Exact solution of weighted partially directed walks crossing a square

Abstract

We consider partially directed walks crossing a $L\times L$ square weighted according to their length by a fugacity $t$. The exact solution of this model is computed in three different ways, depending on whether $t$ is less than, equal to or greater than 1. In all cases a complete expression for the dominant asymptotic behaviour of the partition function is calculated. The model admits a dilute to dense phase transition, where for $0 < t < 1$ the partition function scales exponentially in $L$ whereas for $t>1$ the partition function scales exponentially in $L^2$, and when $t=1$ there is an intermediate scaling which is exponential in $L \log{L}$. As such we provide an exact solution of a model of the dilute to dense polymeric phase transition in two dimensions.