Ordered amorphous spin system

Abstract

A solid is typically deemed amorphous when there are no Bragg peaks in its diffraction pattern. We discuss a two dimensional configuration of Ising spins with an autocorrelation function which vanishes at all nonzero distances, so that its scattering pattern is flat. This configuration is a ground state of a Hamiltonian with deterministic, translationally-invariant and finite range interactions. Despite ostensibly being amorphous, this configuration has perfect underlying order. The finite temperature behavior of this model exhibits ordering transitions at successively larger length scales.

5 pages, 3 figures. Discussion added on finite temperature behavior; supplemental material added