The free energy of higher representation sources in lattice gauge theories

Deconfinement of higher representation sources in SU(2) lattice gauge theory is studied by a Monte Carlo simulation on an 8³×2 lattice. Results for the free energy are compared with expectations from the effective theory of thermal Polyakov loops, and critical exponents for the magnetization of different representations in SU(2) are computed. We also compare the predictions for higher representations in SU(3) lattice gauge theory with some recent Monte Carlo data. Finally, possible phenomenological consequences of the deconfinement associated with higher representation sources are discussed.