Edwards-Anderson Spin Glass Model Research Articles

Quantitative Disorder Effects in Low-Dimensional Spin Systems

The Imry–Ma phenomenon, predicted in 1975 by Imry and Ma and rigorously established in 1989 by Aizenman and Wehr, states that first-order phase transitions of low-dimensional spin systems are ‘rounded’ by the addition of a quenched random field coupled to the quantity undergoing the transition. The phenomenon applies to a wide class of spin systems in dimensions d≤2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$d\\le 2$$\\end{document} and to spin systems possessing a continuous symmetry in dimensions d≤4\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$d\\le 4$$\\end{document}. This work provides quantitative estimates for the Imry–Ma phenomenon: in a cubic domain of side length L, we study the effect of the boundary conditions on the spatial and thermal average of the quantity coupled to the random field. We show that the boundary effect diminishes at least as fast as an inverse power of loglogL\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\log \\log L$$\\end{document} in general two-dimensional spin systems. For systems possessing a continuous symmetry, we show that the boundary effect diminishes at least as fast as an inverse power of L in two and three dimensions and at least as fast as an inverse power of loglogL\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\log \\log L$$\\end{document} in four dimensions. Finally, we establish a partial uniqueness results for translation-covariant Gibbs states, and prove that, for almost every realization of the random field, all such states must agree on the thermally-averaged value of the quantity coupled to the random field. Specific models of interest for the obtained results include the random-field q-state Potts model, the Edwards-Anderson spin glass model, and the random-field spin O(n) models.

Canonical Monte Carlo multispin cluster method

We present a new Canonical Multispin-flip Cluster Monte Carlo algorithm for Ising model and describe efficient implementations for hybrid supercomputer. Our method takes advantage of the computing architecture for parallel and multi-threaded operations and uses a sequential cluster state update scheme. Due to the peculiarity of the implementation, the method is more effective for models with a restricted radius of interaction. It is based on combining a random selection of spin cluster by the Monte Carlo method with a complete enumeration of the all states of the selected cluster. To show how it works we applied our method to models of interacting magnetic Ising-moments: ferromagnetic Ising model, the Edwards–Anderson spin glass model, dipolar spin ice on hexagonal and pentagonal Cairo lattices.

Uniqueness of Ground State in the Edwards–Anderson Spin Glass Model

It is proven rigorously that the ground state in the Edwards-Anderson spin glass model is unique in any dimension for almost all continuous random exchange interactions under a condition that a single spin breaks the global ${\mathbb Z}_2$ symmetry. This theorem implies that replica symmetry breaking does not occur at zero temperature. The site- and bond-overlap are concentrated at their maximal values. It is argued that behaviors of short range spin glass models are much different from those of mean field spin glass models near zero temperature. Errata have been attached at the final page.

Changing the universality class of the three-dimensional Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model by selective bond dilution

The three-dimensional Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model present strong spatial heterogeneities well characterized by the so-called backbone, a magnetic structure that arises as a consequence of the properties of the ground state and the low-excitation levels of such a frustrated Ising system. Using extensive Monte Carlo simulations and finite size scaling, we study how these heterogeneities affect the phase transition of the model. Although, we do not detect any significant difference between the critical behavior displayed by the whole system and that observed inside and outside the backbone, surprisingly, a selective bond dilution of the complement of this magnetic structure induces a change of the universality class, whereas no change is noted when the backbone is fully diluted. This finding suggests that the region surrounding the backbone plays a more relevant role in determining the physical properties of the Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model than previously thought. Furthermore, we show that when a selective bond dilution changes the universality class of the phase transition, the ground state of the model does not undergo any change. The opposite case is also valid, i. e., a dilution that does not change the critical behavior significantly affects the fundamental level.

Fractal Dimension of Interfaces in Edwards-Anderson and Long-range Ising Spin Glasses: Determining the Applicability of Different Theoretical Descriptions.

