Journal of Statistical Physics, Vol. 115, Nos. 1/2, April 2004. p. 395-413.
We consider finite range Gibbs fields and provide a purely combinatorial proof of the exponential tree decay of semi-invariants, supposing that the logarithm of the partition function can be expressed as a sum of suitable local functions of the boundary conditions. This hypothesis holds for completely analytical Gibbs fields; in this context the tree decay of semi-invariants has been proven via analyticity arguments. However the combinatorial proof given here can be applied also to the more complicated case of disordered systems in the so-called Griffiths’ phase when analyticity arguments fail.