We compute the critical exponents $ν$, $η$ and $ω$ of $O(N)$ models for various values of $N$ by implementing the derivative expansion of the nonperturbative renormalization group up to next-to-next-to-leading order [usually denoted $\mathcal{O}(\partial^4)$]. We analyze the behavior of this approximation scheme at successive orders and observe an apparent convergence with a small parameter -- typically between $1/9$ and $1/4$ -- compatible with previous studies in the Ising case. This allows us to give well-grounded error bars. We obtain a determination of critical exponents with a precision which is similar or better than those obtained by most field theoretical techniques. We also reach a better precision than Monte-Carlo simulations in some physically relevant situations. In the $O(2)$ case, where there is a longstanding controversy between Monte-Carlo estimates and experiments for the specific heat exponent $α$, our results are compatible with those of Monte-Carlo but clearly exclude experimental values.
We investigate the influence of the momentum cutoff function on the field-dependent nonperturbative renormalization group flows for the three-dimensional Ising model, up to the second order of the derivative expansion. We show that, even when dealing with the full functional dependence of the renormalization functions, the accuracy of the critical exponents can be simply optimized, through the principle of minimal sensitivity, which yields $ν= 0.628$ and $η= 0.044$.
On the example of the three-dimensional Ising model, we show that nonperturbative renormalization group equations allow one to obtain very accurate critical exponents. Implementing the order $\partial^4$ of the derivative expansion leads to $ν=0.632$ and to an anomalous dimension $η=0.033$ which is significantly improved compared with lower orders calculations.
The behaviour of a d-dimensional vectorial N=3 model at a m-axial Lifshitz critical point is investigated by means of a nonperturbative renormalization group approach that is free of the huge technical difficulties that plague the perturbative approaches and limit their computations to the lowest orders. In particular being systematically improvable, our approach allows us to control the convergence of successive approximations and thus to get reliable physical quantities in d=3.
An elementary introduction to the non-perturbative renormalization group is presented mainly in the context of statistical mechanics. No prior knowledge of field theory is necessary. The aim is this article is not to give an extensive overview of the subject but rather to insist on conceptual aspects and to explain in detail the main technical steps. It should be taken as an introduction to more advanced readings.
Using the nonperturbative renormalization group, we study the existence of bound states in the symmetry-broken phase of the scalar $ϕ^4$ theory in all dimensions between two and four and as a function of the temperature. The accurate description of the momentum dependence of the two-point function, required to get the spectrum of the theory, is provided by means of the Blaizot--Méndez-Galain--Wschebor approximation scheme. We confirm the existence of a bound state in dimension three, with a mass within 1% of previous Monte-Carlo and numerical diagonalization values.
Using the nonperturbative functional renormalization group (FRG) within the Blaizot-Méndez-Galain-Wschebor approximation, we compute the operator product expansion (OPE) coefficient $c_{112}$ associated with the operators $\mathcal{O}_1\simφ$ and $\mathcal{O}_2\simφ^2$ in the three-dimensional $\mathrm{O}(N)$ universality class and in the Ising universality class ($N=1$) in dimensions $2 \leq d \leq 4$. When available, exact results and estimates from the conformal bootstrap and Monte-Carlo simulations compare extremely well to our results, while FRG is able to provide values across the whole …
We derive the necessary conditions for implementing a regulator that depends on both momentum and frequency in the nonperturbative renormalization group flow equations of out-of-equilibrium statistical systems. We consider model A as a benchmark and compute its dynamical critical exponent $z$. This allows us to show that frequency regulators compatible with causality and the fluctuation-dissipation theorem can be devised. We show that when the Principle of Minimal Sensitivity (PMS) is employed to optimize the critical exponents $η$, $ν$ and $z$, the use of frequency regulators becomes necessar…
We study the quantum sine-Gordon model within a nonperturbative functional renormalization-group approach (FRG). This approach is benchmarked by comparing our findings for the soliton and lightest breather (soliton-antisoliton bound state) masses to exact results. We then examine the validity of the Lukyanov-Zamolodchikov conjecture for the expectation value $\langle e^{\frac{i}{2}nβφ}\rangle$ of the exponential fields in the massive phase ($n$ is integer and $2π/β$ denotes the periodicity of the potential in the sine-Gordon model). We find that the minimum of the relative and absolute disagre…
Field-theoretical calculations performed in an approximation scheme often present a spurious dependence of physical quantities on some unphysical parameters associated with the details of the calculation setup (such as, the renormalization scheme or, in perturbation theory, the resummation procedure). In the present article, we propose to reduce this dependence by invoking conformal invariance. Using as a benchmark the three-dimensional Ising model, we show that, within the derivative expansion at order 4, performed in the nonperturbative renormalization group formalism, the identity associate…
