title: Phase transition in the n > 2 honeycomb O(n) model
abstract: We determine the phase diagram of the O(n) loop model on the honeycomb lattice, in particular, in the range n>2, by means of a transfer-matrix method. We find that, contrary to the prevailing expectation, there is a line of critical points in the range between n = 2 and infinity. This phase transition, which belongs to the three-state Potts universality class, is unphysical in terms of the O(n) spin model, but falls inside the physical region of the n-component corner-cubic model. It can also be interpreted in terms of the ordering of a system of soft particles with hexagonal symmetry.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China.
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Blote
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Wu