Exact finite-size corrections and corner free energies for the c =− 2 universality class

Abstract We consider the partition functions of the anisotropic dimer model on the rectangular ( 2 M − 1 ) × ( 2 N − 1 ) lattice with (a) free and (b) cylindrical boundary conditions with a single monomer residing on the boundary. We express (a) and (b) in terms of a principal partition function with twisted boundary conditions. Based on these expressions, we derive the exact asymptotic expansions of the free energy for both cases (a) and (b). We confirm the conformal field theory prediction for the corner free energy of these models, and find the central charge is c = − 2 . We also show that the dimer model on the cylinder with an odd number of sites on the perimeter exhibits the same finite-size corrections as on the plane.