O(N)-Universality Classes and the Mermin-Wagner Theorem

We study how universality classes of O(N)-symmetric models depend continuously on the dimension d and the number of field components N. We observe, from a renormalization group perspective, how the implications of the Mermin-Wagner-Hohenberg theorem set in as we gradually deform theory space towards d = 2. For a fractal dimension in the range 2 < d < 3, we find, for any N >= 1, a finite family of multicritical effective potentials of increasing order. Apart from the N = 1 case, these disappear in d = 2 consistently with the Mermin-Wagner-Hohenberg theorem. Finally, we study O(N = 0)-universality classes and find an infinite family of these in two dimensions. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.141601