Exact solution of the frustrated Potts model with next-nearest-neighbor interactions in one dimension via AI bootstrapping
Phys. Rev. B 112, 094424 – Published 11 September, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/y5vc-3t6q
Abstract
The one-dimensional (1D) -state Potts model is solved exactly for arbitrary by analytically block-diagonalizing the original transfer matrix into a simple maximally symmetric subspace, based on using OpenAI's reasoning model o3-mini-high to exactly solve the case. Furthermore, by matching relevant subspaces, we map the Potts model onto a simpler effective 1D -state Potts model, where acts as the nearest-neighbor interaction and as an effective magnetic field, nontrivially generalizing a 56-year-old theorem previously limited to the simplest case (, the Ising model). Our exact results provide insights to phenomena such as atomic or electronic order stacking in layered materials and the emergence of dome-shaped phases in complex phase diagrams. This work is anticipated to fuel both research in 1D frustrated magnets for recently discovered finite-temperature application potentials and the fast moving topic area of AI in science.