Statistical Mechanics of Nearest Neighbor Systems II. General Theory and Application to Two-Dimensional Ferromagnets

This is a continuation of an effort to reduce to the solution of a characteristic value problem the rigorous calculation of thermodynamic properties of systems in which the intermolecular forces are sufficiently short ranged so that practically the entire potential energy of the system results from interactions between nearest neighbors. The partition function of such a system can be expressed in terms of the largest characteristic value of a linear operator equation and finally as the ratio of partition functions of systems with relatively few particles whose potential energy functions differ somewhat from those in the original system. A method of evaluating grand partition functions and one of introducing interactions between more distant neighbors are discussed. The general theory is applied to the calculation of magnetization, internal energy, and specific heat of two-dimensional ferromagnets on the basis of the Ising model. There seems to exist a λ-point phase transition in the change from ferromagnetic to nonferromagnetic states.