First order phase transitions of spin systems

Abstract

I review some numerical ways to determine the parameters of systems close to a first order phase transition point: energy and specific heat of the coexisting phases and interface tension. Numerical examples are given for the 2-d $q$ states Potts model.

Comments: 6 pages 5 PostScript figures. Talk given at the XII International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, LATTICE '94, Bielefeld Germany, September 27 - October 1 st 1994.