Work

Interpretable and unsupervised phase classification

Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: Fully automated classification methods that provide direct physical insights into phase diagrams are of current interest. Interpretable, i.e., fully explainable, methods are desired for which we understand why they yield a given phase classification. Ideally, phase classification methods should also be unsupervised. That is, they should not require prior labeling or knowledge of the phases of matter to be characterized. Here, we demonstrate an unsupervised machine-learning method for phase classification, which is rendered interpretable via an analytical derivation of the functional relationship between its optimal predictions and the input data. Based on these findings, we propose and apply an alternative, physically-motivated, data-driven scheme, which relies on the difference between mean input features. This mean-based method does not rely on any predictive model and is thus computationally cheap and directly explainable. As an example, we consider the physically rich ground-state phase diagram of the spinless Falicov-Kimball model.
Authors: Julian Arnold, Frank Schäfer, Martin Žonda, Axel U. J. Lode
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,427
OpenAlex ID: W3092606142
FWCI: 1.956
Cites: 83
Cited by: 35
Related to: