Taxonomy of particles in Ising spin chains

TL;DR

This paper develops a detailed classification and statistical mechanics framework for particles in the one-dimensional $s=1$ Ising chain, revealing complex interactions and phase behaviors.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive taxonomy of particles based on motifs and categories, and formulates a generalized Pauli principle for exact state counting.

Findings

Particles are classified into four categories: compacts, hosts, tags, hybrids.

The model captures phase boundary behaviors similar to liquid mixtures.

Exact statistical mechanics are derived from the particle taxonomy.

Abstract

The statistical mechanics of particles with shapes on a one-dimensional lattice is investigated in the context of the $s=1$ Ising chain with uniform nearest-neighbor coupling, quadratic single-site potential, and magnetic field, which supports four distinct ground states: $|\uparrow\downarrow\uparrow\downarrow...>$, $|\circ\circ...>$, $|\uparrow\uparrow...>$, $|\uparrow\circ\uparrow\circ...>$. The complete spectrum is generated from each ground state by particles from a different set of six or seven species. Particles and elements of pseudo-vacuum are characterized by motifs (patterns of several consecutive site variables). Particles are floating objects that can be placed into open slots on the lattice. Open slots are recognized as permissible links between motifs. The energy of a particle varies between species but is independent of where it is placed. Placement of one particle changes the open-slot configuration for particles of all species. This statistical interaction is encoded in a generalized Pauli principle, from which the multiplicity of states for a given particle combination is determined and used for the exact statistical mechanical analysis. Particles from all species belong to one of four categories: compacts, hosts, tags, or hybrids. Compacts and hosts find open slots in segments of pseudo-vacuum. Tags find open slots inside hosts. Hybrids are tags with hosting capability. In the taxonomy of particles proposed here, `species' is indicative of structure and `category' indicative of function. The hosting function splits the Pauli principle into exclusion and accommodation parts. Near phase boundaries, the state of the Ising chain at low temperature is akin to that of miscible or immiscible liquids with particles from one species acting as surfactant molecules.