Reuse & Permissions

It is not necessary to obtain permission to reuse this article or its components as it is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI are maintained. Please note that some figures may have been included with permission from other third parties. It is your responsibility to obtain the proper permission from the rights holder directly for these figures.

Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation
  • Open Access

Accurate Boundary Bootstrap for the Three-Dimensional O(N) Normal Universality Class

Runzhe Hu and Wenliang Li*

  • *Contact author: liwliang3@mail.sysu.edu.cn

Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 221601 – Published 1 June, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/hnd3-636j

Abstract

The three-dimensional classical O(N) model with a boundary has received renewed interest due to the discovery of the extraordinary-log boundary universality class for 2≤N<Nc. The critical value Nc and the exponent of the boundary correlation function are related to certain amplitudes in the normal universality class. To determine their precise values, we revisit the 3D O(N) boundary conformal field theory for N=1, 2, 3, 4, 5. After substantially improving the accuracy of the boundary bootstrap, our determinations are in excellent agreement with the Monte Carlo results, resolving the previous discrepancies due to low truncation orders. We also use the recent bulk bootstrap results to deduce highly accurate Ising data. Many bulk and boundary predictions are obtained for the first time. Our results demonstrate the great potential of the η minimization method for many unexplored bootstrap problems in which positivity constraints are absent.

View figure in article

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Article Text

Supplemental Material

References (76)

