Strong-coupling planar diagrams,random surfaces,and the large-N phase transition in U(N) lattice gauge theories

The strong-coupling expansion of U(N) gauge theory on a D-dimensional lattice is reformulated in the limit N → ∞ through a set of diagrammatic rules directly for the free energy and Wilson loops. The strong-coupling planar diagrams are interpreted as surfaces embedded in the lattice. The large-N phase transition is related to the entropy of these surfaces. It is shown that the strong-coupling phase of the U(∞) gauge theory terminates with a phase transition of Gross-Witten type only in 2 and 3 dimensions. When D⩾4 the large-N singularity takes place in a metastable phase because of an earlier first-order transition to the weak-coupling phase of the theory.     

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.     

Non-planar diagrams in the large N limit of U(N) and SU(N) lattice gauge theories

It is shown that the limit as N → ∞ with g²N fixed of the strong coupling expansion for the vacuum expectation values of a U(N) or SU(N) lattice gauge theory is not given by a sum of planar diagrams. This contradicts a result claimed by De Wit and 't Hooft.     

Phase structure of U(N→∞) gauge theory on a two-dimensional lattice for a broad class of variant actions

It is pointed out that finding the partition function for U(N) gauge theory on a two-dimensional lattice in the limit N→∞ reduces, for a broad class of single-plaquette actions, to a well-known and solved mathematical problem. The case where in the single plaquette action the matrix U + U⁺ occuring in Wilson's formula is replaced by an arbitrary polynomial in this matrix, is discussed in detail and explicit results for the second-order polynomial are presented. A rich phase structure with second- and third-order phase transitions is found. The results are shown to have at the qualitative level a simple thermodynamical interpretation. They support the view that the phase structure of a lattice gauge theory is an artifact of the lattice action used rather than some reflection of the underlying group structure.     

Continuum limit of A Z2 lattice gauge theory

Phase diagrams of lattice gauge theories have in several cases lines of first-order transitions ending at points at which continuous (second-order) transitions take place. In the vicinity of this critical point, a continuum field theory may be defined. We have analyzed here a Z₂ gauge plus matter model (which has no formal continuum limit) and identified the critical point with a usual Ø⁴, globally Z₂ invariant, field theory. The analysis relies on a mean field functional formalism and on a loop-wise expansion around it, which is reviewed.     

Finite matrix models with continuous local gauge invariance

We construct a hamiltonian lattice gauge theory which possesses local SU (2) gauge invariance and yet is defined on a Hilbert space of 5-dimensional real vectors for every link. This construction does not allow for generalization to arbitrary SU(N), but a small variation of it can be generalized to an SU(N) × U(1) local gauge invariant model. The latter is solvable in simple gauge sectors leading to trivial spectra. We display these by studying a U(1) local gauge invariant model with similar characteristics.     

Chiral gauge theories in the 1/N expansion

We study the large-N limit of various (SU(N) gauge theories with chiral fermion content. Assuming that the leading N → ∞ behavior is given by a sum of planar diagrams, we find that the gauge interactions must fail to confine color in some models. Other models, assuming both a planar diagram limit and confinement, must contain massless composite fermions.     

N = ∞ phase transition in a class of exactly soluble model lattice gauge theories

An exactly soluble class of model U(N) lattice gauge theories is considered. The ground state is discussed as a separable N-fermion problem solved by mathieu functions. Some exact correlation functions are presented. The N = ∞ limit exhibits a third order phase transition demarcating the strong and weak phases at (g²N)^?1 ≈ 0.55.     

