Rounding of first order transitions in low-dimensional quantum systems with quenched disorder

Universality from disorder in the random-bond Blume-Capel model

Using high-precision Monte Carlo simulations and finite-size scaling we study the effect of quenched disorder in the exchange couplings on the Blume-Capel model on the square lattice. The first-order transition for large crystal-field coupling is softened to become continuous, with a divergent correlation length. An analysis of the scaling of the correlation length as well as the susceptibility and specific heat reveals that it belongs to the universality class of the Ising model with additional logarithmic corrections which is also observed for the Ising model itself if coupled to weak disorder. While the leading scaling behavior of the disordered system is therefore identical between the second-order and first-order segments of the phase diagram of the pure model, the finite-size scaling in the ex-first-order regime is affected by strong transient effects with a crossover length scale L^{*}≈32 for the chosen parameters.

Critical behavior of the spin-1 Blume-Capel model on two-dimensional Voronoi-Delaunay random lattices

The critical properties of the spin-1 Blume-Capel model in two dimensions is studied on Voronoi-Delaunay random lattices with quenched connectivity disorder. The system is treated by applying Monte Carlo simulations using the heat-bath update algorithm together with single histograms re-weighting techniques. We calculate the critical temperature as well as the critical exponents as a function of the crystal field Δ. It is found that this disordered system exhibits phase transitions of first- and second-order types that depend on the value of the crystal field. For values of Δ≤3, where the nearest-neighbor exchange interaction J has been set to unity, the disordered system presents a second-order phase transition. The results suggest that the corresponding exponent ratio belongs to the same universality class as the regular two-dimensional ferromagnetic model. There exists a tricritical point close to Δt=3.05(4) with different critical exponents. For Δt≤Δ<3.4 this model undergoes a first-order phase transition. Finally, for Δ≥3.4 the system is always in the paramagnetic phase.

Quenched disorder forbids discontinuous transitions in nonequilibrium low-dimensional systems

Quenched disorder affects significantly the behavior of phase transitions. The Imry-Ma-Aizenman-Wehr-Berker argument prohibits first-order or discontinuous transitions and their concomitant phase coexistence in low-dimensional equilibrium systems in the presence of random fields. Instead, discontinuous transitions become rounded or even continuous once disorder is introduced. Here we show that phase coexistence and first-order phase transitions are also precluded in nonequilibrium low-dimensional systems with quenched disorder: discontinuous transitions in two-dimensional systems with absorbing states become continuous in the presence of quenched disorder. We also study the universal features of this disorder-induced criticality and find them to be compatible with the universality class of the directed percolation with quenched disorder. Thus, we conclude that first-order transitions do not exist in low-dimensional disordered systems, not even in genuinely nonequilibrium systems with absorbing states.

Bond disorder induced criticality of the three-color Ashkin-Teller model

An intriguing result of statistical mechanics is that a first-order phase transition can be rounded by disorder coupled to energylike variables. In fact, even more intriguing is that the rounding may manifest itself as a critical point, quantum or classical. In general, it is not known, however, what universality classes, if any, such criticalities belong to. In order to shed light on this question we examine in detail the disordered three-color Ashkin-Teller model by Monte Carlo methods. Extensive analyses indicate that the critical exponents define a new universality class. We show that the rounding of the first-order transition of the pure model due to the impurities is manifested as criticality. However, the magnetization critical exponent, β, and the correlation length critical exponent, ν, are found to vary with disorder and the four-spin coupling strength, and we conclusively rule out that the model belongs to the universality class of the two-dimensional Ising model.

Monte Carlo study of the triangular Blume-Capel model under bond randomness

The effects of bond randomness on the universality aspects of a two-dimensional (d = 2) Blume-Capel model embedded in the triangular lattice are discussed. The system is studied numerically in both its first- and second-order phase-transition regimes by a comprehensive finite-size scaling analysis for a particularly suitable value of the disorder strength. We find that our data for the second-order phase transition, emerging under random bonds from the second-order regime of the pure model, are compatible with the universality class of the two-dimensional (2D) random Ising model. Furthermore, we find evidence that, the second-order transition emerging under bond randomness from the first-order regime of the pure model, belongs again to the same universality class. Although the first finding reinforces the scenario of strong universality in the 2D Ising model with quenched disorder, the second is in difference from the critical behavior, emerging under randomness, in the cases of the ex-first-order transitions of the Potts model. Finally, our results verify previous renormalization-group calculations on the Blume-Capel model with disorder in the crystal-field coupling.

Universality aspects of the d = 3 random-bond Blume-Capel model

The effects of bond randomness on the universality aspects of the simple cubic lattice ferromagnetic Blume-Capel model are discussed. The system is studied numerically in both its first- and second-order phase transition regimes by a comprehensive finite-size scaling analysis. We find that our data for the second-order phase transition, emerging under random bonds from the second-order regime of the pure model, are compatible with the universality class of the 3d random Ising model. Furthermore, we find evidence that the second-order transition emerging under bond randomness from the first-order regime of the pure model belongs to a new and distinctive universality class. The first finding reinforces the scenario of a single universality class for the 3d Ising model with the three well-known types of quenched uncorrelated disorder (bond randomness, site and bond dilution). The second amounts to a strong violation of the universality principle of critical phenomena. For this case of the ex-first-order 3d Blume-Capel model, we find sharp differences from the critical behaviors, emerging under randomness, in the cases of the ex-first-order transitions of the corresponding weak and strong first-order transitions in the 3d three-state and four-state Potts models.

Multicritical points and crossover mediating the strong violation of universality: Wang-Landau determinations in the random-bond d=2 Blume-Capel model

The effects of bond randomness on the phase diagram and critical behavior of the square lattice ferromagnetic Blume-Capel model are discussed. The system is studied in both the pure and disordered versions by the same efficient two-stage Wang-Landau method for many values of the crystal field, restricted here in the second-order phase-transition regime of the pure model. For the random-bond version several disorder strengths are considered. We present phase diagram points of both pure and random versions and for a particular disorder strength we locate the emergence of the enhancement of ferromagnetic order observed in an earlier study in the ex-first-order regime. The critical properties of the pure model are contrasted and compared to those of the random model. Accepting, for the weak random version, the assumption of the double-logarithmic scenario for the specific heat we attempt to estimate the range of universality between the pure and random-bond models. The behavior of the strong disorder regime is also discussed and a rather complex and yet not fully understood behavior is observed. It is pointed out that this complexity is related to the ground-state structure of the random-bond version.