Finite-size scaling method for the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition

We test an improved finite-size scaling method for reliably extracting the critical temperature $T_{\rm BKT}$ of a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transition. Using known single-parameter logarithmic corrections to the spin stiffness $ρ_s$ at $T_{\rm BKT}$ in combination with the Kosterlitz-Nelson relation between the transition temperature and the stiffness, $ρ_s(T_{\rm BKT})=2T_{\rm BKT}/π$, we define a size dependent transition temperature $T_{\rm BKT}(L_1,L_2)$ based on a pair of system sizes $L_1,L_2$, e.g., $L_2=2L_1$. We use Monte Carlo data for the standard two-dimensional classical XY model to demonstrate that this quantity is well behaved and can be reliably extrapolated to the thermodynamic limit using the next expected logarithmic correction beyond the ones included in defining $T_{\rm BKT}(L_1,L_2)$. For the Monte Carlo calculations we use GPU (graphical processing unit) computing to obtain high-precision data for $L$ up to 512. We find that the sub-leading logarithmic corrections have significant effects on the extrapolation. Our result $T_{\rm BKT}=0.8935(1)$ is several error bars above the previously best estimates of the transition temperature; $T_{\rm BKT} \approx 0.8929$. If only the leading log-correction is used, the result is, however, consistent with the lower value, suggesting that previous works have underestimated $T_{\rm BKT}$ because of neglect of sub-leading logarithms. Our method is easy to implement in practice and should be applicable to generic BKT transitions.

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