On the exponential decay of correlation functions

Abstract

We use the properties of subharmonic functions to prove the following results, First, for any lattice system with finite-range forces there is a gap in the spectrum of the transfer matrix, which persists in the thermodynamic limit, if the fugacityz lies in a regionE of the complex plane that contains the origin and is free of zeros of the grand partition function (with periodic boundary conditions) as the thermodynamic limit is approached. Secondly, if the transfer matrix is symmetric (for example, with nearest and next-nearest neighbor interactions in two dimensions), and if infinite-volume Ursell functions exist that are independent of the order in which the various sides of the periodicity box tend to infinity, then these Ursell functions decay exponentially with distance for all positivez inE. (For the Ising ferromagnet with two-body interactions, exponential decay holds forz inE even if the range of interaction is not restricted to one lattice spacing). Thirdly, if the interaction potential decays moreslowly than any decaying exponential, then so do all the infinite-volume Ursell functions, for almost all sufficiently small fugacities in the case of general lattice systems, and for all real magnetic fields in the case of Ising ferromagnets.