Crossover phenomena in spin models with medium-range interactions and self-avoiding walks with medium-range jumps.

We study crossover phenomena in a model of self-avoiding walks with medium-range jumps, which corresponds to the limit N-->0 of an N-vector spin system with medium-range interactions. In particular, we consider the critical crossover limit that interpolates between the Gaussian and the Wilson-Fisher fixed point. The corresponding crossover functions are computed by using field-theoretical methods and an appropriate mean-field expansion. The critical crossover limit is accurately studied by numerical Monte Carlo simulations, which are much more efficient for walk models than for spin systems. Monte Carlo data are compared with the field-theoretical predictions for the critical crossover functions, finding good agreement. We also verify the predictions for the scaling behavior of the leading nonuniversal corrections. We determine phenomenological parametrizations that are exact in the critical crossover limit, have the correct scaling behavior for the leading correction, and describe the nonuniversal crossover behavior of our data for any finite range.

Improved high-temperature expansion and critical equation of state of three-dimensional Ising-like systems.

High-temperature series are computed for a generalized three-dimensional Ising model with arbitrary potential. Three specific "improved" potentials (suppressing leading scaling corrections) are selected by Monte Carlo computation. Critical exponents are extracted from high-temperature series specialized to improved potentials, achieving high accuracy; our best estimates are gamma=1.2371(4), nu=0.630 02(23), alpha=0.1099(7), eta=0.0364(4), beta=0.326 48(18). By the same technique, the coefficients of the small-field expansion for the effective potential (Helmholtz free energy) are computed. These results are applied to the construction of parametric representations of the critical equation of state. A systematic approximation scheme, based on a global stationarity condition, is introduced (the lowest-order approximation reproduces the linear parametric model). This scheme is used for an accurate determination of universal ratios of amplitudes. A comparison with other theoretical and experimental determinations of universal quantities is presented.