A Machine Learning study of the two-dimensional antiferromagnetic Ising model with nearest and next-to-nearest interactions on the triangular lattice

Abstract We study the phase transitions of the two-dimensional antiferromagnetic Ising model with nearest J1 and next-to-nearest J2 interactions on the triangular lattice for J2/J1 = 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0. The method of supervised neural networks (NN) is employed for the investigation. While supervised NN is used, no real spin configurations are needed for the training. In addition, two kinds of configurations having their spins be arranged in a staggered pattern are considered as the training set. Remarkably, with this unconventional training strategy, not only the critical temperatures of the studied J2/J1 are computed accurately by the resulting NN, but also the nature of the investigated phase transitions are determined correctly. Specifically, the phase transitions associated with J2/J1 = 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 are first order. These conclusions are consistent with the known results obtained by other methods. Since the training strategy is simple, the NN calculations is highly efficient. It remains to examine whether the unconventional training approach considered in this study can be used to investigate other models with untypical phase transitions or with nontrivial ground state configurations.