Non-perturbative mass spectrum of an extra-dimensional orbifold

We analyse non-perturbatively a five-dimensional SU(2) gauge theory compactified on the S^1/Z_2 orbifold. In particular, we present simulation results for the mass spectrum of the theory, which contains a Higgs and a photon. The Higgs mass is found to be free of divergences without fine-tuning. The photon mass is non-zero, thus providing us with the first lattice evidence for a Higgs mechanism derived from an extra dimension. Data from the static potential are consistent with dimensional reduction at low energies.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Locality with staggered fermions

We address the locality problem arising in simulations, which take the square root of the staggered fermion determinant as a Boltzmann weight to reduce the number of dynamical quark tastes. A definition of such a theory necessitates an underlying local fermion operator with the same determinant and the corresponding Green's functions to establish causality and unitarity. We illustrate this point by studying analytically and numerically the square root of the staggered fermion operator. Although it has the correct weight, this operator is non-local in the continuum limit. Our work serves as a warning that fundamental properties of field theories might be violated when employing blindly the square root trick. The question, whether a local operator reproducing the square root of the staggered fermion determinant exists, is left open.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figures, few remarks added for clarity, accepted for publication in Nucl. Phys.

String breaking and lines of constant physics in the SU(2) Higgs model

We present results for the ground state and first excited state static potentials in the confinement "phase" of the SU(2) Higgs model. String breaking and the crossing of the energy levels are clearly visible. We address the question of the cut-off effects in our results and observe a remarkable scaling of the static potentials.Comment: LATTICE99(Higgs), 3 pages, 4 figure

Static potential in the SU(2) Higgs model

We present results for the static potential in the confinement phase of the SU(2) Higgs model on the lattice. Introducing a suitable matrix correlation function we observe string breaking at a distance r_b ~ 1.8 r_0, where the length scale r_0 has a value r_0 ~ 0.5 fm in QCD. The method presented here may lead the way towards a treatment of string breaking in QCD.Comment: LATTICE98(confine), 3 pages, 3 figure