First-order phase transitions and linear renormalization group

Abstract

The description of first-order phase transitions using the linear renormalization group is illustrated with the two-dimensional Ising model. Different linear renormalization groups should be used to describe the system in the neighborhood of criticality and away from it. In the latter case, the renormalization-group trajectories are lines of constant spin expectation value, which map a system below critical temperature in a small magnetic field to a system of free spins at a finite magnetic field. A finite-lattice approximation is also presented. The equation of state and several thermodynamic quantities are obtained; a smooth matching of the behavior near and away from criticality occurs naturally.