The Asymmetric One-Dimensional Constrained Ising Model: Rigorous Results

We study a one-dimensional spin (interacting particle) system, with product Bernoulli (p) stationary distribution, in which a site can flip only when its left neighbor is in state +1. Such models have been studied in physics as simple exemplars of systems exhibiting slow relaxation. In our East model the natural conjecture is that the relaxation time (p), that is 1/(spectral gap), satisfies log (p) as p0. We prove this up to a factor of 2. The upper bound uses the Poincaré comparison argument applied to a wave (long-range) comparison process, which we analyze by probabilistic techniques. Such comparison arguments go back to Holley (1984, 1985). The lower bound, which atypically is not easy, involves construction and analysis of a certain coalescing random jumps process.     

An On-Line Library of Extended High-Temperature Expansions of Basic Observables for the Spin-S Ising Models on Two- and Three-Dimensional Lattices

We present an on-line library of unprecedented extension for high-temperature expansions of basic observables in the Ising models of general spin S, with nearest-neighbor interactions. We have tabulated through order ²⁵ the series for the nearest-neighbor correlation function, the susceptibility and the second correlation moment in two dimensions on the square lattice, and, in three dimensions, on the simple-cubic and the body-centered cubic lattices. The expansion of the second field derivative of the susceptibility is also tabulated through ²³ for the same lattices. We have thus added several terms (from four up to thirteen) to the series already published for spin S = 1/2, 1, 3/2, 2, 5/2, 3, 7/2, 4, 5, .     

Antiferromagnetic Potts Models on the Square Lattice: A High-Precision Monte Carlo Study

We study the antiferromagnetic q-state Potts model on the square lattice for q=3 and q=4, using the Wang–Swendsen–Kotecký (WSK) Monte Carlo algorithm and a powerful finite-size-scaling extrapolation method. For q=3 we obtain good control up to correlation length 5000; the data are consistent with ()=Ae ^{2 p} (1+a ₁ e ^– + ...) as , with p1. The staggered susceptibility behaves as _stagg ^5/3. For q=4 the model is disordered (2) even at zero temperature. In appendices we prove a correlation inequality for Potts antiferromagnets on a bipartite lattice, and we prove ergodicity of the WSK algorithm at zero temperature for Potts antiferromagnets on a bipartite lattice.     

An Equilibrium Lattice Model of Wetting on Rough Substrates

We consider a semi-infinite 3-dimensional Ising system with a rough wall to describe the effect of the roughness r of the substrate on wetting. We show that the difference of wall free energies (r)= _AW(r)– _BW(r) of the two phases behaves like (r)r(1), where r=1 characterizes a purely flat surface, confirming at low enough temperature and small roughness the validity of Wenzel's law, cos (r)r cos (1), which relates the contact angle of a sessile droplet to the roughness of the substrate     

Almost sure quasilocality fails for the random-cluster model on a tree

We study the random-cluster model on a homogeneous tree, and show that the following three conditions are equivalent for a random-cluster measure: quasilocality, almost sure quasilocality, and the almost sure nonexistence of infinite clusters. As a consequence of this, we find that the plus measure for the Ising model on a tree at sufficiently low temperatures can be mapped, via a local stochastic transformation, into a measure which fails to be almost surely quasilocal.     

Asymptotic behavior of fluctuations for the 1D Ising model in zero-temperature limit

Fluctuation of the average spin for one-dimensional Ising spins with nearest neighbor interactions are studied. The distribution function for the average spin is calculated for a finite volume, finite temperature, and finite magnetic field. As the volume increases and the temperature diminishes at zero magnetic field, there are two limits in which the probability distribution shows quite different behaviors: in the thermodynamic limit as the volume goes to infinity for finite temperature, small deviations of the fluctuations are described by a Gaussian distribution, and in the limit as the temperature vanishes for a finite volume, the ground states are realized with probability one. The crossover between these limits is analyzed via a ratio of the correlation length to the volume. The helix-coil transition in a polypeptide is discussed as an application.     

A mean-field,effective medium theory of random binary alloys III. The ising model with competing interactions

The Ising model with competing interactions is studied in a mean field effective medium approach. The phase diagram of such model alloys is studied. We conclude that for all ratios of the competing interaction moments, a spin glass phase always exists at low temperatures for certain concentration regimes.     

Coexistence of phases in Ising ferromagnets

We derive a new inequality for ferromagnetic Ising spin systems and then use it to obtain information about the number of phases which can coexist in such systems. We show in particular that for even interactions only two phases (up and down magnetization) can coexist below the critical temperature at zero magnetic field (h=0) whenever the energy is a continuous function of the temperature. We also prove that the derivatives with respect toh ath=0 of the odd correlation functions (triplet,...) diverge like the susceptibility in the vicinity of the critical temperature (at least for pair interactions). Our results also apply to higher order Ising spins (not just spin 1/2).Research supported in part by NSF Grant #MPS 75-20638 and USAFOR Grant #73-2430D.John Simon Guggenheim Fellow.     

Energy-entropy inequalities for classical lattice systems

A new characterization of equilibrium states for classical lattice systems is given in terms of correlation inequalities. Their physical meaning is found to express thermodynamic stability. We demonstrate the applicability of the inequalities in specific models.Bevoegdverklaard navorser N.F.W.O.Aangesteld navorser N.F.W.O.