A simple derivation of the Overlap Dirac Operator

We derive the vector-like four dimensional overlap Dirac operator starting from a five dimensional Dirac action in the presence of a delta-function space-time defect. The effective operator is obtained by first integrating out all the fermionic modes in the fixed gauge background, and then identifying the contribution from the localized modes as the determinant of an operator in one dimension less. We define physically relevant degrees of freedom on the defect by introducing an auxiliary defect-bound fermion field and integrating out the original five dimensional bulk field.Comment: 9 pages, LaTe

An alternative to domain wall fermions

We define a sparse hermitian lattice Dirac matrix, $H$, coupling $2n+1$ Dirac fermions. When $2n$ fermions are integrated out the induced action for the last fermion is a rational approximation to the hermitian overlap Dirac operator. We provide rigorous bounds on the condition number of $H$ and compare them to bounds for the higher dimensional Dirac operator of domain wall fermions. Our main conclusion is that overlap fermions should be taken seriously as a practical alternative to domain wall fermions in the context of numerical QCD.Comment: Revtex Latex, 26 pages, 1 figure, a few minor change

Bounds on the Wilson Dirac Operator

New exact upper and lower bounds are derived on the spectrum of the square of the hermitian Wilson Dirac operator. It is hoped that the derivations and the results will be of help in the search for ways to reduce the cost of simulations using the overlap Dirac operator. The bounds also apply to the Wilson Dirac operator in odd dimensions and are therefore relevant to domain wall fermions as well.Comment: 16 pages, TeX, 3 eps figures, small corrections and improvement

Proposal for the numerical solution of planar QCD

Using quenched reduction, we propose a method for the numerical calculation of meson correlation functions in the planar limit of QCD. General features of the approach are outlined, and an example is given in the context of two-dimensional QCD.Comment: 31 pages, 10 figures, uses axodraw.sty, To appear in Physical Review

Domain Wall Fermions with Exact Chiral Symmetry

We show how the standard domain wall action can be simply modified to allow arbitrarily exact chiral symmetry at finite fifth dimensional extent. We note that the method can be used for both quenched and dynamical calculations. We test the method using smooth and thermalized gauge field configurations. We also make comparisons of the performance (cost) of the domain wall operator for spectroscopy compared to other methods such as the overlap-Dirac operator and find both methods are comparable in cost.Comment: revtex, 37 pages, 11 color postscript figure

Chiral Fermions and Multigrid

Lattice regularization of chiral fermions is an important development of the theory of elementary particles. Nontheless, brute force computer simulations are very expensive, if not prohibitive. In this letter I exploit the non-interacting character of the lattice theory in the flavor space and propose a multigrid approach for the simulation of the theory. Already a two-grid algorithm saves an order of magnitude of computer time for fermion propagator calculations.Comment: Latex, 6 pages, 1 figur

Finite size effects on MπM_\pi in QCD from Chiral Perturbation Theory

We present a determination of the shift $M_\pi(L)-M_\pi$ due to the finite spatial box size $L$ by means of $N_f=2$ Chiral Perturbation Theory and L\"uscher's formula. The range of applicability of the chiral prediction is discussed.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, Lattice2002(spectrum

Noncompact chiral U(1) gauge theories on the lattice

A new, adiabatic phase choice is adopted for the overlap in the case of an infinite volume, noncompact abelian chiral gauge theory. This gauge choice obeys the same symmetries as the Brillouin-Wigner (BW) phase choice, and, in addition, produces a Wess-Zumino functional that is linear in the gauge variables on the lattice. As a result, there are no gauge violations on the trivial orbit in all theories, consistent and covariant anomalies are simply related and Berry's curvature now appears as a Schwinger term. The adiabatic phase choice can be further improved to produce a perfect phase choice, with a lattice Wess-Zumino functional that is just as simple as the one in continuum. When perturbative anomalies cancel, gauge invariance in the fermionic sector is fully restored. The lattice effective action describing an anomalous abelian gauge theory has an explicit form, close to one analyzed in the past in a perturbative continuum framework.Comment: 35 pages, one figure, plain TeX; minor typos corrected; to appear in PR

A study of chiral symmetry in quenched QCD using the Overlap-Dirac operator

We compute fermionic observables relevant to the study of chiral symmetry in quenched QCD using the Overlap-Dirac operator for a wide range of the fermion mass. We use analytical results to disentangle the contribution from exact zero modes and simplify our numerical computations. Details concerning the numerical implementation of the Overlap-Dirac operator are presented.Comment: 24 pages revtex with 5 postscript figures included by eps

A Study of Practical Implementations of the Overlap-Dirac Operator in Four Dimensions

We study three practical implementations of the Overlap-Dirac operator $D_o= (1/2) [1 + \gamma_5\epsilon(H_w)]$ in four dimensions. Two implementations are based on different representations of $\epsilon(H_w)$ as a sum over poles. One of them is a polar decomposition and the other is an optimal fit to a ratio of polynomials. The third one is obtained by representing $\epsilon(H_w)$ using Gegenbauer polynomials and is referred to as the fractional inverse method. After presenting some spectral properties of the Hermitian operator $H_o=\gamma_5 D_o$, we study its spectrum in a smooth SU(2) instanton background with the aim of comparing the three implementations of $D_o$. We also present some results in SU(2) gauge field backgrounds generated at $\beta=2.5$ on an $8^4$ lattice. Chiral properties have been numerically verified.Comment: 23 pages latex with 9 postscript figures included by epsf. Some change in referencing and one figure modifie