Expansions for ground state in the transverse field

Edwards-Anderson model
C. Itoi1 , K. Horie1 and Y. Sakamoto2 ,
1
Department of Physics, GS & CST, Nihon University,
arXiv:2103.00774v1 [math-ph] 1 Mar 2021

Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda, Tokyo 101-8308, Japan

2
Laboratory of Physics, CST, Nihon University,
Narashinodai, Funabashi-city, Chiba 274-8501, Japan

March 2, 2021

Abstract
It is proven that the ground state in the transverse field Edwards-Anderson model is
unique for a sufficiently weak transverse field in a d-dimensional finite cubic lattice. On the
basis of a recently obtained result for the low energy states in the Edwards-Anderson model,
the Kirkwood-Thomas expansion method developed by Datta-Kennedy enables us to show
that the uniqueness of ground state is preserved against a sufficiently small transverse field
in the transverse field Edwards-Anderson model.

1 Introduction
The transverse Ising model with random exchange interactions is a simple interesting quantum
spin model. Many researchers of information, mathematics and physics have been studied this
model extensively, since D-Wave Systems actually devised and produced a quantum annealer
based on this model [7], which is theoretically proposed by Finnila-Gomez-Sebenik-Stenson-Dol
[5] and Kadowaki-Nishimori [8]. On the other hand, the Edwards-Anderson (EA) model is a
well-known Ising model with short range random exchange interactions [3]. Quite recently, it is
proven that the ground state in the Edwards-Anderson (EA) model is unique in any dimension
for almost all continuous random exchange interactions under a boundary condition which breaks
the global Z2 symmetry [6]. Uniqueness of the ground state in the EA model at zero temperature
agrees with the claims of Fisher- Huse and Newman-Stein [4, 10].
In the present paper, it is proven that the uniqueness of ground state is preserved also in the
Edwards-Anderson model with a weak transverse field. The obtained uniqueness theorem for the
ground state without transverse field gives a convergent perturbative expansion for sufficiently
weak transverse field. A convergent perturbative expansion proposed by Kirkwood and Thomas
[9] and developed by Datta and Kennedy [1, 2] enables us to obtain a rigorous result for the
unique ground state under a weak transverse field.

2 Definitions and main theorem

Consider d-dimensional hyper cubic lattice ΛL = Zd ∩ (−L/2, L/2]d with an even integer L > 0.
Note that the lattice ΛL containts Ld sites. Define a set of nearest neighbor bonds by

BΛ = {{i, j} ∈ Λ2L ||i − j| = 1}.

1
Note |BΛ | = |ΛL |d. A bond spin σb denotes

σba = σia σja

for a bond b = {i, j} ∈ BΛ and a = x, y, z. Let J = (Jb )b∈BΛ be a sequence of independent and
identically distributed (i.i.d) random variables whose expectation value and variance are given
by

EJb = J0 ∈ R, E(Jb − J0 )2 = J 2 , (1)

for J > 0. The Hamiltonian of this model is given by

X X
HΛ (σ, h, J) = − Jb σbz − h σix , (2)
b∈BΛ i∈ΛL

with a random
Psequence J. This Hamiltonian is invariant under a discrete SU(2) transformation
U := exp[iπ i∈ΛL σix /2] acting on each spin σiz 7→ U † σiz U = −σiz . This corresponds to Z2
symmetry in the Edwards-Anderson model. Define a state |σi with a spin configuration σ :
ΛL → {1, −1} by
σiz |σi = σi |σi.
For any β > 0, the partition function as a function of (β, h, J) is defined by
X
ZΛ (β, h, J) = Tre−βHΛ (σ,h,J ) = hσ|e−βHΛ (σ,h,J ) |σi, (3)
σ∈{1,−1}ΛL

The average of an arbitrary function f : ΣL → R of the spin configuration in the Gibbs state is
given by
1
hf (σ)i = Trf (σ)e−βHΛ (σ,h,J ) .
ZΛ (β, h, J)
Note that the expectation hσi i of spin at each site i vanishes in the Z2 symmetric Gibbs state.
To remove the trivial two-fold degeneracy due to the global Z2 symmetry, assume + boundary
condition, such that
σi = 1, (4)
for i ∈ ΛL \ΛL−2 . Σ+
Λ ⊂ {1, −1}
ΛL denotes the set of spin configurations satisfying the boundary

condition (4).