The fractal dimension of excitations in glassy systems gives information on the critical dimension at which the droplet picture of spin glasses changes to a description based on replica symmetry breaking where the interfaces are space filling. Here, the fractal dimension of domain-wall interfaces is studied using the strong-disorder renormalization group method pioneered by Monthus [Fractals 23, 1550042 (2015)FRACEG0218-348X10.1142/S0218348X15500425] both for the Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model in up to 8 space dimensions, as well as for the one-dimensional long-ranged Ising spin-glass with power-law interactions. Analyzing the fractal dimension of domain walls, we find that replica symmetry is broken in high-enough space dimensions. Because our results for high-dimensional hypercubic lattices are limited by their small size, we have also studied the behavior of the one-dimensional long-range Ising spin-glass with power-law interactions. For the regime where the power of the decay of the spin-spin interactions with their separation distance corresponds to 6 and higher effective space dimensions, we find again the broken replica symmetry result of space filling excitations. This is not the case for smaller effective space dimensions. These results show that the dimensionality of the spin glass determines which theoretical description is appropriate. Our results will also be of relevance to the Gardner transition of structural glasses.

Dynamic greedy algorithms for the Edwards–Anderson model

To provide a novel tool for the investigation of the energy landscape of the Edwards–Anderson spin-glass model we introduce an algorithm that allows an efficient execution of a greedy optimization based on data from a previously performed optimization for a similar configuration. As an application we show how the technique can be used to perform higher-order greedy optimizations and simulated annealing searches with improved performance.

Nonequilibrium dynamics of the three-dimensional Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model with Gaussian couplings: strong heterogeneities and the backbone picture

We numerically study the three-dimensional Edwards-Anderson model with Gaussian couplings, focusing on the heterogeneities arising in its nonequilibrium dynamics. Results are analyzed in terms of the backbone picture, which links strong dynamical heterogeneities to spatial heterogeneities emerging from the correlation of local rigidity of the bond network. Different two-times quantities as the flipping time distribution and the correlation and response functions, are evaluated over the full system and over high- and low-rigidity regions. We find that the nonequilibrium dynamics of the model is highly correlated to spatial heterogeneities. Also, we observe a similar physical behavior to that previously found in the Edwards-Anderson model with a bimodal (discrete) bond distribution. Namely, the backbone behaves as the main structure that supports the spin-glass phase, within which a sort of domain-growth process develops, while the complement remains in a paramagnetic phase, even below the critical temperature.

On one-step replica symmetry breaking in the Edwards–Anderson spin glass model

We consider a one-step replica symmetry breaking description of the Edwards–Anderson spin glass model in 2D. The ingredients of this description are a Kikuchi approximation to the free energy and a second-level statistical model built on the extremal points of the Kikuchi approximation, which are also fixed points of a generalized belief propagation (GBP) scheme. We show that a generalized free energy can be constructed where these extremal points are exponentially weighted by their Kikuchi free energy and a Parisi parameter y, and that the Kikuchi approximation of this generalized free energy leads to second-level, one-step replica symmetry breaking (1RSB), GBP equations. We then proceed analogously to the Bethe approximation case for tree-like graphs, where it has been shown that 1RSB belief propagation equations admit a survey propagation solution. We discuss when and how the one-step-replica symmetry breaking GBP equations that we obtain also allow a simpler class of solutions which can be interpreted as a class of generalized survey propagation equations for the single instance graph case.

Composite operators in cubic field theories and link-overlap fluctuations in spin-glass models

We present a complete characterization of the fluctuations and correlations of the squared overlap in the Edwards-Anderson Spin-Glass model in zero field. The analysis reveals that the energy-energy correlations (and thus the specific heat) have a different critical behavior than the fluctuations of the link overlap in spite of the fact that the average energy and average link overlap have the same critical properties. More precisely the link-overlap fluctuations are larger than the specific heat according to a computation at first order in the $6-\epsilon$ expansion. An unexpected outcome is that the link-overlap fluctuations have a subdominant power-law contribution characterized by an anomalous logarithmic prefactor which is missing in the specific heat. In order to compute the $\epsilon$ expansion we consider the problem of the renormalization of quadratic composite operators in a generic multicomponent cubic field theory: the results obtained have a range of applicability beyond spin-glass theory.

On the number of ground states of the Edwards–Anderson spin glass model

Les états fondamentaux du modèle de verre de spins de Edwards–Anderson (EA) sont étudiés sur des graphes infinis de degré fini. Les états fondamentaux sont les configurations de spins qui minimisent de manière locale l’Hamiltonien pour chaque ensemble fini de sommets. Un problème avec des implications importantes en physique et en mathématique est de déterminer le nombre d’états fondamentaux pour le modèle sur $\mathbb{Z}^{d}$ pour un $d>1$ donné. Ce problème est la version équivalente pour les modèles de verre de spins du problème du nombre de géodésiques infinies en percolation de premier passage et du nombre d’états fondamentaux du modèle d’Ising ferromagnétique désordonné. Il a été montré récemment par Newman, Stein et les deux auteurs que sur le demi-plan $\mathbb{Z}\times\mathbb{N}$, il existe un unique état fondamental (modulo un flip global des spins) produit par la limite faible des états fondamentaux des volumes finis pour un choix spécifique des conditions frontières. Dans cet article, nous étudions l’ensemble de tous les états fondamentaux sur le graphe infini $\mathbb{Z}\times\mathbb{N}$. Nous montrons que le nombre d’états fondamentaux est deux (correspondant à un flip global des spins) ou infini. Ceci est le premier résultat sur l’ensemble de tous les états fondamentaux pour une dimension non-triviale. Dans la première partie, nous développons des outils qui sont pertinents à la résolution du problème analogue sur $\mathbb{Z}^{d}$.

Simplifying generalized belief propagation on redundant region graphs

The cluster variation method has been developed into a general theoretical framework for treating short-range correlations in many-body systems after it was first proposed by Kikuchi in 1951. On the numerical side, a message-passing approach called generalized belief propagation (GBP) was proposed by Yedidia, Freeman and Weiss about a decade ago as a way of computing the minimal value of the cluster variational free energy and the marginal distributions of clusters of variables. However the GBP equations are often redundant, and it is quite a non-trivial task to make the GBP iteration converges to a fixed point. These drawbacks hinder the application of the GBP approach to finite-dimensional frustrated and disordered systems.In this work we report an alternative and simple derivation of the GBP equations starting from the partition function. Based on this derivation we propose a natural and systematic way of removing the redundance of the GBP equations. We apply the simplified generalized belief propagation (SGBP) equations to the two-dimensional and the three-dimensional ferromagnetic Ising model and Edwards-Anderson spin glass model. The numerical results confirm that the SGBP message-passing approach is able to achieve satisfactory performance on these model systems. We also suggest that a subset of the SGBP equations can be neglected in the numerical iteration process without affecting the final results.

Optimization by record dynamics

Large dynamical changes in thermalizing glassy systems are triggered by trajectories crossing record sized barriers, a behavior revealing the presence of a hierarchical structure in configuration space. The observation is here turned into a novel local search optimization algorithm dubbed record dynamics optimization, or RDO. RDO uses the Metropolis rule to accept or reject candidate solutions depending on the value of a parameter akin to the temperature and minimizes the cost function of the problem at hand through cycles where its ‘temperature’ is raised and subsequently decreased in order to expediently generate record high (and low) values of the cost function. Below, RDO is introduced and then tested by searching for the ground state of the Edwards–Anderson spin-glass model, in two and three spatial dimensions. A popular and highly efficient optimization algorithm, parallel tempering (PT), is applied to the same problem as a benchmark. RDO and PT turn out to produce solutions of similar quality for similar numerical effort, but RDO is simpler to program and additionally yields geometrical information on the system’s configuration space which is of interest in many applications. In particular, the effectiveness of RDO strongly indicates the presence of the above mentioned hierarchically organized configuration space, with metastable regions indexed by the cost (or energy) of the transition states connecting them.

Backbone structure of the Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model

We study the ground-state spatial heterogeneities of the Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model with both bimodal and Gaussian bond distributions. We characterize these heterogeneities by using a general definition of bond rigidity, which allows us to classify the bonds of the system into two sets, the backbone and its complement, with very different properties. This generalizes to continuous distributions of bonds the well-known definition of a backbone for discrete bond distributions. By extensive numerical simulations we find that the topological structure of the backbone for a given lattice dimensionality is very similar for both discrete and continuous bond distributions. We then analyze how these heterogeneities influence the equilibrium properties at finite temperature and we discuss the possibility that a suitable backbone picture can be relevant to describe spin-glass phenomena.

Numerical results for the Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model at low temperature

We have simulated Edwards-Anderson (EA) as well as Sherrington-Kirkpatrick systems of ${L}^{3}$ spins. After averaging over large sets of EA system samples of $3\ensuremath{\le}L\ensuremath{\le}10$, we obtain accurate numbers for distributions $p(q)$ of the overlap parameter $q$ at very low-temperature $T$. We find $p(0)/T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0.233(4)$ as $T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. This is in contrast with the droplet scenario of spin glasses. We also study the number of mismatched links---between replica pairs---that come with large scale excitations. Contributions from small scale excitations are discarded. We thus obtain for the fractal dimension of outer surfaces of $q\ensuremath{\sim}0$ excitations in the EA model ${d}_{s}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2.59(3)$ as $T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. This is in contrast with ${d}_{s}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3$ as $T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ that is predicted by mean-field theory for the macroscopic limit.

Replica cluster variational method: the replica symmetric solution for the 2D random bond Ising model

We present and solve the replica symmetric equations in the context of the replica cluster variational method for the 2D random bond Ising model (including the 2D Edwards–Anderson spin-glass model). First, we solve a linearized version of these equations to obtain the phase diagrams of the model on the square and triangular lattices. In both cases, the spin-glass transition temperatures and the multicritical point estimations improve largely over the Bethe predictions. Moreover, we show that this phase diagram is consistent with the behavior of inference algorithms on single instances of the problem. Finally, we present a method to consistently find approximate solutions to the equations in the glassy phase. The method is applied to the triangular lattice down to T = 0, also in the presence of an external field.

Progress in the mathematical theory of quantum disordered systems

We review recent progress in the mathematical theory of quantum disordered systems: the Anderson transition, including some joint work with Marchetti, the (quantum and classical) Edwards-Anderson (EA) spin-glass model and return to equilibrium for a class of spin-glass models, which includes the EA model initially in a very large transverse magnetic field.

The Ground State Energy per Site of the Quantum and Classical Edwards-Anderson Spin Glass in the Thermodynamic Limit

We derive rigorous lower bounds for the average ground-state energy per site $e^{(d)}$ of the quantum and classical Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model in dimensions $d = 2$ and $d = 3$ in the thermodynamic limit. For the classical model they imply that $e^{(2)} \ge -3/2$ and $e^{(3)} \ge -2.204...$.

Ground-state energy and entropy of the two-dimensional Edwards–Anderson spin-glass model with different bond distributions

We study the two-dimensional Edwards–Anderson spin-glass model using a parallel tempering Monte Carlo algorithm. The ground-state energy and entropy are calculated for different bond distributions. In particular, the entropy is obtained by using a thermodynamic integration technique and an appropriate reference state, which is determined with the method of high-temperature expansion. This strategy provides accurate values of this quantity for finite-size lattices. By extrapolating to the thermodynamic limit, the ground-state energy and entropy of the different versions of the spin-glass model are determined.

Short-Range Spin Glasses and Random Overlap Structures

Properties of Random Overlap Structures (ROSt)’s constructed from the Edwards-Anderson (EA) Spin Glass model on ℤd with periodic boundary conditions are studied. ROSt’s are ℕ×ℕ random matrices whose entries are the overlaps of spin configurations sampled from the Gibbs measure. Since the ROSt construction is the same for mean-field models (like the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model) as for short-range ones (like the EA model), the setup is a good common ground to study the effect of dimensionality on the properties of the Gibbs measure. In this spirit, it is shown, using translation invariance, that the ROSt of the EA model possesses a local stability that is stronger than stochastic stability, a property known to hold at almost all temperatures in many spin glass models with Gaussian couplings. This fact is used to prove stochastic stability for the EA spin glass at all temperatures and for a wide range of coupling distributions. On the way, a theorem of Newman and Stein about the pure state decomposition of the EA model is recovered and extended.

Entropic long range order in a 3D spin glass model

We uncover a new kind of entropic long range order in finite dimensional spin glasses. We studythe link-diluted version of the Edwards–Anderson spin glass model with bimodal couplings (J = ± 1) on a 3D lattice. By using exact reduction algorithms, we prove that there exists a regionof the phase diagram (at zero temperature and low enough link density), where spins arelong range correlated, even if the ground state energy stiffness is null. In other words, inthis region twisting the boundary conditions costs no energy, but spins are long rangecorrelated by means of pure entropic effects.