Deffect free energies in lattice gauge theories with matter fields

We introduce and analyze different defect free energies in lattice gauge theories with matter fields. We investigate in which way the behaviour of these defect free energies characterizes different phase (and different regimes not separated by bulk phase boundaries) of such theories. Our main analytical results concern the ₂ model, but some of our concepts and method extend to a fairly general class of models, including non-abelian lattice gauge theories.We also estimate masses of topological solitons (vortices and magnetic monopoles) in terms of defect free energies of line defects.     

Inequalities for magnetic-flux free energies and confinement in lattice gauge theories

Rigorous inequalities among magnetic-flux free energies of tori with varying diameters are derived in lattice gauge theories. From the inequalities, it follows that if the magnetic-flux free energy vanishes in the limit of large uniform dilatation of a torus, the free energy must always decrease exponentially with the area of the cross section of the torus. The latter property is known to be sufficient for permanent confinement of static quarks. As a consequence of this property, a lower bound V(R) ? const · R for the static quark-antiquark potential is obtained in three-dimensional U(N) lattice gauge theory for sufficiently large R.     

On-shell improved lattice gauge theories

By means of a spectrum conserving transformation, we show that one of the 3 coefficients in Symanzik's improved action can be chosen freely, if only spectral quantities (masses of stable particles, heavy quark potential etc.) are to be improved. In perturbation theory, the other 2 coefficients are however completely determined and their values are obtained to lowest order.Heisenberg foundation fellow     

Optical Abelian lattice gauge theories

We discuss a general framework for the realization of a family of Abelian lattice gauge theories, i.e., link models or gauge magnets, in optical lattices. We analyze the properties of these models that make them suitable for quantum simulations. Within this class, we study in detail the phases of a U(1)$U\left(1\right)$-invariant lattice gauge theory in 2+1$2+1$ dimensions, originally proposed by P. Orland. By using exact diagonalization, we extract the low-energy states for small lattices, up to 4×4$4\times 4$. We confirm that the model has two phases, with the confined entangled one characterized by strings wrapping around the whole lattice. We explain how to study larger lattices by using either tensor network techniques or digital quantum simulations with Rydberg atoms loaded in optical lattices, where we discuss in detail a protocol for the preparation of the ground-state. We propose two key experimental tests that can be used as smoking gun of the proper implementation of a gauge theory in optical lattices. These tests consist in verifying the absence of spontaneous (gauge) symmetry breaking of the ground-state and the presence of charge confinement. We also comment on the relation between standard compact U(1)$U\left(1\right)$ lattice gauge theory and the model considered in this paper.     

Residual gauge invariance of Hamiltonian lattice gauge theories

The time-independent residual gauge invariance of Hamiltonian lattice gauge theories is considered. Eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the unperturbed Hamiltonian are found in terms of Gegenbauer's polynomials. Physical states which satisfy the subsidiary condition corresponding to Gauss' law are constructed systematically.     

Stochastic models for lattice gauge theories

Stochastic equations are derived which describe the (Euclidean) time evolution of lattice field configurations, with and without fermions, on a three-dimensional space lattice. It is indicated how the drifts and transition functions may be obtained as asymptotic solutions of a differential equation or from a ground state ansatz. For non-Abelian gauge fields (without fermions) a ground state is constructed which is an exact eigenstate of a Hamiltonian with the same (naive) continuum limit as the Kogut-Susskind Hamiltonian. It is described how Euclidean correlations (like the Wilson loop) are obtained from the stochastic equations and how mass gaps may be obtained from the technique of exit times.     

Recent advances in lattice gauge theories

Recent progress in the field of lattice gauge theories is briefly reviewed for a nonspecialist audience. While the emphasis is on the latest and more definitive results that have emerged prior to this symposium, an effort has been made to provide them with minimal technicalities.     

Averaging operations for lattice gauge theories

Usually renormalization group transformations are defined by some averaging operations. In this paper we study such operations for lattice gauge fields and for gauge transformations. We are interested especially in characterizing some classes of field configurations on which the averaging operations are regular (e.g., analytic). These results will be used in subsequent papers on the renormalization group method in lattice gauge theories.Research supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant PHY-82-03669     

Chiral gauge theories on the lattice

We propose a method for constructing lattice gauge theories in which fermions transform as a complex representation of the gauge group.     

Homology and abelian lattice gauge theories

A simple Abelian model with both Higgs and gauge field degrees of freedom is investigated on a simplicial lattice of arbitrary dimension. We use group character expansion for both fields to get a diagrammatic expansion of the partition function. The diagrams consist of gauge group representation valued 1- and 2-chains. The diagrams are proved to satisfy the constraint that the boundary of the 2-chain representing the gauge field is equal to the 1-chain representing the Higgs field. Otherwise they identically vanish. Simple consequences of this are current conservation and the vanishing of non-null-homologous Wilson loops. Finally we use this picture for giving a lowest order estimate for the critical length of a string. This is the length at which the flux-tube string connecting two opposite charges is likely to break into two pieces due to pair creation.     

Some calculations in lattice gauge theory

We look at the action proposed by Wilson on a lattice and calculate static constants like f_π and two-body decay amplitudes in a certain approximation. Results are good to factors of four to six. There is good agreement for some of the predicted meson masses.     

Variational method in hamiltonian lattice gauge theories

A general expression for the expectation value of the hamiltonian of a d + 1 dimensional lattice gauge theory as a function of the norm of the variational state (that itself has the form of a partition function of a d-dimensional lattice gauge theory) is given. Applications include U(1), SU(2), U(2) and U(N) gauge theories for large N in d = 2 + 1 dimensions. It is also demonstrated that the deconfining phase transition is of first order in every dimension above the critical one, provided it is of first or second order at the critical dimension.