We derive a new renormalization group to calculate a non-trivial critical exponent of the divergent correlation length which gives a universality classification of essential singularities in infinite-order phase transitions. This method resolves the problem of a vanishing scaling matrix. The exponent is obtained from the maximal eigenvalue of a scaling matrix in this renormalization group, as in the case of ordinary second-order phase transitions. We exhibit several nontrivial universality classes in infinite-order transitions different from the well-known Berezinski\uı-Kosterlitz-Thouless tra…
We reexamine the two-dimensional linear O(2) model ($φ^4$ theory) in the framework of the nonperturbative renormalization-group. From the flow equations obtained in the derivative expansion to second order and with optimization of the infrared regulator, we find a transition between a high-temperature (disordered) phase and a low-temperature phase displaying a line of fixed points and algebraic order. We obtain a picture in agreement with the standard theory of the Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) transition and reproduce the universal features of the transition. In particular, we find the anomalous d…
We study the optimization of nonperturbative renormalization group equations truncated both in fields and derivatives. On the example of the Ising model in three dimensions, we show that the Principle of Minimal Sensitivity can be unambiguously implemented at order $\partial^2$ of the derivative expansion. This approach allows us to select optimized cut-off functions and to improve the accuracy of the critical exponents $ν$ and $η$. The convergence of the field expansion is also analyzed. We show in particular that its optimization does not coincide with optimization of the accuracy of the cri…
We point out some limits of the perturbative renormalization group used in statistical mechanics both at and out of equilibrium. We argue that the non perturbative renormalization group formalism is a promising candidate to overcome some of them. We present some results recently obtained in the literature that substantiate our claims. We finally list some open issues for which this formalism could be useful and also review some of its drawbacks.
We investigate the scaling regimes of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation in the presence of spatially correlated noise with power law decay $D(p) \sim p^{-2ρ}$ in Fourier space, using a nonperturbative renormalization group approach. We determine the full phase diagram of the system as a function of $ρ$ and the dimension $d$. In addition to the weak-coupling part of the diagram, which agrees with the results from Refs. [Europhys. Lett. 47, 14 (1999), Eur. Phys. J. B 9, 491 (1999)], we find the two fixed points describing the short-range (SR) and long-range (LR) dominated strong-coupling phases. …
We investigate the strong-coupling regime of the stationary Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation for interfaces growing on a substrate of dimension d=1, 2, and 3 using a nonperturbative renormalization group (NPRG) approach. We compute critical exponents, correlation and response functions, extract the related scaling functions and calculate universal amplitude ratios. We work with a simplified implementation of the second-order (in the response field) approximation proposed in a previous work [PRE 84, 061128 (2011) and Erratum 86, 019904 (2012)], which greatly simplifies the frequency sector of the N…
We reformulate the nonperturbative functional renormalization group for the random field Ising model in a superfield formalism, extending the supersymmetric description of the critical behavior of the system first proposed by Parisi and Sourlas [Phys. Rev. Lett. 43, 744 (1979)]. We show that the two crucial ingredients for this extension are the introduction of a weighting factor, which accounts for ground-state dominance when multiple metastable states are present, and of multiple copies of the original system, which allows one to access the full functional dependence of the cumulants of the …
This article is devoted to the study of the critical properties of classical XY and Heisenberg frustrated magnets in three dimensions. We first analyze the experimental and numerical situations. We show that the unusual behaviors encountered in these systems, typically nonuniversal scaling, are hardly compatible with the hypothesis of a second order phase transition. We then review the various perturbative and early nonperturbative approaches used to investigate these systems. We argue that none of them provides a completely satisfactory description of the three-dimensional critical behavior. …
Based on the original idea of the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG), i.e. to include the missing boundary conditions between adjacent blocks of the blocked quantum system, we present a rigorous and nonperturbative mathematical formulation for the real-space renormalization group (RG) idea invented by L.P. Kadanoff and further developed by K.G. Wilson. This is achieved by using additional Hilbert spaces called auxiliary spaces in the construction of each single isolated block, which is then named a superblock according to the original nomenclature. On this superblock we define two map…
