Instantons and the infrared behavior of the fermion propagator in the Schwinger model

The fermion propagator of the Schwinger model is revisited from the point of view of its infrared behavior. The values of the anomalous dimensions are found in arbitrary covariant gauge and in all contributing instanton sectors. In the case of a gauge invariant, but path dependent propagator, the exponential dependence, instead of a power law one, is established for the special case when the path is a straight line. The leading behavior is almost identical in any sector, differing only by the slowly varying, algebraic prefactors. The other kind of gauge invariant function, which is the amplitude of the dressed Dirac fermions, may be reduced, by an appropriate choice of the dressing, to the gauge variant one, if the Landau gauge is imposed. PACS  11.10.Kk; 11.15.-q     

Gauge-invariant dressed fermion propagator in massless QED3

The infrared behaviour of the gauge-invariant dressed fermion propagator in massless QED₃ is discussed for three choices of dressing. It is found that only the propagator with the isotropic (in three Euclidean dimensions) choice of dressing is acceptable as the physical fermion propagator. It is explained that the negative anomalous dimension of this physical fermion does not contradict any field-theoretical requirement.     

Chiral and deconfinement transition from correlation functions: SU(2) vs. SU(3)

We study a gauge-invariant order parameter for deconfinement and the chiral condensate in SU(2) and SU(3) Yang–Mills theory in the vicinity of the deconfinement phase transition using the Landau gauge quark and gluon propagators. We determine the gluon propagator from lattice calculations and the quark propagator from its Dyson–Schwinger equation, using the gluon propagator as input. The critical temperature and a deconfinement order parameter are extracted from the gluon propagator and from the dependency of the quark propagator on the temporal boundary conditions. The chiral transition is determined using the quark condensate as order parameter. We investigate whether and how a difference in the chiral and deconfinement transition between SU(2) and SU(3) is manifest.     

SU(2) gauge theory of the Hubbard model: emergence of an anomalous metallic phase near the Mott critical point

We propose one possible mechanism for an anomalous metallic phase appearing frequently in two spatial dimensions, that is, local pairing fluctuations. Introducing a pair-rotor representation to decompose bare electrons into collective pairing excitations and renormalized electrons, we derive an SU(2) gauge theory of the Hubbard model as an extended version of its U(1) gauge theory. Since our effective SU(2) gauge theory admits two kinds of collective bosons corresponding to pair excitations and density fluctuations, respectively, an intermediate phase appears naturally between the spin liquid Mott insulator and Fermi liquid metal of the U(1) gauge theory, characterized by softening of density-fluctuation modes as the Fermi liquid, but gapping of pair-excitation modes. We show that this intermediate phase is identified with an anomalous metallic phase because there are no electronlike quasiparticles although it is metallic.     

Infrared saturation and phases of gauge theories with BRST symmetry

We investigate the infrared limit of the quantum equation of motion of the gauge boson propagator in various gauges and models with a BRST symmetry. We find that the saturation of this equation at low momenta distinguishes between the Coulomb, Higgs and confining phase of the gauge theory. The Coulomb phase is characterized by a massless gauge boson. Physical states contribute to the saturation of the transverse equation of motion of the gauge boson at low momenta in the Higgs phase, while the saturation is entirely due to unphysical degrees of freedom in the confining phase. This corollary to the Kugo–Ojima confinement criterion in linear covariant gauges also is sufficient for confinement in general covariant gauges with BRST and anti-BRST symmetry, maximal Abelian gauges with an equivariant BRST symmetry, non-covariant Coulomb gauge and in the Gribov–Zwanziger theory.     

Long-range SL(2) Baxter equation in N=4 super-Yang–Mills theory

Relying on a few lowest order perturbative calculations of anomalous dimensions of gauge invariant operators built from holomorphic scalar fields and an arbitrary number of covariant derivatives in maximally supersymmetric gauge theory, we propose an all-loop generalization of the Baxter equation which determines their spectrum. The equation does not take into account wrapping effects and is thus asymptotic in character. We develop an asymptotic expansion of the deformed Baxter equation for large values of the conformal spin and derive an integral equation for the cusp anomalous dimension.     

Wigner function for discrete phase space: Exorcising ghost images

We construct, using simple geometrical arguments, a Wigner function defined on a discrete phase space of arbitrary integer Hilbert-space dimension that is free of redundancies. “Ghost images” plaguing other Wigner functions for discrete phase spaces are thus revealed as artifacts. It allows to devise a corresponding phase-space propagator in an unambiguous manner. We apply our definitions to eigenstates and propagator of the quantum baker map. Scars on unstable periodic points of the corresponding classical map become visible with unprecedented resolution.     

