Monte Carlo study of very weak first-order transitions in the three-dimensional Ashkin-Teller model
Abstract
We propose numerical simulations of the Ashkin-Teller model as a foil for theoretical techniques for studying very weakly first-order phase transitions in three dimensions. The Ashkin-Teller model is a simple two-spin model whose parameters can be adjusted so that it has an arbitrarily weakly first-order phase transition. In this limit, there are quantities characterizing the first-order transition which are universal: we measure the relative discontinuity of the specific heat, the correlation length, and the susceptibility across the transition by Monte Carlo simulation.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.hep-lat/9610032,
title = {Monte Carlo study of very weak first-order transitions in the three-dimensional Ashkin-Teller model},
author = {Peter Arnold and Yan Zhang},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-lat/9610032},
year = {2010}
}
Comments
This is the revised version that will appear in Nuclear Physics B. Revisions include improvement of statistical error analysis, but final results not significantly changed. 50 pages, Latex, uses revtex, postscript figures included with epsf