We study the $O(2)$ model with $\mathbb{Z}_4$-symmetric perturbations within the framework of nonperturbative renormalization group (RG) for spatial dimensionality $d=2$ and $d=3$. In a unified framework we resolve the relatively complex crossover behavior emergent due to the presence of multiple RG fixed points. In $d=3$ the system is controlled by the $XY$, Ising, and low-$T$ fixed points in presence of a dangerously irrelevant anisotropy coupling $λ$. In $d=2$ the anisotropy coupling is marginal and the physical picture is governed by the interplay between two distinct lines of RG fixed poi…
We study the renormalization group flow of the O(N) non-linear sigma model in arbitrary dimensions. The effective action of the model is truncated to fourth order in the derivative expansion and the flow is obtained by combining the non-perturbative renormalization group and the background field method. We investigate the flow in three dimensions and analyze the phase structure for arbitrary N. The corresponding results about the critical properties of the models will serve as a reference for upcoming simulations with the Monte-Carlo renormalization group.
We project the Wilson/Polchinski renormalization group equation onto its uniform external field dependent effective free energy and connected Green's functions. The result is a hierarchy of equations which admits a choice of "natural" truncation and closure schemes for nonperturbative approximate solution. In this way approximation schemes can be generated which avoid power series expansions in either fields or momenta. When following one closure scheme the lowest order equation is the mean field approximation, while another closure scheme gives the "local potential approximation." Extension o…
We apply the nonperturbative functional renormalization group (NP-FRG) in the superfield formalism that we have developed in the preceding paper to study long-standing issues concerning the critical behavior of the random field Ising model. Through the introduction of an appropriate regulator and a supersymmetry-compatible nonperturbative approximation, we are able to follow the supersymmetry, more specifically the superrotational invariance first unveiled by Parisi and Sourlas [Phys. Rev. Lett. 43, 744 (1979)], and its spontaneous breaking along the RG flow. Breaking occurs below a critical d…
We investigate the regime of fully developed homogeneous and isotropic turbulence of the Navier-Stokes (NS) equation in the presence of a stochastic forcing, using the nonperturbative (functional) renormalization group (NPRG). Within a simple approximation based on symmetries, we obtain the fixed point solution of the NPRG flow equations that corresponds to fully developed turbulence both in $d=2$ and $d=3$ dimensions. Deviations to the dimensional scalings (Kolmogorov in $d=3$ or Kraichnan-Batchelor in $d=2$) are found for the two-point functions. To further analyze these deviations, we deriv…
The renormalization group plays an essential role in many areas of physics, both conceptually and as a practical tool to determine the long-distance low-energy properties of many systems on the one hand and on the other hand search for viable ultraviolet completions in fundamental physics. It provides us with a natural framework to study theoretical models where degrees of freedom are correlated over long distances and that may exhibit very distinct behavior on different energy scales. The nonperturbative functional renormalization-group (FRG) approach is a modern implementation of Wilson's RG…
A nonperturbative renormalization of the phi^4 model is considered. First we integrate out only a single pair of conjugated modes with wave vectors +/- q. Then we are looking for the RG equation which would describe the transformation of the Hamiltonian under the integration over a shell Lambda - d Lambda < k < Lambda, where d Lambda -> 0. We show that the known Wegner--Houghton equation is consistent with the assumption of a simple superposition of the integration results for +/- q. The renormalized action can be expanded in powers of the phi^4 coupling constant u in the high temperature phas…
We present an approximation scheme of the nonperturbative renormalization group that preserves the momentum dependence of correlation functions. This approximation scheme can be seen as a simple improvement of the local potential approximation (LPA) where the derivative terms in the effective action are promoted to arbitrary momentum-dependent functions. As in the LPA the only field dependence comes from the effective potential, which allows us to solve the renormalization-group equations at a relatively modest numerical cost (as compared, e.g., to the Blaizot--Mendéz-Galain--Wschebor approxim…
We investigate the critical scaling of the spin-1/2 antiferromagnet on the square lattice in the easy-plane (XXZ) regime, via numerical measurements of the entanglement entropy constructed from the zeroes of a polynomial ring. We relate these results to conformal field theory predictions for the area law scaling of entanglement entropyin the vicinity of quantum critical points in gapless conformally invariant 2d quantum systems, and in gapless systems with finite Fermi surfaces. Our measurements are focused in three low-temperature regions at fixed XXZ anisotropies of $Δ=1.01$, $Δ=1.78$ and $Δ…
We studied the nematic isotropic phase transition by applying the functional renormalization group to the Landau-de Gennes model. We derived the flow equations for the effective potential as well as the cubic and quartic "couplings" and the anomalous dimension. We then solved the coupled flow equations on a grid using Newton Raphson method. A first order phase transition is observed. We also investigated the nematic isotropic puzzle (the NI puzzle) in this paper. We obtained the NI transition temperature difference ${T_c-T^*}=5.85K$ with sizable improvement over previous results.
The random-field Ising model shows extreme critical slowdown that has been described by activated dynamic scaling: the characteristic time for the relaxation to equilibrium diverges exponentially with the correlation length, $\ln τ\sim ξ^ψ/T$ , with $ψ$ an \textit{a priori} unknown barrier exponent. Through a nonperturbative functional renormalization group, we show that for spatial dimensions $d$ less than a critical value $d_{DR} \simeq 5.1$, also associated with dimensional-reduction breakdown, $ψ=θ$ with $θ$ the temperature exponent near the zero-temperature fixed point that controls the c…
We show that, contrary to previous suggestions based on computer simulations or erroneous theoretical treatments, the critical points of the random-field Ising model out of equilibrium, when quasi-statically changing the applied source at zero temperature, and in equilibrium are not in the same universality class below some critical dimension $d_{DR}\approx 5.1$. We demonstrate this by implementing a non-perturbative functional renormalization group for the associated dynamical field theory. Above $d_{DR}$, the avalanches, which characterize the evolution of the system at zero temperature, bec…
We employ the functional renormalization group framework at the second order in the derivative expansion to study the $O(N)$ models continuously varying the number of field components $N$ and the spatial dimensionality $d$. We in particular address the Cardy-Hamber prediction concerning nonanalytical behavior of the critical exponents $ν$ and $η$ across a line in the $(d,N)$ plane, which passes through the point $(2,2)$. By direct numerical evaluation of $η(d,N)$ and $ν^{-1}(d,N)$ as well as analysis of the functional fixed-point profiles, we find clear indications of this line in the form of …
We have developed a nonperturbative functional renormalization group approach for random field models and related disordered systems for which, due to the existence of many metastable states, conventional perturbation theory often fails. The approach combines an exact renormalization group equation for the effective average action with a nonperturbative approximation scheme based on a description of the probability distribution of the renormalized disorder through its cumulants. For the random field $O(N)$ model, the minimal truncation within this scheme is shown to reproduce the known perturb…
We propose a renormalization scheme that can be used as a reliable method to identify universality classes of absorbing phase transitions. Following the spirit of Wilson's block-spin renormalization group, the lattice is divided into blocks, assigning to them an effective state by a suitable Boolean function of the interior degrees of freedom. The effective states of adjacent blocks form certain patterns which are shown to occur with universal probability ratios if the underlying process is critical. Measuring these probability ratios in the limit of large block sizes one obtains a set of univ…
These lecture notes have been written for a short introductory course on universality and renormalization group techniques given at the VIII Modave School in Mathematical Physics by the author, intended for PhD students and researchers new to these topics. First the basic ideas of dynamical systems (fixed points, stability, etc.) are recalled, and an example of universality is discussed in this context: this is Feigenbaum's universality of the period doubling cascade for iterated maps on the interval. It is shown how renormalization ideas can be applied to explain universality and compute Feig…
The present status of the renormalization-group (RG) predictions on the superfluid density $ρ_s$ and the specific heat $C^+$ and $C^-$ near the $λ$-line of $^4He$ is briefly reviewed. Particular attention is given to universal amplitude ratios related to these quantities. The goals of a new theory project are presented that involves higher-order calculations of the amplitude functions of $ρ_s, C^+$ and $C^-$ which are of fundamental importance for a test of the universality predictions of the RG theory.
Using a nonperturbative functional renormalization-group approach to the two-dimensional quantum O($N$) model, we compute the low-frequency limit $ω\to 0$ of the zero-temperature conductivity in the vicinity of the quantum critical point. Our results are obtained from a derivative expansion to second order of a scale-dependent effective action in the presence of an external (i.e., non-dynamical) non-Abelian gauge field. While in the disordered phase the conductivity tensor $σ(ω)$ is diagonal, in the ordered phase it is defined, when $N\geq 3$, by two independent elements, $σ_{\rm A}(ω)$ and $σ…
The properties of discrete two-dimensional spin glasses depend strongly on the way the zero-temperature limit is taken. We discuss this phenomenon in the context of the Migdal-Kadanoff renormalization group. We see, in particular, how these properties are connected with the presence of a cascade of fixed points in the renormalization group flow. Of particular interest are two unstable fixed points that correspond to two different spin-glass phases at zero temperature. We discuss how these phenomena are related with the presence of entropy fluctuations and temperature chaos, and universality in…
We solve the nonperturbative renormalization-group flow equations for the two-dimensional XY model at the truncation level of the (complete) second-order derivative expansion. We compute the thermodynamic properties in the high-temperature phase and compare the non-universal features specific to the XY model with results from Monte Carlo simulations. In particular, we study the position and magnitude of the specific heat peak as a function of temperature. The obtained results compare well with Monte Carlo simulations. We additionally gauge the accuracy of simplified nonperturbative renormaliza…
The one dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class is believed to describe many types of evolving interfaces which have the same characteristic scaling exponents. These exponents lead to a natural renormalization/rescaling on the space of such evolving interfaces. We introduce and describe the renormalization fixed point of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class in terms of a random nonlinear semigroup with stationary independent increments, and via a variational formula. Furthermore, we compute a plausible formula the exact transition probabilities using replica Bethe ansatz. The …
We establish new scaling properties for the universality class of Model C, which describes relaxational critical dynamics of a nonconserved order parameter coupled to a conserved scalar density. We find an anomalous diffusion phase, which satisfies weak dynamic scaling while the conserved density diffuses only asymptotically. The properties of the phase diagram for the dynamic critical behavior include a significantly extended weak scaling region, together with a strong and a decoupled scaling regime. These calculations are done directly in 2 < d < 4 space dimensions within the framework of th…
The entanglement entropy in one dimensional critical systems with boundaries has been associated with the noninteger ground state degeneracy. This quantity, being a characteristic of boundary fixed points, decreases under renormalization group flow, as predicted by the g-theorem. Here, using conformal field theory methods, we exactly calculate the entanglement entropy in the boundary Ising universality class. Our expression can be separated into the well known bulk term and a boundary entanglement term, displaying a universal flow between two boundary conditions, in accordance with the g-theor…
University of California, Santa Barbara（加州大学圣巴巴拉分校）；University of Texas at Austin（德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校）；Imperial College London（伦敦帝国理工学院）
Foundational work on the Lottery Ticket Hypothesis has suggested an exciting corollary: winning tickets found in the context of one task can be transferred to similar tasks, possibly even across different architectures. This has generated broad interest, but methods to study this universality are lacking. We make use of renormalization group theory, a powerful tool from theoretical physics, to address this need. We find that iterative magnitude pruning, the principal algorithm used for discovering winning tickets, is a renormalization group scheme, and can be viewed as inducing a flow in param…
A replica-symmetry-breaking phase transition is predicted in a host of disordered media. The criticality of the transition has, however, long been questioned below its upper critical dimension, six, due to the absence of a critical fixed point in the renormalization-group flows at one-loop order. A recent two-loop analysis revealed a possible strong-coupling fixed point but, given the uncontrolled nature of perturbative analysis in the strong-coupling regime, debate persists. Here we examine the nature of the transition as a function of spatial dimension and show that the strong-coupling fixed…
