Meson Correlation Functions in the epsilon-Regime

We present a numerical pilot study of the meson correlation functions in the epsilon-regime of chiral perturbation theory. Based on simulations with overlap fermions we measured the axial and pseudo-scalar correlation functions, and we discuss the implications for the leading low energy constants in the chiral Lagrangian.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, talk presented at Lattice2003(chiral

Simulating chiral quarks in the epsilon-regime of QCD

We present simulation results for lattice QCD with chiral fermions in small volumes, where the epsilon-expansion of chiral perturbation theory applies. Our data for the low lying Dirac eigenvalues, as well as mesonic correlation functions, are in agreement with analytical predictions. This allows us to extract values for the leading Low Energy Constants F_{pi} and Sigma.Comment: 4 pages, talk presented by W.B. at Baryons04 (Paris, October 25 - 29, 2004); one Ref. adde

Comparison between overlap and twisted mass fermions towards the chiral limit

We compare overlap fermions, which are chirally invariant, and Wilson twisted mass fermions in the approach to the chiral limit. Our quenched simulations reveal that with both formulations of lattice fermions pion masses of O(250 MeV) can be reached in practical simulations. Our comparison is done at a fixed lattice spacing a=0.123 fm. Several quantities are measured, such as hadron masses and pseudoscalar decay constants.Comment: Lattice2004(chiral

Random Matrix Theory and the Spectra of Overlap Fermions

The application of Random Matrix Theory to the Dirac operator of QCD yields predictions for the probability distributions of the lowest eigenvalues. We measured Dirac operator spectra using massless overlap fermions in quenched QCD at topological charge \nu = 0, +- 1 and +- 2, and found agreement with those predictions - at least for the first non-zero eigenvalue - if the volume exceeds about (1.2 fm)^4.Comment: 3 pages, talk presented at Lattice2003(chiral

Twisted mass chiral perturbation theory for 2+1+1 quark flavours

We present results for the masses of pseudoscalar mesons in twisted mass lattice QCD with a degenerate doublet of u and d quarks and a non-degenerate doublet of s and c quarks in the framework of next-to-leading order chiral perturbation theory, including lattice effects up to O(a^2). The masses depend on the two twist angles for the light and heavy sectors. For maximal twist in both sectors, O(a)-improvement is explicitly exhibited. The mixing of flavour-neutral mesons is also discussed, and results in the literature for the case of degenerate s and c quarks are corrected.Comment: LaTeX2e, 12 pages, corrected typo

Low-energy couplings of QCD from current correlators near the chiral limit

We investigate a new numerical procedure to compute fermionic correlation functions at very small quark masses. Large statistical fluctuations, due to the presence of local ``bumps'' in the wave functions associated with the low-lying eigenmodes of the Dirac operator, are reduced by an exact low-mode averaging. To demonstrate the feasibility of the technique, we compute the two-point correlator of the left-handed vector current with Neuberger fermions in the quenched approximation, for lattices with a linear extent of L~1.5 fm, a lattice spacing a~0.09 fm, and quark masses down to the epsilon-regime. By matching the results with the corresponding (quenched) chiral perturbation theory expressions, an estimate of (quenched) low-energy constants can be obtained. We find agreement between the quenched values of F extrapolated from the p-regime and extracted in the epsilon-regime.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figure

Axial Correlation Functions in the epsilon-Regime: a Numerical Study with Overlap Fermions

We present simulation results employing overlap fermions for the axial correlation functions in the epsilon-regime of chiral perturbation theory. In this regime, finite size effects and topology play a dominant role. Their description by quenched chiral perturbation theory is compared to our numerical results in quenched QCD. We show that lattices with a linear extent L > 1.1 fm are necessary to interpret the numerical data obtained in distinct topological sectors in terms of the epsilon-expansion. Such lattices are, however, still substantially smaller than the ones needed in standard chiral perturbation theory. However, we also observe severe difficulties at very low values of the quark mass, in particular in the topologically trivial sector.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, final version published in JHE

Low-energy couplings of QCD from topological zero-mode wave functions

By matching 1/m^2 divergences in finite-volume two-point correlation functions of the scalar or pseudoscalar densities with those obtained in chiral perturbation theory, we derive a relation between the Dirac operator zero-mode eigenfunctions at fixed non-trivial topology and the low-energy constants of QCD. We investigate the feasibility of using this relation to extract the pion decay constant, by computing the zero-mode correlation functions on the lattice in the quenched approximation and comparing them with the corresponding expressions in quenched chiral perturbation theory.Comment: 31 pages. v2: references and a small clarification added; published versio