Compact QED under scrutiny: it's first order

Abstract

We report new results from our finite size scaling analysis of 4d compact pure U(1) gauge theory with Wilson action. Investigating several cumulants of the plaquette energy within the Borgs-Kotecky finite size scaling scheme we find strong evidence for a first-order phase transition and present a high precision value for the critical coupling in the thermodynamic limit.Comment: Lattice2002(Spin

Nonperturbative U(1) gauge theory at finite temperature

“…Our lattice sizes are not small on the scale of typical numerical work on U (1) LGT, for instance the lattices used for the Wuppertal c 0 estimate of [7]. But we have not yet reached lattices large enough to provide hard evidence that there is no N s → ∞ turn-around towards either a first order transition or the 3d XY fixed point.…”

“…For the interface tension consistent fits to a small positive as well as to a zero infinite volume value are possible. Interestingly the Wuppertal group decided against including their largest lattices from [6] into their final analysis [7], because action data on them did not cover the double peak region coherently (communicated by T. Neuhaus).…”

“…The study [4] allowed to identify the confined and deconfined phases. After some debate about the order of the phase transition, the bulk transition on symmetric lattices was suggested to be (weakly) first order [5], a result which was substantiated by simulations of the Wuppertal group [6,7]. Other investigations followed up on the topological properties of the theory.…”

Tricritical points in a compactU(1)lattice gauge theory at strong coupling

“…Indeed Monte Carlo simulations found this transition, which was later confirmed to be first order [2]. Absence of a diverging correlation length meant that no quantum continuum limit could be taken in this U (1) theory.…”

“…First, for both Abelian and non-Abelian 1 chiral gauge theories in the nonperturbative gauge-fixing approach, it is important to know, for a large range of the gauge couplings (including strong gauge couplings), that a correct continuum limit (with the lgdofs decoupled and massless free photons) is achievable in the pure Abelian gauge theory. 2 Second, given that the pure compact U (1) gauge theory with the HD term, in the weak gauge coupling region, has produced a correct quantum continuum limit with free massless photons, it is important to explore a broader region of the coupling parameter space and ask what happens for strong gauge couplings. Obviously this question is linked with the issue of short distance behavior of U (1) gauge theory and possibility of nontrivial physics.…”