Ising Model on the Affine Plane

Abstract

We demonstrate that the Ising model on a general triangular graph with 3 distinct couplings $K_1,K_2,K_3$ corresponds to an affine transformed conformal field theory (CFT). Full conformal invariance of the $c= 1/2$ minimal CFT is restored by introducing a metric on the lattice through the map $\sinh(2K_i) = \ell^*_i/ \ell_i$ which relates critical couplings to the ratio of the dual hexagonal and triangular edge lengths. Applied to a 2d toroidal lattice, this provides an exact lattice formulation in the continuum limit to the Ising CFT as a function of the modular parameter. This example can be viewed as a quantum generalization of the finite element method (FEM) applied to the strong coupling CFT at a Wilson-Fisher IR fixed point and suggests a new approach to conformal field theory on curved manifolds based on a synthesis of simplicial geometry and projective geometry on the tangent planes.