Non-universality in the Ising model with nearest and next-nearest neighbour interactions

Abstract

The critical behaviour of the Ising model on the square lattice with ferromagnetic nearest-neighbour interactions (J) and anti-ferromagnetic next-nearest neighbour interactions (J') is discussed for small lambda =J/ mod J' mod . The singular part of the free energy is calculated to second order in lambda by perturbation theory. Near the critical temperature of the unperturbed system (J=0), this expansion is found to have a form which may be exponentiated yielding, for non-zero lambda , a non-universal critical line along which the exponents vary continuously with lambda . For small lambda , the specific heat exponent, alpha = alpha ₁ lambda ²+O( lambda ²) with alpha ₁ approximately=1.5.