Sea-boson theory of Landau-Fermi liquids,Luttinger liquids and Wigner crystals

It is shown how Luttinger liquids may be studied using sea-bosons. The main advantage of the sea-boson method is its ability to provide information about short-wavelength physics in addition to the asymptotics and is naturally generalizable to more than one dimension. In this article, we solve the Luttinger model and the Calogero-Sutherland model, the latter in the weak-coupling limit. The anomalous exponent we obtain in the former case is identical to the one obtained by Mattis and Lieb. We also apply this method to solve the two-dimensional analog of the Luttinger model and show that the system is a Landau-Fermi liquid. Then we solve the model of spinless fermions in one dimension with long-range (gauge) interactions and map the Wigner crystal phase of the system.     

Gluon Propagator and Heavy Quark Potential in an Anisotropic QCD Plasma

The hard-loop resummed propagator in an anisotropic QCD plasma in general linear gauges are computed. We get the explicit expressions of the gluon propagator in covariant gauge, Coulomb gauge and temporal axial gauge. Considering one gluon exchange, the potential between heavy quarks is defined through the Fourier transform of the static propagator. We find that the potential exhibits angular dependence and that there is stronger attraction on distance scales on the order of the inverse Debye mass for quark pairs aligned along the direction of anisotropy than for transverse alignment.     

Center flux correlation in SU(2) Yang-Mills theory

By using the method of center projection, the center vortex part of the gauge field is isolated and its propagator is evaluated in the center Landau gauge, which minimizes the open 3-dimensional Dirac volumes of nontrivial center links bounded by the closed 2-dimensional center vortex surfaces. The center field propagator is found to dominate the gluon propagator (in the Landau gauge) in the low momentum regime and to give rise to a power-law correction proportional to p(-2.9(1)) at high momentum. The screening mass of the center vortex field vanishes above the critical temperature of the deconfinement phase transition, which naturally explains the second order nature of this transition consistent with the vortex picture. Finally, the ghost propagator of the maximal center gauge is found to be infrared finite and, thus, shows that the coset fields play no role for confinement.     

Deconfinement transition in three-dimensional compact U(1) gauge theories coupled to matter fields

It is shown that permanent confinement in three-dimensional compact U(1) gauge theory can be destroyed by matter fields in a deconfinement transition. This follows from a nontrivial infrared fixed point caused by matter, and an anomalous scaling dimension of the gauge field. This leads to a logarithmic interaction between the defects of the gauge fields, which form a gas of magnetic monopoles. For logarithmic interactions, the original electric charges are unconfined. The confined phase, which is permanent in the absence of matter fields, is reached at a critical electric charge, where the interaction between magnetic charges is screened by a pair-unbinding in a Kosterlitz-Thouless-like phase transition.     

Accessing directly the properties of fundamental scalars in the confinement and Higgs phase

The properties of elementary particles are encoded in their respective propagators and interaction vertices. For a SU(2) gauge theory coupled to a doublet of fundamental complex scalars these propagators are determined in both the Higgs phase and the confinement phase and compared to the Yang–Mills case, using lattice gauge theory. Since the propagators are gauge dependent, this is done in the Landau limit of the ’t Hooft gauge, permitting to also determine the ghost propagator. It is found that neither the gauge boson nor the scalar differ qualitatively in the different cases. In particular, the gauge boson acquires a screening mass, and the scalar’s screening mass is larger than the renormalized mass. Only the ghost propagator shows a significant change. Furthermore, indications are found that the consequences of the residual non-perturbative gauge freedom due to Gribov copies could be different in the confinement and the Higgs phase.     

Cornwall-Jackiw-Tomboulis Effective Potential for Quark Propagator in Real-Time Thermal Field Theory and Landau Gauge

We complete the derivation of the Cornwall-Jackiw-Tomboulis effective potentiM for quark propagator at finite temperature and finite quark chemical potential in the real-time formalism of thermal field theory and in Landau gauge. In the approximation that the function A（p^2） in inverse quark propagator is replaced by unity, by means of the running gauge coupling and the quark mass function invariant under the renormalization group in zero temperature Quantum Chromadynamics （QCD）, we obtain a calculable expression for the thermal effective potential, which will be a useful means to research chiral phase transition in QCD in the real-time formalism.     

Cornwall-Jackiw-Tomboulis Effective Potential for Quark Propagator in Real-Time Thermal Field Theory and Landau Gauge

We complete the derivation of the Cornwall-Jackiw-Tomboulis effective potential for quark propagator at finite temperature and finite quark chemical potential in the real-time formalism of thermal field theory and in Landau gauge. In the approximation that the function A(p2) in inverse quark propagator is replaced by unity, by means of the running gauge coupling and the quark mass function invariant under the renormalization group in zero temperature Quantum Chromadynamics (QCD), we obtain a calculable expression for the thermal effective potential, which will be a useful means to research chiral phase transition in QCD in the real-time formalism.     

The quark propagator from the Dyson-Schwinger equations: (I). The chiral solution

Within the framework of the Dyson-Schwinger equations in the axial gauge, and using a truncation procedure which respects the Ward-Takahashi identities, we study the effect that nonperturbative glue has on the quark propagator. We show that within this truncation scheme, the requirement of matching perturbative QCD at high momentum transfer leads to a multiplicatively renormalisable equation. Technically, the matching with perturbation theory is accomplished by the introduction of a transverse part to the quark-gluon vertex. In the case of an analytic gluon propagator, this truncation scheme can lead to chiral symmetry breaking only after the introduction of such a transverse vertex: massless solutions do not exist beyond a critical value of as. Using the gluon propagator that we previously obtained, we obtain small corrections to the quark propagator, which keeps a pole at the origin in the chiral phase.     

What can be tested in quantum electrodynamics?

In this paper we examine the theoretical foundations underlying the testing of quantum electrodynamics. We show that for the photon propagator (together with the contiguous vertices) it is not necessary to introduce ad hoc modifications in sufficiently accurate scattering experiments. Energy, momentum transfer, and accuracy determine the tested length in a model-independent way. The situation is quite different with the electron propagator. If gauge invariance is taken for granted, the electron propagator cannot be tested with processes where diagrams with open electron lines are important in the lowest order of perturbation theory. These processes can only give limits for anomalous moment and multiphoton parts of the vertices. On the other hand, processes with closed electron loops (vacuum polarization), such as photon-photon and Delbrück scattering, as well as photon splitting or corresponding low-energy, high-precision experiments can give limits also for the electron propagator. But in these cases only less accurate limits can be obtained, which depend on the modification model. Hence testing of the electron propagator, i.e., roughly speaking, the Dirac equation, is much more difficult than testing of the photon propagator, i.e, Maxwell's equations.Dedicated to the memory of Prof. Wolfgang Yourgrau (1908–1979).Presented at the 1975 International Symposium on Lepton and Photon Interactions at High Energies, Stanford University, Stanford, California.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">U</Emphasis>(1) Gauge theory as quantum hydrodynamics

It is shown that gauge theories are most naturally studied via a polar decomposition of the field variable. Gauge transformations may be viewed as those that leave the density invariant but change the phase variable by additive amounts. The path integral approach is used to compute the partition function. When gauge fields are included, the constraint brought about by gauge invariance simply means an appropriate linear combination of the gradients of the phase variable and the gauge field is invariant. No gauge fixing is needed in this approach that is closest to the spirit of the gauge principle. We derive an exact formula for the condensate fraction and in case it is zero, an exact formula for the anomalous exponent. We also derive a formula for the vortex strength which involves computing radiation corrections.     

Constituent quarks from QCD

Starting from the observation that colour charge is only well defined on gauge invariant states, we construct perturbatively gauge invariant, dynamical dressings for individual quarks. Explicit calculations show that an infra-red finite mass-shell renormalisation of the gauge invariant, dressed propagator is possible and, further, that operator product effects, which generate a running mass, may be included in a gauge invariant way in the propagator. We explain how these fields may be combined to form hadrons and show how the interquark potential can now be directly calculated. The onset of confinement is identified with an obstruction to building a non-perturbative dressing. We propose several methods to extract the hadronic scale from the interquark potential. Various extensions are discussed.     

Relativistic quantum mechanics of supersymmetric particles

The quantum mechanics of an electron in an external field is developed by Hamiltonian path integral methods. The electron is described classically by an action which is invariant under gauge supersymmetry transformations as well as worldline reparametrizations. The simpler case of a spinless particle is first reviewed and it is pointed out that a strictly canonical approach does not exist. This follows formally from the gauge invariance properties of the action and physically it corresponds to the fact that particles can travel backwards as well as forward in coordinate time. However, appropriate application of path integral techniques yields directly the proper time representation of the Feynman propagator. Next we extend the formalism to systems described by anticommuting variables. This problem presents some difficulty when the dimension of the phase space is odd, because the holomorphic representation does not exist. It is shown, however, that the usual connection between the evolution operator and the path integral still holds provided one indludes in the action the boundary term that makes the classical variational principle well defined. The path integral for the relativistic spinning particle is then evaluated and it is shown to lead directly to a representation for the Feynman propagator in terms of two proper times, one commuting, the other anticommuting, which appear in a symmetric manner. This representation is used to derive scattering amplitudes in an external field. In this step the anticommuting proper time is integrated away and the analysis is carried in terms of one (commuting) proper time only, just as in the spinless case. Finally, some properties of the quantum mechanics of the ghost particles that appear in the path integral for constrained systems are developed in an appendix.