Finite-size effects at critical points with anisotropic correlations: Phenomenological scaling theory and Monte Carlo simulations

Various thermal equilibrium and nonequilibrium phase transitions exist where the correlation lengths in different lattice directions diverge with different exponentsv,v: uniaxial Lifshitz points, the Kawasaki spin exchange model driven by an electric field, etc. An extension of finite-size scaling concepts to such anisotropic situations is proposed, including a discussion of (generalized) rectangular geometries, with linear dimensionL in the special direction and linear dimensionsL in all other directions. The related shape effects forLLbut isotropic critical points are also discussed. Particular attention is paid to the case where the generalized hyperscaling relationv+(d–1)v=+2 does not hold. As a test of these ideas, a Monte Carlo simulation study for shape effects at isotropic critical point in the two-dimensional Ising model is presented, considering subsystems of a 1024x1024 square lattice at criticality.Visiting Supercomputer Senior Scientist at Rutgers University.