Theorem 2.1 The ground state of the transverse field EA model is unique for sufficiently small
|h|.

3 Proof of Theorem 2.1

3.1 Correlation functions at zero temperature
Lemma 3.1 Consider the transverse field EA model. Let f (σ) be an arbitrary uniformly bounded
function of spin operators (σia )i∈Λ , such that kf (σ)k ≤ C. For any bond b ∈ BΛ and for almost all
Jb , the infinite volume limit and the zero temperature limit of the connected correlation function
vanishes
lim [(σbz , f (σ)) − hσbz ihf (σ)i] = 0. (5)
β→∞

Proof. The derivative of one point function is represented in terms of the following Duhamel
function
1 ∂
hf (σ)i = (σbz , f (σ)) − hσbz ihf (σ)i, (6)
β ∂Jb

2
where the Duhamel function (A, B) between linear operators A and B is defined by
Z 1
(A, B) := dtheβtH Ae−βtH Bi.
0

The integration over an arbitrary interval (J1 , J2 ) is

J2
1
Z
[hf (σ)iJ2 − hf (σ)iJ1 ] = dJb [(σbz , f (σ)) − hσbz ihf (σ)i].
β J1

Uniform bounds kf (σ)k ≤ C in the left hand side, −2C ≤ |(σbz , f (σ)) − hσbz ihf (σ)i| ≤ 2C on the
integrand in the right hand side, and the dominated convergence theorem imply the following
commutativity between the limiting procedure and the integration
Z J2
0 = lim dJb [(σbz , f (σ)) − hσbz ihf (σ)i] (7)
β→∞ J1
Z J2
= dJb lim [(σbz , f (σ)) − hσbz ihf (σ)i]. (8)
J1 β→∞

Since the integration interval (J1 , J2 ) is arbitrary, the following limit vanishes

lim [(σbz , f (σ)) − hσbz ihf (σ)i] = 0, (9)

β→∞

for any b ∈ BΛ for almost all Jb ∈ R. 

3.2 Unperturbed system

The following lemma guarantees the uniqueness of ground state in the case for h = 0, where the
model becomes the classical EA model. This has been obtained in [6]

Lemma 3.2 Consider the transverse field Edwards-Anderson (EA) model at h = 0 in d-dimensional
hyper cubic lattice ΛL under the boundary condition (4). Let f (σ z ) be a real valued function of
a spin operators . For almost all J, there exists a unique spin configuration s+ ∈ Σ+ Λ , such that
the following limit is given by

lim hf (σ)i = f (s+ ). (10)

β→∞

Proof. Consider the model at h = 0. In this case, the model becomes the classical Edwards-
Anderson model, then the Duhamel function becomes normal correlation function

(σbz , f (σ)) = hσbz f (σ)i

Lemma 3.1 indicates the following conistent property of the bond spin configuration at zero
temperature. Eq.(5) in Lemma 3.1 for an arbitrary bond b ∈ BΛ and f (σ) = σb implies

lim (1 − hσbz i2 ) = 0. (11)

β→∞

The above identity can be represented in terms of a probability pb := lim hδσbz ,1 i

β→∞

0 = lim [1 − h(2δσbz ,1 − 1)i2 ] = 1 − (2pb − 1)2

β→∞
= 4pb (1 − pb ). (12)

3
Since either pb = 1 or pb = 0 is valid, either a ferromagnetic σb = 1 or an antiferromagnetic
σb = −1 bond spin configuration appears almost surely on any bond b ∈ BΛ for almost all J at
zero temperature. Consider a plaquette (i, j, k, l) with an arbitrary i ∈ ΛL and j = i + e, k =
i + e′ , l = i + e + e′ for unit vectors with |e| = |e′ | = 1. Lemma for b = {i, j}, {i, k} and
f (σ) = σjz σlz , σkz σlz implies

lim [hσiz σjz σjz σlz i − hσiz σjz ihσjz σlz i] = 0, (13)
β→∞
lim [hσiz σkz σkz σlz i − hσiz σkz ihσkz σlz i] = 0. (14)
β→∞

These and (σjz )2 = (σkz )2 = 1 give the consistent property of the bond spin configuration

lim hσiz σjz ihσjz σlz ihσlz σkz ihσkz σiz i = 1.

