Mean field models

A mean field model, or a mean field solution of a model, is an approximation to the actual solution of a model in statistical physics. The model is made exactly solvable by treating the effect of all other particles on a given one as a mean field (hence its name). It appear in different forms and different contexts, but all mean field models have this feature in common.

Mean field solution of the Ising model

A well-known mean field solution of the Ising model, known as the Bragg-Williams approximation goes as follows. From the original Hamiltonian,

$U=-J\sum _{i}^{N}S_{i}\sum _{<j>}S_{j},$

suppose we may approximate

$\sum _{<j>}S_{j}\approx n{\bar {s}},$

where $n$ is the number of neighbors of site Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle i} (e.g. 4 in a 2-D square lattice), and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \bar{s}} is the (unknown) magnetization:

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \bar{s}=\frac{1}{N} \sum_i S_i . }

Therefore, the Hamiltonian turns to

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle U = - J n \sum_i^N S_i \bar{s} , }

as in the regular Langevin theory of magnetism: the spins are independent, but coupled to a constant field of strength

$H=Jn{\bar {s}}.$

The magnetization of the Langevin theory is

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \bar{s} = \tanh( H/k_B T ). }

Therefore:

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \bar{s} = \tanh(J n\bar{s}/k_B T). }

This is a self-consistent expression for Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \bar{s}} . There exists a critical temperature, defined by

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle k_B T_c= J n .}

At temperatures higher than this value the only solution is ${\bar {s}}=0$. Below it, however, this solution becomes unstable (it corresponds to a maximum in energy), whereas two others are stable. Slightly below Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle T_c} ,

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \bar{s} =\pm\sqrt{3\left(1 - \frac{T}{T_c}\right)}. }