Perturbative construction and rigorous proof of locality of effective lattice actions for continuum theories

We construct an effective lattice action for a continuum theory, by fixing a set of collective coordinates which play the role of lattice variables. As opposed to Symanzik's improvement program our method involves no expansion in powers of the lattice spacing; in other words it simultaneously yields all “irrelevant” operators generated by the renormalization group to a given order in the continuum coupling constant. We are thus able to rigorously establish that the effective lattice action, for both smooth and singular collective coordinates, is local in the sense that long-range couplings decay exponentially over a distance independent of the mass gap of the theory; for asymtotically free theories this is interpreted as an existence proof of Wilson's infrared stable trajectories. Our methods are for convenience described in the context of dimensional φ⁴, but can be easily extended to any theory with a set of collective coordinates which (i) are renormalizable and (ii) provide an infrared cutoff. Application to the 2-dimensional O(N) σ-model is, in particular, discussed; the technical problems of renormalization posed by gauge invariance are, on the other hand, not dealt with in this paper, although our treatment of singular coordinates is meant as a prelude to them. A by-product of our proofs is the derivation of an interesting factorization property of Zimmermann-subtracted diagrams.     

Universality at large N

We prove that corresponding O(N), U(N), and Sp(N) lattice gauge theories give the same Wilson loops as N → ∞. Therefore, magnetic monopoles cannot be significant in this limit.     

Gauge fields and interactions in matrix string theory

It is shown that all possible N sheeted coverings of the cylinder are contained in type IIA matrix string theory as non-trivial gauge field configurations. Using these gauge field configurations as backgrounds the large N limit is shown to lead to the type IIA conformal field theory defined on the corresponding Riemann surfaces. The sum over string diagrams is identified as the sum over non-trivial gauge backgrounds of the SYM theory.     

CPN−1 coupled to gauge fields: Mean field theory and monte carlo results

We define a two parameter lattice field theory which interpolates between the O (2N) Heisenberg model, pure U(1) gauge theory, and a lattice version of the CP^N?1 model. The phase diagram in space-time dimension d=4 is obtained by Monte Carlo simulation on a 4⁴ lattice, and the nature of the phases is discussed in mean field approximation.     

Liquid–gas and other unusual thermal phase transitions in some large-N magnets

Much insight into the low temperature properties of quantum magnets has been gained by generalizing them to symmetry groups of order N, and then studying the large-N limit. In this paper we consider an unusual aspect of their finite temperature behavior—their exhibiting a phase transition between a perfectly paramagnetic state and a paramagnetic state with a finite correlation length at N=∞. We analyze this phenomenon in some detail in the large “spin” (classical) limit of the SU(N) ferromagnet which is also a lattice discretization of the CP^N−1 model. We show that at N=∞ the order of the transition is governed by lattice connectivity. At finite values of N, the transition goes away in one or less dimension but survives on many lattices in two dimensions and higher, for sufficiently large N. The latter conclusion contradicts a recent conjecture of Sokal and Starinets [Nucl. Phys. B 601 (2001) 425], yet is consistent with the known finite temperature behavior of the SU(2) case. We also report closely related first order paramagnet–ferromagnet transitions at large N and shed light on a violation of Elitzur's theorem at infinite N via the large-q limit of the q state Potts model, reformulated as an Ising gauge theory.     

Spectrum of lattice gauge theories with fermions from a 1/d expansion at strong coupling

We study the strong coupling limit of U(N) or SU(N) gauge theories with fermions on a lattice. The integration over the gauge and fermion degrees of freedom is performed by analytic methods, leading to a partition function in terms of localized meson and baryon fields. A method for deriving a systematic expansion in the inverse of the space-time dimension of the corresponding Green functions is developed. It is applied to the study of spontaneous breakdown of chiral symmetry, which occurs for any U(N) or SU(N) theory with fermions in the fundamental representation. Meson and baryon spectra are then computed, and found to be in close agreement with those obtained by numerical methods at finite coupling. The pion decay constant is estimated.     

Non-linear strings in two-dimensional U(∞) gauge theory

A non-singular version of the Makeenko-Migdal equation for the Wilson loop average in two-dimensional U(N) gauge theory is derived. In the limit N→∞ the exact solution is obtained for an arbitrary (with any self-intersections) closed loop.     

Transition from strong to weak coupling in SU(N) lattice gauge theories

A possible explanation is proposed for the crossover from strong to weak coupling region in SU(N) lattice gauge theories. We predict the pointswhere the crossover takes place for all SU(N)M: For example, g² ≈ 2.0 for SU(2), g² ≈ 1.0 for SU(3) and lim_N→∞Ng²(SU(N) ≈ 2.0.