Critical Casimir amplitudes for $n$-component $\phi^4$ models with O(n)-symmetry breaking quadratic boundary terms

TL;DR

This paper calculates critical Casimir amplitudes for $n$-component $^4$ models with boundary symmetry breaking, using epsilon expansion to analyze surface effects and predict behaviors in three-dimensional systems with surface anisotropies.

Contribution

It provides the first epsilon expansion calculations of Casimir amplitudes for models with boundary-induced symmetry breaking and multicritical points, extending understanding of surface critical phenomena.

Findings

Derived $oldsymbol{ ext{O}(oldsymbol{ ext{epsilon}}^{3/2})}$ expressions for Casimir amplitudes.

Estimated 3D Heisenberg system Casimir amplitudes with surface spin anisotropies.

Analyzed effects of boundary symmetry breaking on surface critical behavior.

Abstract

Euclidean $n$-component $\phi^4$ theories whose Hamiltonians are O(n) symmetric except for quadratic symmetry breaking boundary terms are studied in films of thickness $L$. The boundary terms imply the Robin boundary conditions $\partial_n\phi_\alpha =\mathring{c}^{(j)}_\alpha \phi_\alpha $ at the boundary planes $\mathfrak{B}_{j=1,2}$ at $z=0$ and $z=L$. Particular attention is paid to the cases in which $m_j$ of the $n$ variables $\mathring{c}^{(j)}_\alpha$ take the special value $\mathring{c}_{m_j\text{-sp}}$ corresponding to critical enhancement while the remaining ones are subcritically enhanced. Under these conditions, the semi-infinite system bounded by $\mathfrak{B}_j$ has a multicritical point, called $m_j$-special, at which an $O(m_j)$ symmetric critical surface phase coexists with the O(n) symmetric bulk phase, provided $d$ is sufficiently large. The $L$-dependent part of the reduced free energy per area behaves as $\Delta_C/L^{d-1}$ as $L\to\infty$ at the bulk critical point. The Casimir amplitudes $\Delta_C$ are determined for small $\epsilon=4-d$ in the general case where $m_{c,c}$ components $\phi_\alpha$ are critically enhanced at both boundary planes, $m_{c,D} + m_{D,c}$ components are enhanced at one plane but satisfy asymptotic Dirichlet boundary conditions at the respective other, and the remaining $m_{D,D}$ components satisfy asymptotic Dirichlet boundary conditions at both $\mathfrak{B}_j$. Whenever $m_{c,c}>0$, these expansions involve integer and fractional powers $\epsilon^{k/2}$ with $k\ge 3$ (mod logarithms). Results to $O(\epsilon^{3/2})$ for general values of $m_{c,c}$, $m_{c,D}+m_{D,c}$, and $m_{D,D}$ are used to estimate the $\Delta_C$ of 3D Heisenberg systems with surface spin anisotropies when $(m_{c,c}, m_{c,D}+ m_{D,c}) = (1,0)$, $(0,1)$, and $(1,1)$.