  1. K. Binder, Critical behavior at surfaces, in Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena, edited by C. Domb and J. L. Lebowitz (Academic Press, London, 1983), Vol. 8, p. 1.
  2. H. W. Diehl, Field-theoretical approach to critical behaviour at surfaces, in Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena, edited by C. Domb and J. L. Lebowitz (Academic Press, London, 1986), Vol. 10, p. 75.
  3. M. A. Metlitski, Boundary criticality of the O(N) model in d=3 critically revisited, SciPost Phys. 12, 131 (2022).
  4. F. P. Toldin, Boundary critical behavior of the three-dimensional Heisenberg universality class, Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 135701 (2021).
  5. M. Hu, Y. Deng, and J. P. Lv, Extraordinary-log surface phase transition in the three-dimensional XY model, Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 120603 (2021).
  6. J. Padayasi, A. Krishnan, M. A. Metlitski, I. A. Gruzberg, and M. Meineri, The extraordinary boundary transition in the 3D O(N) model via conformal bootstrap, SciPost Phys. 12, 190 (2022).
  7. F. P. Toldin and M. A. Metlitski, Boundary criticality of the 3D O(N) model: From normal to extraordinary, Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 215701 (2022).
  8. L. R. Zhang, C. Ding, Y. Deng, and L. Zhang, Surface criticality of the antiferromagnetic Potts model, Phys. Rev. B 105, 224415 (2022).
  9. X. Zou, S. Liu, and W. Guo, Surface critical properties of the three-dimensional clock model, Phys. Rev. B 106, 064420 (2022).
  10. A. Krishnan and M. A. Metlitski, A plane defect in the 3D O(N) model, SciPost Phys. 15, 090 (2023).
  11. Y. Sun, M. Hu, Y. Deng, and J. P. Lv, Extraordinary-log universality of critical phenomena in plane defects, Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 207101 (2023).
  12. G. Cuomo and S. Zhang, Spontaneous symmetry breaking on surface defects, J. High Energy Phys. 03 (2024) 022.
  13. F. P. Toldin, A. Krishnan, and M. A. Metlitski, Universal finite-size scaling in the extraordinary-log boundary phase of three-dimensional O(N) model, Phys. Rev. Res. 7, 023052 (2025).
  14. A. J. Bray and M. A. Moore, Critical behaviour of semi-infinite systems, J. Phys. A 10, 1927 (1977).
  15. T. W. Burkhardt and J. L. Cardy, Surface critical behaviour and local operators with boundary-induced critical profiles, J. Phys. A 20, L233 (1987).
  16. H. W. Diehl, Universality classes for the dynamic surface critical behavior of systems with relaxational dynamics, Phys. Rev. B 49, 2864 (1994).
  17. T. W. Burkhardt and H. W. Diehl, Ordinary, extraordinary, and normal surface transitions: Extraordinary-normal equivalence and simple explanation of |T−Tc|2−α singularities, Phys. Rev. B 50, 3894 (1994).
  18. H. W. Diehl, Critical adsorption of fluids and the equivalence of extraordinary to normal surface transitions, Ber. Bunsenges. Phys. Chem. 98, 466 (1994).
  19. R. Rattazzi, V. S. Rychkov, E. Tonni, and A. Vichi, Bounding scalar operator dimensions in 4D CFT, J. High Energy Phys. 12 (2008) 031.
  20. D. Poland, S. Rychkov, and A. Vichi, The conformal bootstrap: Theory, numerical techniques, and applications, Rev. Mod. Phys. 91, 015002 (2019).
  21. S. Rychkov and N. Su, New developments in the numerical conformal bootstrap, Rev. Mod. Phys. 96, 045004 (2024).
  22. S. El-Showk, M. F. Paulos, D. Poland, S. Rychkov, D. Simmons-Duffin, and A. Vichi, Solving the 3D Ising model with the conformal bootstrap, Phys. Rev. D 86, 025022 (2012).
  23. F. Kos, D. Poland, and D. Simmons-Duffin, Bootstrapping the O(N) vector models, J. High Energy Phys. 06 (2014) 091.
  24. S. El-Showk, M. F. Paulos, D. Poland, S. Rychkov, D. Simmons-Duffin, and A. Vichi, Solving the 3D Ising model with the conformal bootstrap II. C-minimization and precise critical exponents, J. Stat. Phys. 157, 869 (2014).
  25. F. Kos, D. Poland, and D. Simmons-Duffin, Bootstrapping mixed correlators in the 3D Ising model, J. High Energy Phys. 11 (2014) 109.
  26. D. Simmons-Duffin, A semidefinite program solver for the conformal bootstrap, J. High Energy Phys. 06 (2015) 174.
  27. F. Kos, D. Poland, D. Simmons-Duffin, and A. Vichi, Bootstrapping the O(N) archipelago, J. High Energy Phys. 11 (2015) 106.
  28. F. Kos, D. Poland, D. Simmons-Duffin, and A. Vichi, Precision islands in the Ising and O(N) models, J. High Energy Phys. 08 (2016) 036.
  29. D. Simmons-Duffin, The lightcone bootstrap and the spectrum of the 3D Ising CFT, J. High Energy Phys. 03 (2017) 086.
  30. S. M. Chester, W. Landry, J. Liu, D. Poland, D. Simmons-Duffin, N. Su, and A. Vichi, Carving out OPE space and precise O(2) model critical exponents, J. High Energy Phys. 06 (2020) 142.
  31. S. M. Chester, W. Landry, J. Liu, D. Poland, D. Simmons-Duffin, N. Su, and A. Vichi, Bootstrapping Heisenberg magnets and their cubic instability, Phys. Rev. D 104, 105013 (2021).
  32. M. Reehorst, Rigorous bounds on irrelevant operators in the 3D Ising model CFT, J. High Energy Phys. 09 (2022) 177.
  33. C. H. Chang, V. Dommes, R. S. Erramilli, A. Homrich, P. Kravchuk, A. Liu, M. S. Mitchell, D. Poland, and D. Simmons-Duffin, Bootstrapping the 3D Ising stress tensor, J. High Energy Phys. 03 (2025) 136.
  34. P. Liendo, L. Rastelli, and B. C. van Rees, The bootstrap program for boundary CFTd, J. High Energy Phys. 07 (2013) 113.
  35. F. Gliozzi, More constraining conformal bootstrap, Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 161602 (2013).
  36. F. Gliozzi and A. Rago, Critical exponents of the 3D Ising and related models from conformal bootstrap, J. High Energy Phys. 10 (2014) 042.
  37. I. Esterlis, A. L. Fitzpatrick, and D. Ramirez, Closure of the operator product expansion in the non-unitary bootstrap, J. High Energy Phys. 11 (2016) 030.
  38. F. Gliozzi, P. Liendo, M. Meineri, and A. Rago, Boundary and interface CFTs from the conformal bootstrap, J. High Energy Phys. 05 (2015) 036; 12 (2021) 093(E).
  39. F. Gliozzi, Truncatable bootstrap equations in algebraic form and critical surface exponents, J. High Energy Phys. 10 (2016) 037.
  40. D. Przetakiewicz, S. Wessel, and F. P. Toldin, Boundary operator product expansion coefficients of the three-dimensional Ising universality class, Phys. Rev. Res. 7, L032051 (2025).
  41. W. Li, New method for the conformal bootstrap with OPE truncations, arXiv:1711.09075.
  42. G. Kántor, V. Niarchos, and C. Papageorgakis, Solving conformal field theories with artificial intelligence, Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 041601 (2022).
  43. G. Kántor, V. Niarchos, and C. Papageorgakis, Conformal bootstrap with reinforcement learning, Phys. Rev. D 105, 025018 (2022).
  44. G. Kántor, V. Niarchos, C. Papageorgakis, and P. Richmond, 6D (2,0) bootstrap with the soft-actor-critic algorithm, Phys. Rev. D 107, 025005 (2023).
  45. V. Niarchos, C. Papageorgakis, P. Richmond, A. G. Stapleton, and M. Woolley, Bootstrability in line-defect CFTs with improved truncation methods, Phys. Rev. D 108, 105027 (2023).
  46. V. Niarchos, C. Papageorgakis, A. Stratoudakis, and M. Woolley, Deep finite temperature bootstrap, Phys. Rev. D 112, 126012 (2025).
  47. W. Li, Easy bootstrap for the 3D Ising model: A hybrid approach of the lightcone bootstrap and error minimization methods, J. High Energy Phys. 07 (2024) 047.
  48. D. Poland, V. Prilepina, and P. Tadić, Improving the five-point bootstrap, J. High Energy Phys. 05 (2024) 299.
  49. J. Barrat, E. Marchetto, A. Miscioscia, and E. Pomoni, Thermal bootstrap for the critical O(N) model, Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 211604 (2025).
  50. D. Poland, V. Prilepina, and P. Tadić, Mixed five-point correlators in the 3D Ising model, J. High Energy Phys. 10 (2025) 237.
  51. D. Poland, V. Prilepina, and P. Tadić, The five-point bootstrap, J. High Energy Phys. 10 (2023) 153.
  52. D. M. McAvity and H. Osborn, Conformal field theories near a boundary in general dimensions, Nucl. Phys. B455, 522 (1995).
  53. See Supplemental Material at http://link.aps.org/supplemental/10.1103/hnd3-636j for more details on the bulk input parameters, direct results of the truncated boundary bootstrap, the convergence of the universal RG parameter α, the determination of Nc, derivation of the truncated bootstrap solutions, and error analysis.
  54. M. Hasenbusch, Monte Carlo study of an improved clock model in three dimensions, Phys. Rev. B 100, 224517 (2019).
  55. M. Hasenbusch, Monte Carlo study of a generalized icosahedral model on the simple cubic lattice, Phys. Rev. B 102, 024406 (2020).
  56. M. Hasenbusch, Three-dimensional O(N)-invariant ϕ4 models at criticality for N≥4, Phys. Rev. B 105, 054428 (2022).
  57. M. Hasenbusch, Eliminating leading and subleading corrections to scaling in the three-dimensional XY universality class, Phys. Rev. B 112, 184512 (2025).
  58. In the (4−d) expansion, the bulk spectrum has a large gap because σ3 becomes a descendant of σ [59].

