Statistical Mechanics - Homework Assignment 6

Alejandro Gómez Espinosa∗

May 3, 2013

Pathria 12.20 Consider a system with a modified expression for the Landau free energy, namely

ψh (t, m) = −hm + q(t) + r(t)m2 + s(t)m4 + u(t)m6 (1)

with u(t) a fixed positive constant. Minimize ψ with respect to the variable m and examine the
spontaneous magnetization m0 as a function of the parameters r and s. In particular, show the
following

(a) For r > 0 and s > −(3ur)1/2 , m0 = 0 is the only real solution.
Let us minimize first the relation (1), asuming that h = 0:

∂ψ
= 2rm + 4sm3 + 6um5 = 0
∂m
0 = m(2r + 4sm2 + 6um4 ) (2)

Then, using (2), we can solve for m:

s p
−4s ± 16s2 − 4(6u)2r
m=
12u

therefore m must be a positive value

√ since is the square root of a function. Also, s must be
bigger than −(3ur)1/2 if the term 16s2 − 48ur is a real number. Hence, the only real solution
according to (2) must be m = 0.
√ 2
(s −3ur)−s
(b) For r > 0 and −(4ur)1/2 < s ≤ −(3ur)1/2 , m0 = 0 or ±m1 , where m21 = 3u .
However, the minimum of ψ at m0 = 0 is lower than the minima at m0 = ±m1 , so the
ultimate equilibrium value of m0 is 0.
In this case, let us work more with the term inside the square root:
√
2 −4s ± 16s2 − 48ur
m =
√12u
−4s ± 4 s2 − 3ur
=
√12u
−s ± s2 − 3ur
=
3u
∗
gomez@physics.rutgers.edu

1
 where if the value of s is −(4ur)1/2 < s ≤ −(3ur)1/2 , the square root has a real value. Now,
let us take the lowest value of s, i.e. −(4ur)1/2 :
p
2 (4ur)1/2 ± (−(4ur)1/2 )2 − 3ur
m1 =
√ 3u
(4ur)1/2 ± 4ur − 3ur
=
3u
(4ur) ± (ur)1/2
1/2
=
3u
√
1/2
(ur) ( 4 ± 1)
=
3u
1/2
(ur) (2 ± 1)
=
3u
r 1/2
Taking the minus sign of the term in the brakets, the result m21 = 3u 1/2 is a positive value.
Therefore, the minima of the function in this conditions is again m = 0.
(c) For r > 0 and s = −(4ur)1/2 , m0 = 0 or ±(r/u)1/4 . Now, the minimum of ψ at m0 = 0 is
the same height as the ones at m0 = ±(r/u)1/4 , so a nonzero spontaneous magnetization is as
likely to occur as the zero one.
Using the positive value in the previous result:

(ur)1/2 (2 + 1)
m21 =
3u
(ur)1/2  r 1/2
= =
u u
 r 1/4
m1 = ±
u
r 1/4


In this case, since m1 = − u is lower than zero, this nonzero minima will produce a
spontaneous magnetization.
(d) For r > 0 and s < −(4ur)1/2 , m0 = ±m1 - which implies a first-order phase transition (because
the two possible states available here differ by a finite amount in m). The line s = −(4ur)1/2 ,
with r positive, is generally referred to as a ”line of first-order phase transitions”.
Without lossing generality, let pick a value of s lower than −(4ur)1/2 , i.e. −(5ur)1/2 :
p
2 (5ur)1/2 ± (−(5ur)1/2 )2 − 3ur
m1 =
1/2
√ 3u
(5ur) ± 5ur − 3ur
=
3u
(4ur) ± (2ur)1/2
1/2
=
√3u √
1/2
(ur) ( 5 ± 2)
=
3u
√
that is a positive value. Notice that +m1 will differ from −m1 , in this case by 2. These two
values represent the two possible states available.

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 (e) For r = 0 and s < 0, m0 = ±(2|s|/3u)1/2 .
For this case, let us replace this values into (2):

0 = −4sm2 + 6um4

knowing that one solution is still m = 0. Then:

 1/2
2 2|s|
0 = −2s + 3um ⇒ m=±
3u

(f ) For r < 0, m0 = ±m1 for all s. As r → 0, m1 → 0 if s is positive.

First, in the case that m → 0, the term m2 in (1) is the leading order and we can neglect them.
Then if r > 0, m = 0 is the only solution for this case.
Now let us use this values into the minimize function, given by:

0 = −2r + 4sm2 + 6um4 = −r + 2sm2 + 3um2

where the solutions are:

s √ r
−s ± 2 s2 + 3ur −s ± 2s
m1 = ± −−−→ ±
3u r→0 3u
ps
The only real solution is when m1 = ± 3u if s is positive.
(g) For r = 0 and s > 0, m0 = 0 is only solution. Combining this result with (f ), we conclude that
the line r = 0, with s positive, is a ”line of second-order phase transitions,” for the two states
available here differ by a vanishing amount in m.
Using the last result of (f):
s √ r
−s ± 2 s2 + 3ur −s ± 2s
m1 = ± −−→ ±
3u r=0 3u
s 3/2
If s is positive, we can only take the negative sign of the square root, then: m1 = ±( 3u ) .
The lines of first-order pahse transitions and second-order phase transitions meet at the point
(r = 0, s = 0), which is commonly referred to as a tricritical point (Griffiths,1970).
The different cases are represent in the Figure 1, in the (r-s)-plane, for a better understanding.

Pathria 12.21 In the preceding problem, put s = 0 and approach the tricitical point along the r-axis,
setting r ∼ r1 t. Show that the critical exponents pertaining to the tricritical point in this model are
1 1
α = , β = , γ = 1, and δ = 5 (3)
2 4

Plugging these values into relation (1) and minimize it:

ψh (t, m) = −hm + q + r1 tm2 + um6 (4)

∂ψ
| = −h + 2r1 tm0 + 6um50 = 0
∂m m=m0
h = 2m0 (r1 t + 3um40 ) (5)

3
 30

25

20

r
15

10

0
-10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10
s

Figure 1: Parameter space (r√−s) for the Landau free energy described in (1). Here, the red line√represents
the values of m when s = − 3ur (taken u = 1 for simplicity). The blue line represents s = − 4ur a the
first order line and the green line is the second order line. The value of m below the blue and green line
are different than zero, while everything above these lines m = 0. Only in the region between the red and
blue line m = 0 and m 6= 0. The tricritical point is at (0,0) where the three lines get together.

For (5), if h = 0, it is clear that one of the possible solutions of m0 is:

 1/4
r1 t 1
m0 ≈ ⇒ β=
3u 4

then,
 −1
∂h 1
χ = =
∂m 2r1 t + 30um40
1
≈ if t > 0, m0 → 0
2r1 t
Hence, γ = 1. Next, if t = 0, equation (5) became:

h = 6um50 ⇒ δ=5

Finally, using the thermodynamic inequality:

α + 2β + γ ≥ 2
 
1
α+2 +1 = 2
4
3 1
α = 2− =
2 2