The pressure of the SU(N) lattice gauge theory at large-N

We calculate bulk thermodynamic properties, such as the pressure, energy density, and entropy, in SU(4) and SU(8) lattice gauge theories, for the range of temperatures T <= 2.0Tc and T <= 1.6Tc respectively. We find that the N=4,8 results are very close to each other, and to what one finds in SU(3), and are far from the asymptotic free-gas value. We conclude that any explanation of the high-T pressure (or entropy) deficit must be such as to survive the N-->oo limit. We give some examples of this constraint in action and comment on what this implies for the relevance of gravity duals.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures. Small changes to the calculation of the finite lattice spacing errors. Added references. Results and conclusions do not chang

SU(N_c) gauge theories at deconfinement

The deconfinement transition in SU($N_c$) Yang--Mills is investigated by Monte Carlo simulations of the gauge theory discretized on a spacetime lattice. We present new results for $4 \le N_c \le 8$ (in particular, for $N_c = 5$ and $N_c = 7$), which are analysed together with previously published results. The increased amount of data, the improved statistics and simulations closer to the continuum limit provide us with better control over systematic errors. After performing the thermodynamic limit, numerical results for the ratio of the critical temperature $T_c$ over the square root of the string tension $\sqrt{\sigma}$ obtained on lattices with temporal extensions $N_t = 5,6,7,8$ are extrapolated to the continuum limit. The continuum results at fixed $N_c$ are then extrapolated to $N_c = \infty$. We find that our data are accurately described by the formula $T_c/\sqrt{\sigma} = 0.5949(17) + 0.458(18)/N_c^2$. Possible systematic errors affecting our calculations are also discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. Minor corrections. Version published on Physics Letters

Stable Chromomagnetic QCD Vacuum and Confinement

The stable chromomagnetic vacuum for SU(2) Yang-Mills theory found earlier is shown to give a model for confinement in QCD, using Wilson loop, and a linear potential (in the leading order) for quark-antiquark interaction. The coefficient $k$ in this potential is found to be $\sim 0.25 GeV^2$, in satisfactory agreement with non-relativistic potential model calculations for charmonium. At finite temperature, the real effective energy density found earlier is used to obtain estimates of the deconfining temperature agreeing reasonably with lattice study for SU(2).Comment: Talk delivered at the conference on 'Strong Interactions in the 21st Century', held at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Feb. 10 - 12, 201

Numerical results for gauge theories near the conformal window

A novel strong interaction beyond the standard model could provide a dynamical explanation of electroweak symmetry breaking. Experimental results strongly constrain properties of models that realise this mechanism. Whether these constraints are obeyed by any strongly interacting quantum field theory is a non-perturbative problem that needs to be addressed by first-principle calculations. Monte Carlo simulations of lattice regularised gauge theories is a powerful tool that enables us to address this question. Recently various lattice investigations have appeared that have studied candidate models of strongly interacting dynamics beyond the standard model. After a brief review of the main methods and of some recent results, we focus on the analysis of SU(2) gauge theory with one adjoint Dirac fermion flavour, which is shown to have a near-conformal behaviour with an anomalous dimension of order one. The implications of our findings are also discussed

Deconfinement Phase Transition in Hot and Dense QCD at Large N

We conjecture that the confinement- deconfinement phase transition in QCD at large number of colors $N$ and $N_f\ll N$ at $T\neq 0$ and $\mu\neq 0$ is triggered by the drastic change in $\theta$ behavior. The conjecture is motivated by the holographic model of QCD where confinement -deconfinement phase transition indeed happens precisely at $T=T_c$ where $\theta$ dependence experiences a sudden change in behavior. The conjecture is also supported by quantum field theory arguments when the instanton calculations (which trigger the $\theta$ dependence) are under complete theoretical control for $T>T_c$, suddenly break down immediately below $T<T_c$ with sharp changes in the $\theta$ dependence. Finally, the conjecture is supported by a number of numerical lattice results. We employ this conjecture to study confinement -deconfinement phase transition of hot and dense QCD in large $N$ limit by analyzing the $\theta$ dependence. We estimate the critical values for $T_c$ and $\mu_c$ where the phase transition happens by approaching the critical values from the hot and/or dense regions where the instanton calculations are under complete theoretical control. We also describe some defects of various codimensions within a holographic model of QCD by focusing on their role around the phase transition point.Comment: Talk at the Workshop honoring 60th anniversary of Misha Shifma

Universality of k-string Tensions from Holography and the Lattice

We consider large Wilson loops with quarks in higher representations in SU(N) Yang-Mills theories. We consider representations with common N-ality and check whether the expectation value of the Wilson loop depends on the specific representation or only on the N-ality. In the framework of AdS/CFT we show that = dim R exp -sigma_k A, namely that the string tension depends only on the N-ality k but the pre-exponent factor is representation dependent. The lattice strong coupling expansion yields an identical result at infinite N, but shows a representation dependence of the string tension at finite N, a result which we interpret as an artifact. In order to confirm the representation independence of the string tension we re-analyse results of lattice simulations involving operators with common N-ality in pure SU(N) Yang-Mills theory. We find that the picture of the representation-independence of the string tension is confirmed by the spectrum of excited states in the stringy sector, while the lowest-lying states seem to depend on the representation. We argue that this unexpected result is due to the insufficient distance of the static sources for the asymptotic behaviour to be visible and give an estimate of the distance above which a truly representation-independent spectrum should be observed.Comment: Refs. added, discussion in sect. 3 improved, other minor changes; to appear in JHE

The Phase Diagram of the Three Dimensional Thirring Model

We present Monte Carlo simulation results for the three dimensional Thirring model on moderate sized lattices using a hybrid molecular dynamics algorithm which permits an odd or non-integer number Nf of fermion flavors. We find a continuous chiral symmetry breaking transition for Nf approximately equal to 3 with critical exponents consistent with expectations from previous studies. For Nf=5 the order of the transition is difficult to determine on the lattice sizes explored. We present a phase diagram for the model in the (1/g^2,Nf) plane and contrast our findings with expectations based on approximate solutions of the continuum Schwinger-Dyson equations.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure

Topology and Confinement in SU(N) Gauge Theories

The large N limit of SU(N) gauge theories in 3+1 dimensions is investigated on the lattice by extrapolating results obtained for $2 \le N \le 5$. A numerical determination of the masses of the lowest-lying glueball states and of the topological susceptibility in the limit $N\to\infty$ is provided. Ratios of the tensions of stable k-strings over the tension of the fundamental string are investigated in various regimes and the results are compared with expectations based on several scenarios -- in particular MQCD and Casimir scaling. While not conclusive at zero temperature in D=3+1, in the other cases investigated our data seem to favour the latter.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures; talk presented by B. Lucini at Lattice2001(confinement