Tensor Renormalization Group at Low Temperatures: Discontinuity Fixed Point

TL;DR

This paper constructs a rigorous renormalization group map for 2D tensor networks representing the low-temperature Ising model with a magnetic field, identifying fixed points and analyzing phase transitions.

Contribution

It introduces a new RG map for low-temperature tensor networks, including a discontinuity fixed point, and provides a rigorous analysis of phase transitions in the 2D Ising model.

Findings

RG map has two stable fixed points for ground states

Discontinuity fixed point exists at zero magnetic field

Flow to fixed points depends on the magnetic field value

Abstract

We continue our study of rigorous renormalization group (RG) maps for tensor networks that was begun in arXiv:2107.11464. In this paper we construct a rigorous RG map for 2D tensor networks whose domain includes tensors that represent the 2D Ising model at low temperatures with a magnetic field $h$. We prove that the RG map has two stable fixed points, corresponding to the two ground states, and one unstable fixed point which is an example of a discontinuity fixed point. For the Ising model at low temperatures the RG map flows to one of the stable fixed points if $h \neq 0$, and to the discontinuity fixed point if $h=0$. In addition to the nearest neighbor and magnetic field terms in the Hamiltonian, we can include small terms that need not be spin-flip invariant. In this case we prove there is a critical value $h_c$ of the field (which depends on these additional small interactions and the temperature) such that the RG map flows to the discontinuity fixed point if $h=h_c$ and to one of the stable fixed points otherwise. We use our RG map to give a new proof of previous results on the first-order transition, namely, that the free energy is analytic for $h \neq h_c$, and the magnetization is discontinuous at $h = h_c$. The construction of our low temperature RG map, in particular the disentangler, is surprisingly very similar to the construction of the map in arXiv:2107.11464 for the high temperature phase. We also give a pedagogical discussion of some general rigorous transformations for infinite dimensional tensor networks and an overview of the proof of stability of the high temperature fixed point for the RG map in arXiv:2107.11464.