Mean-field theory for quantum spin chains

Abstract

Mean-field theory is a widely used approximation for describing phase transitions, particularly effective above the upper critical dimension. Its origins can be traced back to the van der Waals theory of the liquid-gas transition and Weiss's molecular field theory of the paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transition. However, it was Lev D. Landau who provided a unifying and general framework applicable to a broad class of physical systems. The mean-field approach typically involves neglecting thermal fluctuations, which is a reasonable assumption in many classical contexts. However, its application to quantum phase transitions at zero temperature is less common. The aim of this short pedagogical paper is to explore and clarify the use of the mean-field approach in the less familiar domain of quantum phase transitions. We specifically consider the Ising model and the Blume-Capel model.