Large deviations and continuum limit in the 2D Ising model

Summary. We study the 2D Ising model in a rectangular box Λ _L of linear size O(L). We determine the exact asymptotic behaviour of the large deviations of the magnetization ∑ _t∈ΛL σ(t) when L→∞ for values of the parameters of the model corresponding to the phase coexistence region, where the order parameter m ^* is strictly positive. We study in particular boundary effects due to an arbitrary real-valued boundary magnetic field. Using the self-duality of the model a large part of the analysis consists in deriving properties of the covariance function <σ(0)σ(t)>, as |t|→∞, at dual values of the parameters of the model. To do this analysis we establish new results about the high-temperature representation of the model. These results are valid for dimensions D≥2 and up to the critical temperature. They give a complete non-perturbative exposition of the high-temperature representation. We then study the Gibbs measure conditioned by {|∑ _t∈ΛL σ(t) −m|Λ _L ||≤|Λ _L |L ^{− c} }, with 0<c<1/4 and −m ^*<m<m ^*. We construct the continuum limit of the model and describe the limit by the solutions of a variational problem of isoperimetric type. Received: 17 October 1996 / In revised form: 7 March 1997