On the 3-d 3-state Potts model

Abstract

We present results from high statistics investigations on the 3- d 3-state Potts model with and without antiferromagnetic next-to-nearest neighbour ( nnn) couplings. On L 3 lattices, with L ranging from 20 to 48, we find a finite size scaling behaviour in all global observables which is characteristic of a first order phase transition in both the cases. Our investigations of the correlation lengths suggest it to be difficult to discern about the order of the phase transition from them alone.