β→∞

For any site i ∈ ΛL and for b = {i, j} ∈ BΛ , Lemma 3.1 and f (σ) = σiz imply

lim hσjz i = lim hσiz σjz ihσiz i

β→∞ β→∞

for almost all J. For any sites i, j ∈ ΛL and i, j are connected by bonds in BΛ . Then, the +
boundary condition σi = 1 given by (4) and a bond spin configuration (σi σj ){i,j}∈BΛ fix a spin
configuration s+ ∈ Σ+ +
Λ uniquely at zero temperature for any L. This spin configuration s gives

lim hσiz i = s+
i ,
β→∞

for i ∈ ΛL and also gives

lim hf (σ z )i = f (s+ ),
β→∞

for a real valued function f (σ z ). This completes the proof. 

3.3 Expansion method

Datta and Kennedy develop the Kirkwood-Thomas expansion method and study transverse
field Ising model and XXZ model. Here we employ their method to the EA model in a weak
transverse field. To obtain ground state in the transverse EA model, consider the following
unitary transformed Hamiltonian
X X
H̃Λ (σ, h, J) := U HΛ U † = − Jb σbx − h σiz , (15)
b∈BL i∈ΛL

where U σiz U † = −σix and U σix U † = σiz . Define

Y
σX := σi .
i∈X

Note the following identity

′
X
2−|ΛL | σX σY = I(X = Y ) =: δX,Y , (16)
σ∈Σ+
Λ

where Λ′L := ΛL \ (ΛL \ ΛL−2 ), and an indicator I(e) for an arbitrary event e is defined by
I(true) = 1 and I(false) = 0. Let ψ(σ) be a function of spin configuration, and express ground
state of the Hamiltonian X
|GSi = σD ψ(σ)|σi,
σ∈Σ+
Λ

4
where D := {i ∈ ΛL |s+
i = −1}. Note that ψ(σ) = 1 for h = 0 is given by the ground state spin
configuration s+ ∈ ΣΛ defined by Lemma 3.2. The eigenvalue equation defined by

H̃Λ (σ, h, J)|GSi = E0 |GSi

is written in X X
−( Jb σbx + h σiz )|GSi = E0 |GSi.
b∈BL i∈ΛL

If σix |σi = |τ i, τi = −σi and τj = σj for j 6= i.

σbx |σi = σix σjx |σi = |σ (i,j) i,

where σ (i,j) denotes a spin configuration replaced by (σi , σj ) → (−σi , −σj ). This eigenvalue
equation can be represented in terms of ψ(σ).
(b)
X X
Jb σD ψ(σ (b) ) + hσi σD ψ(σ) = −E0 σD ψ(σ). (17)
b∈BL i∈ΛL

Therefore
(b)
X σD ψ(σ (b) ) X
Jb + hσi = −E0 . (18)
σD ψ(σ)
b∈BL i∈ΛL

To obtain the Kirkwood-Thomas equation for the ground state, represent the function ψ(σ) in
terms of a complex valued function g(X) of an arbitrary subset X ⊂ Λ′L ,
h 1 X i
ψ(σ) = exp − g(X)σX . (19)
2 ′ X⊂ΛL

Note the following relations

h 1 X X i
ψ(σ (b) ) = exp − g(X)σX + I(b ∈ ∂X)g(X)σX . (20)
2 ′ X⊂ΛL ′ X⊂ΛL

ψ(σ (b) ) h X i
= exp I(b ∈ ∂X)g(X)σX
ψ(σ) ′X⊂ΛL

where a set ∂X is defined by

∂X := {{i, j} ∈ BL |i ∈ X, j ∈
/ X or j ∈ X, i ∈
/ X}.

