Analytic approximations to Hamiltonian lattice field theories (II). The weak-coupling behavior of U(1) theories

It is shown that at weak coupling physical quantities in hamiltonian U(1) lattive gauge (or global symmetric) theories of arbitrary dimension are provided as expectation values in a d ? 1 dimensional lagrangian Z(2) gauge (or spin) theory with calculable long-range interactions.Confinement and the existence of a magnetic mass gap are equivalent to the existence of infinite-range plaquette-plaquette (or link-link) correlations in the spin field. The existence of infinite range correlations is simply related to the dimension of the lattice and the transformation property of the order parameter. As expected, only the d = 2+1 U(1) gauge theory confines electric charges at all non-vanishing coupling.     

Strong coupling expansions for the mass gap in lattice gauge theories

We derive strong coupling expansions for the mass gap in euclidean lattice gauge theories in any space-time dimension. For gauge groups SU(2), SU(3), Z₂ and Z₃ the series are calculated up to order g^?16. They are used to get rough estimates for the lowest glueball mass in continuum SU(2) and SU(3) gauge theories, assuming a sudden crossover from strong to weak coupling behaviour in the lattice theory.     

Z(N) topological excitations in Yang-Mills theories: duality and confinement

We investigate the properties of Z(N) topological excitations in Wilson's lattice formulation of SU(N) Yang-Mills theories. We exhibit the Z(N) topological excitations as exact classical solutions on the lattice. After giving detailed qualitative discussions about the Z(N) excitations and their relevance to confinement, we investigate the Z(N) lattice gauge theories with the Wilson action and show that Z(2), Z(3) and Z(4) models are self-dual systems. (The self-duality of the Z(2) case has been known previously.) This property enables us to locate the critical points exactly in those systems under the assumption that the phase transition occurs at only one point in the coupling constant space. We then derive the effective action for the Z(N) topological excitations in the lattice SU(N) Yang-Mills theories in the steepest descent approximation. The critical coupling constants in the SU(N) models corresponding to the phase transition caused by the Z(N) excitations are estimated by using the information on the Z(N) models with the Wilson action. It is quite probable that the estimated value $\text{g}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext>}}{}^2\text{/4π}{}^2\text{～}\text{1}\text{31}$ (for SU(3)) is an upper bound. This indicates that the Wilson model of the SU(3) gauge field can be effective action of the QCD gluons which exhibit permanent quark confinement and, at the same time, freedom up to the distance characterized by the energy, at least, ～1 TeV.     

Comparing O(N) and SU(N) × SU(N) spin systems in 1 + 1 dimensions to SU(N) gauge theories in 3 + 1 dimensions

We have computed the scale breaking Λ parameters of the euclidean and hamiltonian formulations of the lattice regulated O(N) and SU(N) × SU(N) spin systems in 1 + 1 dimensions in terms of the Λ_PV parameters of the Pauli-Villars regulated continuum models. Using lattice perturbation theory, the renormalized mass gap has been determined in terms of Λ_PV for each model. These results are compared to analogous calculations in SU(N) gauge theories.     

Phases of renormalized lattice gauge theories with fermions

Starting from the formulation of gauge theories on a lattice we derive renormalization group transformation of the Migdal-Kadanoff type in the presence of fermions. We consider the effect of the fermion vacuum polarization on the gauge Lagrangian but we neglect fermion mass renormalization. We work out the weak coupling and strong coupling expansion in the same framework. Asymptotic freedom is recovered for the non-Abelian case provided the number of fermion multiplets is lower than a critical number. Fixed points are determined both for the U(1) and SU(2) case. We determine the renormalized trajectories and the phases of the theory.     

The size of finite size effects in lattice gauge theories

If a quantum field is enclosed in a spatial box of finite volume, its mass spectrum depends on the box size L. For field theories in the continuum Lüscher has shown to all orders in perturbation theory that for large L this dependence is related to certain scattering amplitudes of the infinite volume theory. We derived the corresponding relations for lattice field theories. Assuming their validity for lattice gauge theory outside the perturbative region the magnitude of finite size effects on the spectrum is determined by a glueball coupling constant. This quantity is estimated by strong coupling methods.     

