Blume–Capel model

The Blume–Capel model is a spin model with ${\sigma }_i\in \{-1,0,1\}$ and HamiltonianCompetition between the Ising interaction and the single-ion anisotropy $D$ produces a tricritical point in its phase diagram.

For spins $s_i\in \{-1,0,1\}$ with ferromagnetic nearest-neighbour exchange and no single-ion anisotropy, a homogeneous mean-field approximation givesThe self-consistency equation is $S=2\sinh h/(1+2\cosh h)$ with $h=\beta (zJS+B)$. Its small-$h$ expansion is $2h/3-h^3/9+O(h^5)$. Hence $k_B{T}_c=2zJ/3$ and, with $t=T/T_c-1$, the nonzero branches satisfy $S^2=(8/3)(-t)+O(t^2)$. The critical exponent is the mean-field value $1/2$, not an exact two-dimensional exponent. At zero source the finite-system equilibrium magnetization is zero by spin inversion symmetry; the broken branches describe the thermodynamic limit with a phase selected by a vanishing source.

For ferromagnetic exchange $J$ and coordination $z$, the mean-field approximation has $f=zJ{M}^2/2-k_{B}T\log [1+2e^{-g/(k_{B}T)}\cosh (zJM/(k_{B}T))]$. With $K=zJ/(k_{B}T)$ and $q=2e^{-g/(k_{B}T)}/[1+2e^{-g/(k_{B}T)}]$, its quadratic and quartic coefficients vanish at $q=1/3$, $K=3$. The sextic coefficient of $f/(k_{B}T)$ is $9/40>0$. Hence $T_{\mathrm{TCP}}=zJ/(3k_B)$ and $g_{\mathrm{TCP}}=k_B{T}_{\mathrm{TCP}}\log 4$; these are not exact finite-dimensional lattice values.