Correlations in inhomogeneous Ising models

Using general methods developed in a previous treatment we study correlations in inhomogeneous Ising models on a square lattice. The nearest neighbour couplings can vary both in strength and sign such that the coupling distribution is translationally invariant in diagonal direction. We calculate correlations parallel to the layering in the diagonally layered model with periodv=2, the so-called “general square lattice” model (GS). If the model has a finite critical temperature,T _c>0, we have a spontaneous magnetization belowT _c vanishing atT _c with the Ising exponent β=1/8. AtT _c correlations decay algebraically with critical exponnet η=1/4 and exponentially forT>T _c. In the frustrated case we have oscillatory behaviour superposed on the exponential decay where the wavevector of the oscillations changes at some “disorder temperature”T _D(>T _c) from commensurate to temperature-dependent in commensurate periods. If the critical temperature vanishes,T _c=0 we always have exponential decay at finite temperatures, while atT=T _c=0 we encounter either long-range order or algebraic decay with critical index η=1/2, i.e.T=0 is thus a critical point.