Finite-lattice methods in quantum Hamiltonian field theory. I. O(2) and O(3) Heisenberg models

Abstract

For pt.I see ibid., vol.14, p.241-57 (1981). Two efficient methods for finding the low-lying states of Hamiltonians on finite lattices are described. The first involves constructing a finite representation of the Hamiltonian using strong-coupling eigenstates, while the second is based on the Lanczos recursion method. The methods are used to determine the mass gap of the O(2) and O(3) Heisenberg Hamiltonians in (1+1) dimensions for a sequence of finite chains. The critical behaviour of the infinite chain is then analysed by extrapolating the finite-lattice estimates using finite-size scaling. A remarkably sensitive test is developed for the presence of a phase transition. For the O(2) model data this test yields strong evidence for a phase transition with the weak-coupling phase massless, while, in the O(3) case the test supports, although more weakly, the absence of any transition.