Plaquette expansion study of compact U(1) lattice gauge theory in (2 + 1) dimensions

The plaquette expansion is applied to compact U(1) lattice gauge theory in (2 + 1) dimensions to high order: 1/N ⁸ for the ground state energy density and 1/N ⁷ for the anti-symmetric or photon mass gap, where N is defined as the number of plaquettes. Evidence of scaling in the photon mass gap is observed for low order (≤ 1/N ⁴) for inverse coupling values β = 0. 7 to 1. 25 with scaling behaviour given by the weak-coupling formula: M ²/β = exp(-5. 01β + 5. 82) in good agreement with other studies. Higher order results appear to diverge from the scaling slope past the transition point portenting the prospect that the strong coupling trial state in this region gives vise to an asymtotic series in 1/N for the photon mass gap.