Changing the universality class of the three-dimensional Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model by selective bond dilution

TL;DR

This study reveals that selective bond dilution outside the backbone of the 3D Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model can alter its universality class, highlighting the importance of the surrounding region in its critical behavior.

Contribution

It demonstrates that selective bond dilution outside the backbone changes the universality class without affecting the ground state, a novel insight into spin-glass critical phenomena.

Findings

Selective bond dilution outside the backbone changes the universality class.

Dilution within the backbone does not alter the universality class.

Ground state remains unchanged despite critical behavior shifts.

Abstract

The three-dimensional Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model present strong spatial heterogeneities well characterized by the so-called backbone, a magnetic structure that arises as a consequence of the properties of the ground state and the low-excitation levels of such a frustrated Ising system. Using extensive Monte Carlo simulations and finite size scaling, we study how these heterogeneities affect the phase transition of the model. Although, we do not detect any significant difference between the critical behavior displayed by the whole system and that observed inside and outside the backbone, surprisingly, a selective bond dilution of the complement of this magnetic structure induces a change of the universality class, whereas no change is noted when the backbone is fully diluted. This finding suggests that the region surrounding the backbone plays a more relevant role in determining the physical properties of the Edwards-Anderson spin-glass model than previously thought. Furthermore, we show that when a selective bond dilution changes the universality class of the phase transition, the ground state of the model does not undergo any change. The opposite case is also valid, i. e., a dilution that does not change the critical behavior significantly affects the fundamental level.