Phase Diagram for a Ferromagnetic System with Potts Symmetry in Four Dimensions

Abstract
We performed a Monte Carlo simulation on a four-dimensional hypercube for the three-state Potts model with ferromagnetic nearest-neighbours interactions and antiferromagnetic next-nearest-neighbours interactions. We find that on the ferromagnetic branch of the critical line the phase transition is always of first order. This result, which is in agreement with Landau and mean-field theories, precludes the possibility of defining a continuum limit of the model and confirms the difficulties met in the construction of a four-dimensional nontrivial scalar field theory.