Progress in lattice gauge theory

Two topics of lattice gauge theory are reviewed. They include string tension and β-function calculations by strong coupling Hamiltonian methods for SU(3) gauge fields in 3 + 1 dimensions, and a 1/N-expansion for discrete gauge and spin systems in all dimensions. The SU(3) calculations give solid evidence for the coexistence of quark confinement and asymptotic freedom in the renormalized continuum limit of the lattice theory. The crossover between weak and strong coupling behavior in the theory is seen to be a weak coupling but non-perturbative effect. Quantitative relationships between perturbative and non-perturbative renormalization schemes are obtained for the O(N) nonlinear sigma models in 1 + 1 dimensions as well as the range theory in 3 + 1 dimensions. Analysis of the strong coupling expansion of the β-function for gauge fields suggests that it has cuts in the complex 1/g²-plane. A toy model of such a cut structure which naturally explains the abruptness of the theory's crossover from weak to strong coupling is presented. The relation of these cuts to other approaches to gauge field dynamics is discussed briefly.The dynamics underlying first order phase transitions in a wide class of lattice gauge theories is exposed by considering a class of models-P(N) gauge theories - which are soluble in the N → ∞ limit and have non-trivial phase diagrams. The first order character of the phase transitions in Potts spin systems for N #62; 4 in 1 + 1 dimensions is explained in simple terms which generalizes to P(N) gauge systems in higher dimensions. The phase diagram of Ising lattice gauge theory coupled to matter fields is obtained in a $\text{1}\text{N}$ expansion. A one-plaquette model (1 time-0 space dimensions) with a first-order phase transitions in the N → ∞ limit is discussed.     

Renormalization group equations in lattice gauge theories

New recursion equations for renormalization group transformations of the Migdal-Kadanoff type are obtained for gauge systems including fermion variables on a d-dimensional Euclidean space-time lattice. It is shown that in the weak gauge coupling region these equations have β-functions similar to those of continuum field theories in the case of U(1), SU(2) gauge groups (QED, QCD). On the other hand in the strong-coupling limit there is an infrared attractive fixed point corresponding to a color-confining effective system in both groups. A possible entire trajectory of the non-Abelian system is briefly conjectured.     

A study of 't Hooft and Wilson loops

An investigation is undertaken for 't Hooft loop operators in four-dimensional gauge theories. For the first time, a perimeter law is shown to be their behavior in weak coupling Wilson lattice (and continuum) non-abelian SU(N) gauge theories for all N. However, it is also argued that this perimeter law is poor criterion for quark confinement. Rather, it is suggested that non-leading long-distance behavior is what is crucial and relevant in distinguishing non-abelian from abelian (and hence confining from non-confining) theories. A new object, “the 't Hooft line”, is introduced to measure this non-leading behavior and is computed in strong coupling on the lattice. There, one finds magnetic screening characterized by a magnetic screening mass, m_s. It is shown to all orders in strong coupling that m_s is the glueball mass, a result which is expected to persist in weak coupling and in the continuum. Two further consequences of this work are that pure non-abelian gauge theories cannot be in a Higgs phase and that in such models that absence of massless physical particles implies confinement.Finally, non-leading behavior in Wilson loops is examined. The present picture of confinement suggests the absence of van der Waals forces in Yang-Mills theories.     

Integrable quantum field theories and conformal field theories from lattice models in the light-cone approach

The light-cone lattice approach to two-dimensional quantum field theories is generalized to a large class of vertex models with any number of possible states per link and any simple Lie group of symmetry. Starting from a given lattice model, different scaling limits are defined leading to conformal field theories or to massive integrable quantum field theories, for which the lattice hamiltonian, momentum and currents are constructed. For a large set of models, the complete mass spectrum is also exhibited. Our approach applies equally well to chiral fermionic theories (like the chiral Gross-Neveu) and to bosonic models like the principal chiral model.     

Higher order mean field expansions for lattice gauge theories

The leading contribution to the free energy of lattice gauge theories is evaluated in the mean field expansion to the two-loop level. The methods are general but we only deal with theU(1) case in this paper. The corrections improve the agreement with Monte Carlo calculations. We show that in order to obtain a satisfactory formalism it is necessary to include a new redundant parameter, γ, in the mean field expansion. For γ→0 we recover the usual mean field expansion whereas for γ→∞ we obtain the weak coupling expansion. Thus γ measures the amount of resummation that is done by the mean field formalism.     

The pion propagator in relativistic quantum field theories of the nuclear many-body problem

Pion interactions in the nuclear medium are studied using renormalizable relativistic quantum field theories. Previous studies using pseudoscalar πN coupling encountered difficulties due to the large strength of the πNN vertex. We therefore formulate renormalizable field theories with pseudovector πN coupling using techniques introduced by Weinberg and Schwinger. Calculations are performed for two specific models: the scalar-vector theory of Walecka, extended to include π and ρ mesons in a non-chiral fashion, and the linear σ-model with an additional neutral vector meson. Both models qualitatively reproduce low-energy πN phenomenology and lead to nuclear matter saturation in the relativistic Hartree formalism, which includes baryon vacuum fluctuations. The pion propagator is evaluated in the onenucleon-loop approximation, which corresponds to a relativistic random-phase approximation built on the Hartree ground state. Virtual $\text{N}\text{N}$ loops are included, and suitable renormalization techniques are illustrated. The local-density approximation is used to compare the threshold pion self-energy to the s-wave pion-nucleus optical potential. In the non-chiral model, s-wave pion-nucleus scattering is too large in both pseudoscalar and pseudovector calculations, indicating that additional constraints must be imposed on the lagrangian. In the chiral model, the threshold self-energy vanishes automatically in the pseudovector case, but does so for pseudoscalar coupling only if the baryon effective mass is chosen self-consistently. Since extrapolation from free space to nuclear density can lead to large effects, pion propagation in the medium can determine which πN coupling is more suitable for the relativistic nuclear many-body problem. Conversely, pion interactions constrain the model lagrangian and the nuclear matter equation of state. An approximately chiral model with pseudovector coupling is favored. The techniques developed here allow for a consistent treatment of these models using renormalizable relativistic quantum field theores.     

Universal properties of U(1) gauge theories

The previously known analogies between four-dimensional compact U(1) lattice gauge theories and the two-dimensional planar model are extended to a number of other results. We show that the monopoles in the gauge theory renormalize the coupling constant α by an amount proportional to the susceptibility of the monopole gas. Confinement occurs when this susceptibility diverges. We argue that α is analogous to the critical exponent η of the planar model, and that the transition occurs at a universal critical value α_c.We also define an analogue of the superfluid density for the gauge theory, in terms of the dependence of the free energy on the boundary conditions, and show that it is universally related to α. Finally, we show that the same physics emerges from a continuum U(1) theory with real magnetic monopoles.     

General theory of virtual heavy-particle effects in renormalizable field theories (I)

We develop a systematic method of isolating the effects of virtual heavy particles in renormalizable field theories. With a φ⁴-type field-theory model involving two real scalar fields (one with a heavy mass M, and the other light), we show in detail, that up to order $\text{1}\text{M}{}^2$ (but to all orders in renormalized coupling), effects of virtual heavy particles can be completely incorporated into pure light-particle theory via effective local vertices which involve operators of canonical dimension at most six. All the coupling strengths for such effective local interactions are of order $\text{1}\text{M}{}^2$ (the decoupling theorem) and are systematically calculable in renormalized perturbation theory. We also derive a closed set of Callan-Symanzik equations which are satisfied by these coupling strengths. Using these equations, we explicitly sum all the leading logarithms (i.e., log M ～ O(1)) which appear in the perturbative calculations of the effective coupling strengths.     

The gauge boson sector ofU(1) lattice theories

We examine theU(1) Hamiltonian lattice gauge theory in (2+1) and (3+1) dimensions. We set up a differential eigenvalue equation for the energy levels of the system, valid for all values of the coupling parameter. We show how the standard strong coupling results are retrieved, and also present a weak coupling solution which exhibits (unconfined) transverse photons as the phonons of the lattice. The lattice approach is thus seen to be appropriate for non-confining as well as for confining systems.     

Features of dynamically broken gauge theories

We discuss several features of dynamical symmetry breaking in gauge theories of strong, weak and electromagnetic interactions. We speculate that in some such theories the fine structure constant calculable. A possible solution of the strong P and T violation problem in QCD by dynamical symmetry breaking is indicated. Self-energy divergences are absent in such models and we compute the finite electromagnetic self-energy of a quark in QCD. The mass hierarchy problem is examined. We find models in which the fermion-gauge boson mass ratio is $\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>F</mtext>}}{}^2\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>B</mtext>}}{}^2\text{～}\text{exp}$ ($\text{?1}\text{g}{}^2$), where g is a gauge boson coupling, which could account for the origin of weak interactions.     

Alternative scaling hypothesis forSU(2) andSU(3) lattice gauge theories

High precision data from a variety of sources forSU(2) andSU(3) Wilson action lattice gauge theory are analyzed with respect to the hypothesis of the possible existence of a zero temperature deconfining phase transition, in analogy with theU(1) theory. The internal energy, specific heat, string tension, and Wilson line, fit well to correlation length scaling laws associated with a finite order transition occurring at the weak coupling end of the crossover region for both theories. TheSU(2) theory is consistent with a correlation length exponent ν=2/3 and critical pointβ _c ≈2.47. ForSU(3) the data fit well to ν=1 andβ _c ≈6.69. Additional indirect evidence for the existence of such phase transitions is discussed, as is the possible crucial role of light dynamical fermions in the confinement mechanism.     

Mass gap and universality for euclidean O(N) and CPN−1 models

From a suitably defined correlation function we evaluate the strong coupling expansion for the mass gap of an euclidean version of the O(N) models in 2D. Good agreement is found for N = 0, 1 and 2 with the known values of the critical temperature and for N ? 3 with the continuum mass gap as evaluated in an hamiltonian approach. Another test of universality based on the use of an asymmetric lattice also yields good results. An analogous discussion for the CP^N?1 models is performed.