  59. S. Rychkov and Z. M. Tan, The ε-expansion from conformal field theory, J. Phys. A 48, 29FT01 (2015).
  60. M. Dedushenko, Ising BCFT from fuzzy hemisphere, arXiv:2407.15948.
  61. J. L. Cardy, Universal critical point amplitudes in parallel plate geometries, Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 1443 (1990).
  62. M. Billò, V. Goncalves, E. Lauria, and M. Meineri, Defects in conformal field theory, J. High Energy Phys. 04 (2016) 091.
  63. E. Lauria, M. Meineri, and E. Trevisani, Radial coordinates for defect CFTs, J. High Energy Phys. 11 (2018) 148.
  64. H. Shimada and S. Hikami, Fractal dimensions of self-avoiding walks and Ising high-temperature graphs in 3D conformal bootstrap, J. Stat. Phys. 165, 1006 (2016).
  65. M. Hogervorst, M. Paulos, and A. Vichi, The ABC (in any D) of logarithmic CFT, J. High Energy Phys. 10 (2017) 201.
  66. S. Hikami, Conformal bootstrap analysis for the Yang–Lee edge singularity, Prog. Theor. Exp. Phys. 2018, 053I01 (2018).
  67. S. Hikami, Conformal bootstrap analysis for single and branched polymers, Prog. Theor. Exp. Phys. 2018, 123I01 (2018).
  68. A. Leclair and J. Squires, Conformal bootstrap for percolation and polymers, J. Stat. Mech. (2018) 123105.
  69. S. Hikami, Conformal bootstrap analysis for localization: Symplectic case, arXiv:1811.05918.
  70. J. Padayasi and I. A. Gruzberg, Conformal invariance and multifractality at Anderson transitions in arbitrary dimensions, Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 266401 (2023).
  71. W. Li, Analytic trajectory bootstrap for matrix models, J. High Energy Phys. 02 (2025) 098.
  72. R. Hu and W. Li, Data for “Accurate boundary bootstrap for the three-dimensional O(N) normal universality class”, Zenodo, 10.5281/zenodo.19999148 (2026).
  73. F. Parisen Toldin and S. Dietrich, Critical Casimir forces and adsorption profiles in the presence of a chemically structured substrate, J. Stat. Mech. (2010) P11003.
  74. M. Hasenbusch, Thermodynamic Casimir effect for films in the three-dimensional Ising universality class: Symmetry-breaking boundary conditions, Phys. Rev. B 82, 104425 (2010).
  75. Z. Zhou and Y. Zou, Studying the 3D Ising surface CFTs on the fuzzy sphere, SciPost Phys. 18, 031 (2025).
  76. F. P. Toldin et al. (unpublished).

Outline

Information

Sign In to Your Journals Account

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation