arXiv subjects

D. K. Sinclair

Publications and source records attributed to D. K. Sinclair.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

The chiral phase transition for QCD with sextet quarks

QCD with 2 massless colour-sextet quarks is studied as a model of Walking Technicolor. We simulate lattice QCD with 2 light color-sextet staggered quarks at finite temperature, and use the dependence of the coupling at the chiral transition on the temporal extent, $N_t$, of the lattice in lattice units to study the running of the bare lattice coupling with lattice spacing. Our goal is to determine whether this theory is QCD-like and `walks', or if it is conformal. If it is QCD-like, the coupling at the chiral transition should tend to zero as $N_t \rightarrow \infty$ in a manner controlled by asymptotic freedom, i.e. by the perturbative $β$-function. On the other hand, if this theory is conformal, this coupling will approach a non-zero limit in the $N_t \rightarrow \infty$ limit. We are extending our simulations on an $N_t=8$ lattice to determine the position of the chiral transition with greater accuracy, and are performing simulations on an $N_t=12$ lattice.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2011

Thermodynamics of lattice QCD with 2 sextet quarks on N_t=8 lattices

We continue our lattice simulations of QCD with 2 flavours of colour-sextet quarks as a model for conformal or walking technicolor. A 2-loop perturbative calculation of the $β$-function which describes the evolution of this theory's running coupling constant predicts that it has a second zero at a finite coupling. This non-trivial zero would be an infrared stable fixed point, in which case the theory with massless quarks would be a conformal field theory. However, if the interaction between quarks and antiquarks becomes strong enough that a chiral condensate forms before this IR fixed point is reached, the theory is QCD-like with spontaneously broken chiral symmetry and confinement. However, the presence of the nearby IR fixed point means that there is a range of couplings for which the running coupling evolves very slowly, i.e. it 'walks'. We are simulating the lattice version of this theory with staggered quarks at finite temperature studying the changes in couplings at the deconfinement and chiral-symmetry restoring transitions as the temporal extent ($N_t$) of the lattice, measured in lattice units, is increased. Our earlier results on lattices with $N_t=4,6$ show both transitions move to weaker couplings as $N_t$ increases consistent with walking behaviour. In this paper we extend these calculations to $N_t=8$. Although both transition again move to weaker couplings the change in the coupling at the chiral transition from $N_t=6$ to $N_t=8$ is appreciably smaller than that from $N_t=4$ to $N_t=6$. This indicates that at $N_t=4,6$ we are seeing strong coupling effects and that we will need results from $N_t > 8$ to determine if the chiral-transition coupling approaches zero as $N_t \rightarrow \infty$, as needed for the theory to walk.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2011

Bottomonium at Non-zero Temperature from Lattice Non-relativistic QCD

The temperature dependence of bottomonium states at temperatures above and below $T_c$ is presented, using non-relativistic dynamics for the bottom quark and full relativistic lattice QCD simulations for two light flavors on a highly anisotropic lattice. We find that the S-waves ($Υ$ and $η_b$) show little temperature dependence in this range while the P wave propagators show a crossover from the exponential decay characterizing the hadronic phase to a power-law behavior consistent with nearly-free dynamics at approximately twice the critical temperature.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Bottomonium above deconfinement in lattice nonrelativistic QCD

We study the temperature dependence of bottomonium for temperatures in the range $0.4 T_c < T < 2.1 T_c$, using nonrelativistic dynamics for the bottom quark and full relativistic lattice QCD simulations for $N_f=2$ light flavors on a highly anisotropic lattice. We find that the $Υ$ is insensitive to the temperature in this range, while the $χ_b$ propagators show a crossover from the exponential decay characterizing the hadronic phase to a power-law behaviour consistent with nearly-free dynamics at $T \simeq 2 T_c$.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2010

New results with colour-sextet quarks

We study QCD with 2 and 3 flavours of colour-sextet quarks. The 2-flavour theory is a candidate Walking Technicolor theory. Since we are attempting to distinguish whether this theory is walking or conformal, we also study the 3-flavour theory, which is believed to be conformal, for comparison. We simulate lattice QCD with 2 and 3 flavours of colour-sextet staggered quarks at finite temperatures to determine the scales of confinement and chiral-symmetry breaking from the positions of the deconfinement and chiral-symmetry restoration transitions. Unlike the case with fundamental quarks, these transitions are far apart. For 2 flavours the values of beta=6/g^2 for both transitions increase as Ta is decreased from 1/4 to 1/6 to 1/8, as expected for a theory whose coupling runs to smaller values as the lattice spacing is decreased. However, for the chiral transition, the increase in beta between Ta=1/4 and Ta=1/6 is much larger than the increase between Ta=1/6 and Ta=1/8. This suggests that between Ta=1/4 and Ta=1/6 we are at strong coupling where the theory is effectively quenched, while between Ta=1/6 and Ta=1/8 we are emerging into the weak coupling regime. It will require even smaller Ta values to determine whether the running of the chiral-transition coupling is controlled by asymptotic freedom and the theory walks, or if it reaches a non-zero limit when the transition becomes a bulk transition and the theory is conformal. The 3 flavour case at Ta=1/4 and Ta=1/6 behaves similarly to the 2 flavour case. Since this theory is expected to be conformal, the interpretation that we are seeing strong-coupling behaviour, inaccessible from the weak-coupling limit (continuum) is the most likely interpretation.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2010

Lattice Gauge Theory and (Quasi)-Conformal Technicolor

QCD with 2 flavours of massless colour-sextet quarks is studied as a theory which might exhibit a range of scales over which the running coupling constant evolves very slowly (walks). We simulate lattice QCD with 2 flavours of sextet staggered quarks to determine whether walks, or if it has an infrared fixed point, making it a conformal field theory. Our initial simulations are performed at finite temperatures $T=1/N_ta$ ($N_t=4$ and $N_t=6$), which allows us to identify the scales of confinement and chiral-symmetry breaking from the deconfinement and chiral-symmetry restoring transitions. Unlike QCD with fundamental quarks, these two transitions appear to be well-separated. The change in coupling constants at these transitions between the two different temporal extents $N_t$, is consistent with these being finite temperature transitions for an asymptotically free theory, which favours walking behaviour. In the deconfined phase, the Wilson Line shows a 3-state signal. Between the confinement and chiral transitions, there is an additional transition where the states with Wilson Lines oriented in the directions of the complex cube roots of unity disorder into a state with a negative Wilson Line.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2010

Thermodynamics of lattice QCD with 2 flavours of colour-sextet quarks: A model of walking/conformal Technicolor

QCD with two flavours of massless colour-sextet quarks is considered as a model for conformal/walking Technicolor. If this theory possess an infrared fixed point, as indicated by 2-loop perturbation theory, it is a conformal(unparticle) field theory. If, on the other hand, a chiral condensate forms on the weak-coupling side of this would-be fixed point, the theory remains confining. The only difference between such a theory and regular QCD is that there is a range of momentum scales over which the coupling constant runs very slowly (walks). In this first analysis, we simulate the lattice version of QCD with two flavours of staggered quarks at finite temperatures on lattices of temporal extent $N_t=4$ and 6. The deconfinement and chiral-symmetry restoration couplings give us a measure of the scales associated with confinement and chiral-symmetry breaking. We find that, in contrast to what is seen with fundamental quarks, these transition couplings are very different. $β=6/g^2$ for each of these transitions increases significantly from $N_t=4$ and $N_t=6$ as expected for the finite temperature transitions of an asymptotically-free theory. This suggests a walking rather than a conformal behaviour, in contrast to what is observed with Wilson quarks. In contrast to what is found for fundamental quarks, the deconfined phase exhibits states in which the Polyakov loop is oriented in the directions of all three cube roots of unity. At very weak coupling the states with complex Polyakov loops undergo a transition to a state with a real, negative Polyakov loop.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

