Two-dimensional frustrated Ising network as an eigenvalue problem

The Pfaffian method is used to study the square frustrated Ising network. The formalism is adapted in order to develop a relation with the problem of excitations in random alloys. It is shown that the counterpart of frustrated plaquettes are local modes within a band gap. Properties of the local modes are examined, including questions of gauge invariance and duality. Numerical calculations are done to investigate the way in which the local modes broaden into an impurity band.