Finite-size analysis of the hard-square lattice gas

We investigate the hard-square lattice-gas model by means of transfer-matrix calculations and a finite-size-scaling analysis. Using a minimal set of assumptions we find that the spectrum of correction-to-scaling exponents is consistent with that of the exactly solved Ising model, and that the critical exponents and correlation-length amplitudes closely follow the relation predicted by conformal invariance. Assuming that these spectra are exactly identical, and conformal invariance, we determine the critical point, the conformal anomaly, and the temperature and magnetic exponents with numerical margins of 10(-11) or less. These results are in a perfect agreement with the exactly known Ising universal parameters in two dimensions. In order to obtain this degree of precision, we included system sizes as large as feasible, and used extended-precision floating-point arithmetic. The latter resource provided a substantial improvement of the analysis, despite the fact that it restricted the transfer-matrix calculations to finite sizes of at most 34 lattice units.