8.

334: Statistical Mechanics II Problem Set # 8 Due: 4/9

Field-theoretic RG. Wilson-Fisher xed point.
1. Wick theorem. Consider a real-valued n-component eld i(x) with gaussian

probability distribution

Z 

P () / exp( H) ; H() = 21 2 + K (r)2 ddx
We are interested in statistics of Fourier components of this eld,

(1)

i(x) = i(q)eiq
xddx
a) Show that

(2)

hi(q)i = 0 ; hi(q)i (q0)i = ii +(qK+qq2 ) ;

0

(3)

b) Show that

hi(q)i (q0)i (q00)i = 0 ; hi (q1)i (q2)i (q3 )i (q4)i = hi (q1)i (q2 )ihi (q3)i (q4 )i
+hi (q1 )i (q3)ihi (q2)i (q4 )i + hi (q1 )i (q4 )ihi (q3 )i (q2)i
(4)
c) Generalize the results for an average of an arbitrary product hi (q1):::in (qn)i.
2. Field statistics. Cummulants. Consider a partition function for a eld (x)
00

dened by a Hamiltonian

H() = F (; @; @ @ ; :::)ddx

(5)

where F is a polynomial in the eld and its gradients. (For example, F = 21 (2 + K (r)2)+
g4 in Landau theory.) The Hamiltonian H denes a probability distribution P / e H
of elds and can be used to nd an average of any quantity expressed in terms of (x).
Let us consider an average of an exponential of an extensive quantity of the form
Z

PV () = hexp (G())iH ; G = U (; @ ; @@ ; :::)ddx

(6)

where  is a parameter, U is a polynomial and the integral over x is taken over a domain
of a very large volume V .
a) Show that, if correlations of  are nite range or decrease with distance suciently
rapidly, the quantity PV () is exponential in V . (Hint: Divide volume V into V1 and V2,
so that V1 + V2 = V , and think of a relation between PV (), PV1 (), and PV2 ().)
b) Consider an expansion of ln PV () in powers of  and show that
ln PV () =

1
X

1 nhhGnii
n=1 n

(7)

where all cummulants hhGnii, also known as irreducible moments, are proportional to
system volume V .
c) By expanding the exponent in Eq.(6) and the logarithm in Eq.(7), relate the rst
four cummulants with the moments hGni by showing that

hhGii = hGi ; hhG2ii = hG2i ; hhG3ii = hG3i ; hhG4ii = hG4i 3hG2i2 (8)
where G = G hGi. One can view cummulants as generalized moments of the distribution
with a nontrivial property that the cummulants of all orders are proportional to system
volume, hhGnii / V , while the moments hGni / V n
3. Cubic anisotropy. Consider Landau Hamiltonian for an n-component eld m
with a quartic anisotropy term:

H=

Z "1 

n
X

d
2  m + K (rm) + u((rm) ) + v i=1 mi d x
2

2 2

(9)

This problem with n = 3 describes a critical point of Heisenberg ferromagnet in a cubic

crystal with a weak spin-orbital coupling of strength v that tends to align spins with
crystal axes.
Following the steps that led us in class to the Wilson-Fisher xed point, derive RG
ow equations for the two couplings:
du = u 4C h(n + 8)u2 + 6uvi ; dv = v 4C h12uv + 9v2i
(10)
dl
dl
where C = Kd d=( + K 2 )2  K4=K 2 is a constant.
Analyze the RG ow in the u v plane. Find xed points for n < 4 and n > 4, and
discuss relevance of the cubic anisotropy at the critical point in each case.