Magnetic models on Apollonian networks

Abstract

Thermodynamic and magnetic properties of Ising models defined on the triangular Apollonian network are investigated. This and other similar networks are inspired by the problem of covering a Euclidian domain with circles of maximal radii. Maps for the thermodynamic functions in two subsequent generations of the construction of the network are obtained by formulating the problem in terms of transfer matrices. Numerical iteration of this set of maps leads to very precise values for the thermodynamic properties of the model. Different choices for the coupling constants between only nearest neighbors along the lattice are taken into account. For both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic constants, long-range magnetic ordering is obtained. With exception of a size-dependent effective critical behavior of the correlation length, no evidence of asymptotic criticality was detected.