A Determination of Interface Free Energies

Abstract

We determine the interface free energy $F_{o.d.}$ between disordered and ordered phases in the q=10 and q=20 2-d Potts models using the results of multicanonical Monte Carlo simulations on $L^2$ lattices, and suitable finite volume estimators. Our results, when extrapolated to the infinite volume limit, agree to high precision with recent analytical calculations. At the transition point ${\beta }_t$ the probability distribution function of the energy exhibits two maxima. Their locations have $1/L^2$ corrections, in contradiction with claims of $1/L$ behavior made in the literature. Our data show a flat region inbetween the two maxima which characterizes two domain configurations.

Comments: Submited to Nuclear Physics B (FS) Latex file, 24 pages, 11 PostScript figures. Saclay preprint SPhT-93/65