle/dT$ scales with the same critical exponent as the specific heat.As a byproduct of our simulations, we obtain a very accurate estimate for the ratio $\alpha/\nu$ of the specific-heat exponent with the correlation-length exponent from a finite-size scaling analysis of the energy.Comment: pages ,4 ps-figures not included, FUB-HEP 10/9

Correlations in the low-temperature phase of the two-dimensional XY model

Monte Carlo simulations of the two-dimensional XY model are performed in a square geometry with fixed boundary conditions. Using a conformal mapping it is very easy to deduce the exponent eta_sigma(T) of the order parameter correlation function at any temperature in the critical phase of the model. The temperature behaviour of eta_sigma(T) is obtained numerically with a good accuracy up to the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition temperature. At very low temperatures, a good agreement is found with Berezinskii's harmonic approximation. Surprisingly, we show some evidence that there are no logarithmic corrections to the behaviour of the order parameter density profile (with symmetry breaking surface fields) at the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition temperature.Comment: 7 pages, 2 eps figure

Geometric properties of two-dimensional O(n) loop configurations

We study the fractal geometry of O($n$) loop configurations in two dimensions by means of scaling and a Monte Carlo method, and compare the results with predictions based on the Coulomb gas technique. The Monte Carlo algorithm is applicable to models with noninteger $n$ and uses local updates. Although these updates typically lead to nonlocal modifications of loop connectivities, the number of operations required per update is only of order one. The Monte Carlo algorithm is applied to the O($n$) model for several values of $n$, including noninteger ones. We thus determine scaling exponents that describe the fractal nature of O($n$) loops at criticality. The results of the numerical analysis agree with the theoretical predictions.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure

Monte Carlo Simulation of the Short-time Behaviour of the Dynamic XY Model

Dynamic relaxation of the XY model quenched from a high temperature state to the critical temperature or below is investigated with Monte Carlo methods. When a non-zero initial magnetization is given, in the short-time regime of the dynamic evolution the critical initial increase of the magnetization is observed. The dynamic exponent $\theta$ is directly determined. The results show that the exponent $\theta$ varies with respect to the temperature. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that this initial increase of the magnetization is universal, i.e. independent of the microscopic details of the initial configurations and the algorithms.Comment: 14 pages with 5 figures in postscrip

The Critical Properties of Two-dimensional Oscillator Arrays

We present a renormalization group study of two dimensional arrays of oscillators, with dissipative, short range interactions. We consider the case of non-identical oscillators, with distributed intrinsic frequencies within the array and study the steady-state properties of the system. In two dimensions no macroscopic mutual entrainment is found but, for identical oscillators, critical behavior of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless type is shown to be present. We then discuss the stability of (BKT) order in the physical case of distributed quenched random frequencies. In order to do that, we show how the steady-state dynamical properties of the two dimensional array of non-identical oscillators are related to the equilibrium properties of the XY model with quenched randomness, that has been already studied in the past. We propose a novel set of recursion relations to study this system within the Migdal Kadanoff renormalization group scheme, by mean of the discrete clock-state formulation. We compute the phase diagram in the presence of random dissipative coupling, at finite values of the clock state parameter. Possible experimental applications in two dimensional arrays of microelectromechanical oscillators are briefly suggested.Comment: Contribution to the conference "Viewing the World through Spin Glasses" in honour of Professor David Sherrington on the occasion of his 65th birthda

Monte Carlo Study of the Anisotropic Heisenberg Antiferromagnet on the Triangular Lattice

We report a Monte Carlo study of the classical antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model with easy axis anisotropy on the triangular lattice. Both the free energy cost for long wavelength spin waves as well as for the formation of free vortices are obtained from the spin stiffness and vorticity modulus respectively. Evidence for two distinct Kosterlitz-Thouless types of defect-mediated phase transitions at finite temperatures is presented.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figure

The Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a triangular lattice: topological excitations

We study the topological defects in the classical Heisenberg antiferromagnet in two dimensions on a triangular lattice (HAFT). While the topological analysis of the order parameter space indicates that the defects are of $Z_2$ type, consideration of the energy leads us to a description of the low--energy stationary points of the action in terms of $\pm$ vortices, as in the planar XY model. Starting with the continuum description of the HAFT, we show analytically that its partition function can be reduced to that of a 2--dimensional Coulomb gas with logarithmic interaction. Thus, at low temperatures, the correlation length is determined by the spinwaves, while at higher temperatures we expect a crossover to a Kosterlitz--Thouless type behaviour. The results of recent Monte Carlo calculations of the correlation length are consistent with such a crossover.Comment: 9 pages, revtex, preprint: ITP-UH 03/9

A numerical renormalization group study of laser induced freezing

We study the phenomenon of laser induced freezing, within a numerical renormalization scheme which allows explicit comparison with a recent defect mediated melting theory. Precise values for the `bare' dislocation fugacities and elastic moduli of the 2-d hard disk system are obtained from a constrained Monte Carlo simulation sampling only configurations {\em without} dislocations. These are used as inputs to appropriate renormalization flow equations to obtain the equilibrium phase diagram which shows excellent agreement with earlier simulation results. We show that the flow equations need to be correct at least up to third order in defect fugacity to reproduce meaningful results.Comment: Minor Corrections; Combined version of Europhys. Lett. 67 (2004) p. 814 and Europhys. Lett. 68 (2004) p. 16

Phase Transition of XY Model in Heptagonal Lattice

We numerically investigate the nature of the phase transition of the XY model in the heptagonal lattice with the negative curvature, in comparison to other interaction structures such as a flat two-dimensional (2D) square lattice and a small-world network. Although the heptagonal lattice has a very short characteristic path length like the small-world network structure, it is revealed via calculation of the Binder's cumulant that the former exhibits a zero-temperature phase transition while the latter has the finite-temperature transition of the mean-field nature. Through the computation of the vortex density as well as the correlation function in the low-temperature approximation, we show that the absence of the phase transition originates from the strong spinwave-type fluctuation, which is discussed in relation to the usual 2D XY model.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, to be published in Europhys. Let

Phase Transitions in Hexane Monolayers Physisorbed onto Graphite

We report the results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a complete monolayer of hexane physisorbed onto the basal plane of graphite. At low temperatures the system forms a herringbone solid. With increasing temperature, a solid to nematic liquid crystal transition takes place at $T_1 = 138 \pm 2$K followed by another transition at $T_2 = 176 \pm 3$K into an isotropic fluid. We characterize the different phases by calculating various order parameters, coordinate distributions, energetics, spreading pressure and correlation functions, most of which are in reasonable agreement with available experimental evidence. In addition, we perform simulations where the Lennard-Jones interaction strength, corrugation potential strength and dihedral rigidity are varied in order to better characterize the nature of the two transitions through. We find that both phase transitions are facilitated by a ``footprint reduction'' of the molecules via tilting, and to a lesser degree via creation of gauche defects in the molecules.Comment: 18 pages, eps figures embedded, submitted to Phys. Rev.