Finite-size scaling and Monte Carlo simulations of first-order phase transitions

We develop a detailed finite-size-scaling theory at a general, asymmetric, temperature-driven, strongly first-order phase transition in a system with periodic boundary conditions. We compute scaling functions for various cumulants of energy in the form U(L,t)=${\mathit{U}}_0$(${\mathit{tL}}^{\mathit{d}}$)+${\mathit{L}}^{\mathrm{-}\mathit{d}}$ ${\mathit{U}}_1$(${\mathit{tL}}^{\mathit{d}}$) with t=1-${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$/T. In particular, we consider the specific heat and Binder’s fourth cumulant and show this has a minimum value of 2/3-(${\mathit{e}}_1$/${\mathit{e}}_2$-${\mathit{e}}_2$/${\mathit{e}}_1$ ${)}^2$/12+O(${\mathit{L}}^{\mathrm{-}\mathit{d}}$) at a temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}^{\mathrm{}\left(2\right)\mathrm{}}$(L)-${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$=O(${\mathit{L}}^{\mathrm{-}\mathit{d}}$). Various other pseudocritical temperatures corresponding to extrema of other cumulants are evaluated. We compare these theoretical predictions with extensive Monte Carlo simulations of the nominally strong first-order transitions in the eight- and ten-state Potts models in two dimensions for system sizes L≤50. The ten-state simulations agree with theory in all details in contrast to the eight-state data, and we give estimates for the bulk specific heats at ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ using all exactly known analytic results. A criterion is developed to estimate numerically whether or not system sizes used in a simulation of a first-order transition are in the finite-size-scaling regime.