QCD thermodynamics with colour-sextet quarks

We study QCD with two flavours of colour-sextet quarks as a candidate walking-Technicolor theory. We simulate lattice QCD with two flavours of colour-sextet staggered quarks at finite temperatures to observe the scales of confinement and chiral-symmetry breaking. These should give us some indication as to whether the massless theory has an infrared fixed point making it a conformal field theory, or whether it exhibits confinement and chiral symmetry breaking with a slowly varying coupling constant, i.e. `walks'. We find that unlike the case with fundamental quarks, the deconfinement and chiral-symmetry restoration transitions are far apart. The values of $β=6/g^2$ for both transitions increase when $Ta$ is decreased from 1/4 to 1/6 as would be expected for finite temperature transitions of an asymptotically-free field theory. So far we see no suggestion of conformal behaviour.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2008

Confinement and Chiral Symmetry, a Lattice QCD test of AdS/QCD

We use lattice QCD simulations to test some of the predictions of proposed AdS/QCD (holographic) duals for QCD. In particular, these duals predict that the scale of chiral symmetry breaking ($χ$SB) can be varied independently from that of confinement, with the proviso that the scale of $χ$SB cannot be longer than that of confinement. We simulate lattice QCD with 2 quarks in the fundamental representation of colour and with additional 4-fermion interactions (suggested by AdS/QCD), at finite temperatures. For sufficiently strong 4-fermion interactions, the deconfinement and $χ$SB transitions occur at different temperatures, the separation depending on the 4-fermion coupling. This confirms that the scales of confinement and $χ$SB are, in general, different.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2008

Separating the scales of confinement and chiral-symmetry breaking in lattice QCD with fundamental quarks

Suggested holographic duals of QCD, based on AdS/CFT duality, predict that one should be able to vary the scales of colour confinement and chiral-symmetry breaking independently. Furthermore they suggest that such independent variation of scales can be achieved by the inclusion of extra 4-fermion interactions in QCD. We simulate lattice QCD with such extra 4-fermion terms at finite temperatures and show that for strong enough 4-fermion couplings the deconfinement transition occurs at a lower temperature than the chiral-symmetry restoration transition. Moreover the separation of these transitions depends on the size of the 4-fermion coupling, confirming the predictions from the proposed holographic dual of QCD.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2008

Lattice QCD at finite temperature and density in the phase-quenched approximation

QCD at a finite quark-number chemical potential $μ$ has a complex fermion determinant, which precludes its study by standard lattice QCD simulations. We therefore simulate lattice QCD at finite $μ$ in the phase-quenched approximation, replacing the fermion determinant with its magnitude. These simulations are used to study the finite temperature transition for small $μ$,where the position and nature of this transition are expected to be unchanged by this approximation. We look for the expected critical endpoint for 3-flavour QCD. Here, it had been argued that the critical point at zero $μ$ would become the critical endpoint at small $μ$, for quark masses just above the critical mass. Our simulations indicate that this does not happen, and there is no such critical endpoint for small $μ$. We discuss how we might adapt techniques used for imaginary $μ$ to improve the signal/noise ratio and strengthen our conclusions, using results from relatively low statistics studies.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2007

Phase Quenched Lattice QCD at Finite Density and Temperature

We simulate 3-flavour lattice QCD at finite quark-number chemical potential mu in the phase-quenched approximation, close to the finite temperature transition. Working close to the critical quark mass, we find no evidence for the expected critical endpoint at small mu. We are performing further simulations aimed at calculating the equation-of-state of this theory outside of the superfluid domain, where its phase structure is expected to mimic the full theory.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2007

Equilibrium Thermodynamics of Lattice QCD

Lattice QCD allows us to simulate QCD at non-zero temperature and/or densities. Such equilibrium thermodynamics calculations are relevant to the physics of relativistic heavy-ion collisions. I give a brief review of the field with emphasis on our work.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2006

Searching for the elusive critical endpoint at finite temperature and isospin density

