Randomness-induced second-order transition in the two-dimensional eight-state Potts model: A Monte Carlo study

S. Chen; Alan M. Ferrenberg; D. P. Landau

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.69.1213

Randomness-induced second-order transition in the two-dimensional eight-state Potts model: A Monte Carlo study

S. Chen, Alan M. Ferrenberg, and D. P. Landau

Phys. Rev. Lett. 69, 1213 – Published 24 August 1992

Abstract

We have studied the effect of quenched, bond randomness on the nature of the phase transition in the two-dimensional eight-state Potts model. Through extensive Monte Carlo simulations, we confirm that the phase transition changes from first order to second order. A finite-size-scaling analysis of several thermodynamic quantities strongly suggests that the critical exponents fall into the universality class of the two-dimensional Ising model.