Note also
(b)
σD
= s+
b .
σD
These and the eigenvalue equation (18) give
X h X i X
Jb s+
b exp I(b ∈ ∂X)g(X)σ X + hσi = −E0 . (21)
b∈BL X⊂Λ′L i∈ΛL

We expand the exponential function in power series. The first term is

X X X X
Jb s+
b I(b ∈ ∂X)g(X)σ X = Jb s+
b g(X)σX , (22)
b∈BL X⊂Λ′L X⊂Λ′L b∈∂X

5
then we have
X X X
Jb s+
b + E0 + Jb s+
b g(X)σX
b∈BL X⊂Λ′L b∈∂X
X h X i X
+ Jb s+
b exp
(2)
I(b ∈ ∂X)g(X)σX + hσi = 0, (23)
b∈BL X⊂Λ′L i∈ΛL

where
∞
X xk
exp(2) x := ex − 1 − x = .
k!
k=2
The orthonormalization property (16) gives
∞ k
X X X 1 X Y
E0 = − Jb s+
b − Jc s+
c δX1 △···△Xk ,φ g(Xl )I(c ∈ ∂Xl ), (24)
k!
b∈BL c∈BL k=2 X1 ,··· ,Xk ⊂Λ′L l=1

and
 
∞ k
−1 X
+
X 1 X Y
g(X) = +
 J s
c c δX1 △···△Xk ,X g(Xl )I(c ∈ ∂Xl ) + hδ|X|,1  ,
k!
P
b∈∂X Jb sb c∈B k=2L X1 ,··· ,Xk ⊂Λ′L l=1

=: F (g)(X) (25)
where X△Y := (X ∪ Y ) \ (X ∩ Y ) for arbitrary sets X, Y , and we have used σX σY = σX△Y . The
first term in the ground state energy is identical to that of the ground state spin configuration
+
s+ for h = 0, and the excited energy of a spin configuration σ for
P
h = 0 is 2 b∈∂X Jb sb ,
where X := {i ∈ ΛL |σi 6= s+ +
P
i }. Lemma 3.2 guarantees the positivity b∈∂X Jb sb > 0. To prove
uniqueness of the ground state in the transverse field EA model with a given J for sufficiently
small h, define a norm for the function g(X) by
X X
kgk := sup I(c ∈ ∂X) Jb s+
b |g(X)|(|h|M )
−w(X)
, (26)
c∈BL X⊂Λ b∈∂X
L

where w(X) is a number of elements of the smallest connected set which contains X. We say
that a set X is connected, if for any i, j ∈ X there exists a sequence i1 , i2 , · · · , in ∈ X, such
that i1 = i, in = j and {ik , ik+1 } ∈ BL for k = 1, · · · , n − 1. Then, the following lemma can be
proven.
4
Lemma 3.3 There exist a constant M > 0 and define δ = M , such that if |h|M ≤ 1
kF (g) − F (g ′ )k ≤ kg − g′ k/2, for kgk, kg ′ k ≤ δ, (27)
and kF (g)k ≤ δ for kgk ≤ δ.

Proof. For lighter notations, define △k := X1 △ · · · △Xk , and b : X ⇔ b ∈ ∂X. The norm
kF (g) − F (g ′ )k is represented in
kF (g) − F (g ′ )k (28)
∞ k k
 X X X 1 X Y Y 
=  sup Jb s+ δ△k ,X [ g(Xl ) − g′ (Xl )](|h|M )−w(X) 
 
b k!
c∈BL b∈BL ′ c:X⊂ΛL k=2 b:X1 ,··· ,Xk ⊂Λ′L l=1 l=1
∞ k k
X X 1 X Y Y 
≤ sup Jb s+ g(X ) − g ′
(Xl (|h|M )
) −w(△k )
.
 
b l
k!

c∈BL b∈B k=2 l=1 l=1
L b:X1 ,··· ,Xk ⊂Λ′L ,c:△k
∞ k k
X X 1 X Y Y 
≤ sup Jb s+ g(Xl ) − g ′ (Xl )(|h|M )−w(△k ) .
 
b (k − 1)!

c∈BL b∈B k=2
L b:X1 ,··· ,Xk ⊂Λ′L ,c:X1 l=1 l=1

6
∂△k ⊂ ∪kl=1 ∂Xl and permutation symmetry in the summation over X1 , · · · , Xk have been used.
Inequalities w(△k ) ≤ kl=1 w(Xl ), and
P

