A one-dimensional model with phase transition (Q5919852)

The authors consider the system of two repelling particles which are bound to occupy two among the \(k+1\) adjacent sites \(0 = x_ 0 < x_ 1 < \dots < x_{k_ n} = 1\) on the unit interval, with the Hamiltonian \(H_ j = -\ln(x_{j+1}-x_ j)\), and the partition function \(Z(\beta,n) = \sigma_ 0 \leq j < k_ n \exp[-\beta H_ j]\). The behaviour of the function \[ F(\beta) = \limsup_{n \to \infty}{\ln Z(\beta,n)\over \ln k_ n} \] is described to determine its critical point where \(F\) is not analytic. The smallest real zero of \(F\) is proved to be equal to the fractal dimension of the system and is a critical point when the dimension is less than one. Some examples are given.