Finite size scaling approach to surface critical phenomena

Abstract

An extended finite-size scaling approach which allows the authors to treat simultaneously both bulk and surface properties is presented. The method is tested on the two-dimensional Ising model. The bulk and surface magnetic exponents, are also estimated for the two-dimensional q-states Potts model, with q=3 and 4. For q=3, the value obtained for the surface magnetic exponent supports a recent prediction based on conformal covariance, while for q=4 the situation is less conclusive.