The hexatic phase of the two-dimensional hard disks system

We report Monte Carlo results for the two-dimensional hard disk system in the transition region. Simulations were performed in the NVT ensemble with up to 1024^2 disks. The scaling behaviour of the positional and bond-orientational order parameter as well as the positional correlation length prove the existence of a hexatic phase as predicted by the Kosterlitz-Thouless-Halperin-Nelson-Young theory. The analysis of the pressure shows that this phase is outside a possible first-order transition.