We consider 3-flavour lattice QCD with a finite chemical potential mu_I for isospin, close to the finite temperature transition from hadronic matter to a quark-gluon plasma. In this region one can argue that the position and probably the nature of this transition mimic those at finite quark-number chemical potential mu. The quark mass is chosen to be close to the critical mass at zero chemical potentials. Since the Binder cumulants used to determine the nature of this transition in HMD(R) simulations are very sensitive to the updating increment dt, we have switched to the newer exact RHMC algorithm for our simulations. Preliminary results indicate that there is no critical endpoint in the small mu_I regime, at least none connected with the critical point at zero chemical potentials.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2006

The RHMC algorithm for theories with unknown spectral bounds

The Rational Hybrid Monte Carlo (RHMC) algorithm extends the Hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm for lattice QCD simulations to situations involving fractional powers of the determinant of the quadratic Dirac operator. This avoids the updating increment ($dt$) dependence of observables which plagues the Hybrid Molecular-dynamics (HMD) method. The RHMC algorithm uses rational approximations to fractional powers of the quadratic Dirac operator. Such approximations are only available when positive upper and lower bounds to the operator's spectrum are known. We apply the RHMC algorithm to simulations of 2 theories for which a positive lower spectral bound is unknown: lattice QCD with staggered quarks at finite isospin chemical potential and lattice QCD with massless staggered quarks and chiral 4-fermion interactions ($χ$QCD). A choice of lower bound is made in each case, and the properties of the RHMC simulations these define are studied. Justification of our choices of lower bounds is made by comparing measurements with those from HMD simulations, and by comparing different choices of lower bounds.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2006

Evidence for O(2) universality at the finite temperature transition for lattice QCD with 2 flavours of massless staggered quarks

We simulate lattice QCD with 2 flavours of massless quarks on lattices of temporal extent N_t=8, to study the finite temperature transition from hadronic matter to a quark-gluon plasma. A modified action which incorporates an irrelevant chiral 4-fermion interaction is used, which allows simulations at zero quark mass. We obtain excellent fits of the chiral condensates to the magnetizations of a 3-dimensional O(2) spin model on lattices small enough to model the finite size effects. This gives predictions for correlation lengths and chiral susceptibilities from the corresponding spin-model quantities. These are in good agreement with our measurements over the relevant range of parameters. Binder cumulants are measured, but the errors are too large to draw definite conclusions. From the properties of the O(2) spin model on the relatively small lattices with which we fit our `data', we can see why earlier attempts to fit staggered lattice data to leading-order infinite-volume scaling functions, as well as finite size scaling studies, failed and led to erroneous conclusions.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2006

Quantization and simulation of Born-Infeld non-linear electrodynamics on a lattice

Born-Infeld non-linear electrodynamics arises naturally as a field theory description of the dynamics of strings and branes. Most analyses of this theory have been limited to studying it as a classical field theory. We quantize this theory on a Euclidean 4-dimensional space-time lattice and determine its properties using Monte-Carlo simulations. The electromagnetic field around a static point charge is measured using Luscher-Weisz methods to overcome the sign problem associated with the introduction of this charge. The D field appears identical to that of Maxwell QED. However, the E field is enhanced by quantum fluctuations, while still showing the short distance screening observed in the classical theory. In addition, whereas for the classical theory, the screening increases without bound as the non-linearity increases, the quantum theory approaches a limiting conformal field theory.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2005

3-flavour lattice QCD at finite density and temperature: QCD at finite isospin density revisited

We simulate 3-flavour lattice QCD at finite temperature and isospin chemical potential $μ_I$. In particular we study the nature of the finite temperature transition for quark masses close to the critical mass at which this transition for zero chemical potentials changes from a first order transition to a crossover. We find that the Binder cumulants, used to determine the position of this transition, have very strong dt dependence. This leads us to an estimate of the critical mass which is about 20% below previous estimates. In addition, when this dt dependence is taken into account, we find that the Binder cumulants show very little dependence on mu_I. From this we conclude that we do not as yet see any evidence for the expected critical endpoint. We have argued previously that the position and nature of the finite temperature transition for small mu_I should be the same as that for small quark-number chemical potential mu.

hep-lat↗