Yk k
Y  X k Y
l−1 k
Y
′ ′
g(X ) − g (X ) ≤ |g(X )||g(X ) − g (X )| |g′ (Xj )|
 
 l l  j l l
l=1 l=1 l=1 j=1 j=l+1

enable us to evaluate the norm as follows:

kF (g) − F (g ′ )k (29)
∞ k Y
l−1 k
X X 1 X X Y
≤ sup Jb s+
b |g(Xj )||g(Xl ) − g ′ (Xl )| |g′ (Xj )|(|h|M )−w(△k )
c∈BL b∈B (k − 1)!
L k=2 b:X1 ,··· ,Xk ,c:X1 l=1 j=1 j=l+1
∞ l−1
k Y k Pk
1
|g′ (Xj )|(|h|M )− w(Xj )
X X X X Y
≤ sup Jb s+
b |g(Xj )||g(Xl ) − g ′ (Xl )| j=1
c∈BL b∈B (k − 1)!
L k=2 b:X1 ,··· ,Xk ,c:X1 l=1 j=1 j=l+1
∞ k Y
l−1
X X 1 X X
= sup Jb s+
b |g(Xj )|(|h|M )−w(Xj )
c∈BL (k − 1)!
b∈BL k=2 b:X1 ,··· ,Xk ,c:X1 l=1 j=1
k
Y
×|g(Xl ) − g′ (Xl )|(|h|M )−w(Xl ) |g ′ (Xj )|(|h|M )−w(Xj )
j=l+1
∞ k l−1 X
X 1 X X X Y
= sup Jb s+
b |g(X1 )|(|h|M )−w(X1 ) |g(Xj )|(|h|M )−w(Xj )
c∈BL k=2 (k − 1)!
l=1 b∈BL X1 :b,c j=2 Xj :b

X k
Y X
× |g(Xl ) − g ′ (Xl )|(|h|M )−w(Xl ) |g′ (Xj )|(|h|M )−w(Xj )
Xl :b j=l+1 Xj :b
∞ k l−1 k ∞ k
X 1 XY Y X 1 X
≤ kg − g ′ k kgk/∆ kg′ k/∆ = kg − g ′ k (kgk/∆)l−1 (kg ′ k/∆)k−l
(k − 1)! (k − 1)!
k=2 l=1 j=1 j=l+1 k=2 l=1
∞
X k(δ/∆)k−1
≤ kg − g ′ k = Kkg − g ′ k,
(k − 1)!
k=2

where an averaged energy gap ∆ > 0 over excited states above the unique ground state in the
unperturbed model is defined by
h X i−1 X X
∆ := sup |g(X)|(|h|M ) −w(X)
sup Jb s+
b |g(X)|(|h|M )
−w(X)
c∈BL c:X⊂Λ c∈BL c:X⊂Λ b∈∂X
L L
h X i−1
= sup |g(X)|(|h|M )−w(X) kgk, (30)
c∈BL c:X⊂Λ
L

1
and K := eδ/∆ (1 + δ/∆) − 1. The condition K = 2 fixes δ/∆, and then the following inequality
X δ
sup |g(X)|(|h|M )−w(X) ≤ ,
c∈BL c:X⊂Λ ∆
L

requires sufficiently large M > 0. To obtain the bound on kF (g)k, let us evaluate kF (0)k first.
Since
−hδ|X|,1
F (0)(X) = P +,
b∈∂X Jb sb

7
the norm is given by
X δ
kF (0)k = sup I(c ∈ ∂X)|h|δ|X|,1 (|h|M )−w(X) = 2M −1 = ,
c∈BL 2
X⊂Λ′L

Hence,

kgk δ
kF (g)k = kF (g) − F (0) + F (0)k ≤ kF (g) − F (0)k + kF (0)k ≤ + ≤ δ.
2 2
This completes the proof of Lemma 3.3. 

Proof of Theorem 2.1. Lemma 3.3 and the contraction mapping theorem enable us to prove
that the fixed point equation
F (g) = g (31)
has unique solution g satisfying kgk ≤ δ. This completes the proof of Theorem 2.1. 

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