A double $(\infty,1)$-categorical nerve for double categories

Abstract: We construct a nerve from double categories into double $(\infty,1)$-categories and show that it gives a right Quillen and homotopically fully faithful functor between the model structure for weakly horizontally invariant double categories and the model structure on bisimplicial spaces for double $(\infty,1)$-categories seen as double Segal objects in spaces complete in the horizontal direction. We then restrict the nerve along a homotopical horizontal embedding of 2-categories into double categories, and show that it gives a right Quillen and homotopically fully faithful functor between Lack's model structure for 2-categories and the model structure for 2-fold complete Segal spaces. We further show that Lack's model structure is right-induced along this nerve from the model structure for 2-fold complete Segal spaces.