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K. Langfeld

Publications and source records attributed to K. Langfeld.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2001

Gauge invariant Z_2 vortex vacuum textures and the SU(2) gluon condensate

For SU(2) lattice gauge theory, a new SO(3) cooling procedure is proposed which removes the SU(2)/Z(2) coset fields from the lattice configurations and reveals a Z(2) vortex vacuum texture different from the P-vortex content obtained in the maximal center gauge. Cooling can be restricted in a renormalization group invariant way by a parameter controlling the remaining SO(3) action density. A gauge invariant Z(2) vortex vacuum emerges asymptotically if cooling is not restricted. This ``vortex texture'' does not support the string tension or a finite part of it. The SU(2) action density associated with the new Z(2) vortex texture has a smooth extrapolation to the continuum limit. We propose an interpretation as a mass dimension four condensate related to the gluon condensate featuring in the operator product expansion.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2001

Center vortex properties in the Laplace center gauge of SU(2) Yang-Mills theory

Resorting to the the Laplace center gauge (LCG) and to the Maximal-center gauge (MCG), respectively, confining vortices are defined by center projection in either case. Vortex properties are investigated in the continuum limit of SU(2) lattice gauge theory. The vortex (area) density and the density of vortex crossing points are investigated. In the case of MCG, both densities are physical quantities in the continuum limit. By contrast, in the LCG the piercing as well as the crossing points lie dense in the continuum limit. In both cases, an approximate treatment by means of a weakly interacting vortex gas is not appropriate.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2000

Center-vortex dominance after dimensional reduction of SU(2) lattice gauge theory

The high-temperature phase of SU(2) Yang-Mills theory is addressed by means of dimensional reduction with a special emphasis on the properties of center vortices. For this purpose, the vortex vacuum which arises from center projection is studied in pure 3-dimensional Yang-Mills theory as well as in the 3-dimensional adjoint Higgs model which describes the high temperature phase of the 4-dimensional SU(2) gauge theory. We find center-dominance within the numerical accuracy of 10%.

hep-lat↗
arXiv1999

Magnetic Monopoles, Center Vortices, Confinement and Topology of Gauge Fields

The vortex picture of confinement is studied. The deconfinement phase transition is explained as a transition from a phase in which vortices percolate to a phase of small vortices. Lattice results are presented in support of this scenario. Furthermore the topological properties of magnetic monopoles and center vortices arising, respectively, in Abelian and center gauges are studied in continuum Yang-Mills-theory. For this purpose the continuum analog of the maximum center gauge is constructed.

hep-th↗
arXiv1999

Quantum gauge fixing and vortex dominance

We introduce quantum gauge fixing (QGF) as a new class of gauge fixings. While the maximal center gauge might not show vortex dominance, the confining properties of the vortices observed in past lattice calculations are argued to have been obtained in a gauge more akin to QGF than to the strict maximal center gauge.

hep-lat↗
arXiv1999

A picture of the Yang-Mills deconfinement transition and its lattice verification

In the framework of the center vortex picture of confinement, the nature of the deconfining phase transition is studied. Using recently developed techniques which allow to associate a center vortex configuration with any given lattice gauge configuration, it is demonstrated that the confining phase is a phase in which vortices percolate, whereas the deconfined phase is a phase in which vortices cease to percolate if one considers an appropriate slice of space-time.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1999

Deconfinement in SU(2) Yang-Mills theory as a center vortex percolation transition

By fixing lattice Yang-Mills configurations to the maximal center gauge and subsequently applying the technique of center projection, one can identify center vortices in these configurations. Recently, center vortices have been shown to determine the string tension between static quarks at finite temperatures (center dominance); also, they correctly reproduce the deconfining transition to a phase with vanishing string tension. After verifying center dominance also for the so-called spatial string tension, the present analysis focuses on the global topology of vortex networks. General arguments are given supporting the notion that the deconfinement transition in the center vortex picture takes the guise of a percolation transition. This transition is detected in Monte Carlo experiments by concentrating on various slices through the closed vortex surfaces; these slices, representing loops in lattice universes reduced by one dimension, clearly exhibit the expected transition from a percolating to a non-percolating, deconfined, phase. The latter phase contains a large proportion of vortex loops winding around the lattice in the Euclidean time direction. At the same time, an intuitive picture clarifying the persistence of the spatial string tension in the deconfined phase emerges.

hep-lat↗
arXiv1999

Center vortices of Yang-Mills theory at finite temperatures

Recent lattice calculations performed at zero temperature and in the maximal center gauge indicate that quark confinement can be understood in this gauge as due to fluctuations in the number of magnetic vortices piercing a given Wilson loop. This development has led to a revival of the vortex condensation theory of confinement. For a SU(2) gauge group, we show that also at finite temperatures, center vortices are the relevant collective infrared degrees of freedom determining the long-range static quark potential; in particular, their dynamics reflect the transition to the deconfining phase.

hep-lat↗
arXiv1998

Interaction of confining vortices in SU(2) lattice gauge theory

Center projection of SU(2) lattice gauge theory allows to isolate magnetic vortices as confining configurations. The vortex density scales according to the renormalization group, implying that the vortices are physical objects rather than lattice artifacts. Here, the binary correlations between points at which vortices pierce a given plane are investigated. We find an attractive interaction between the vortices. The correlations show the correct scaling behavior and are therefore physical. The range of the interaction is found to be (0.4 +/- 0.2) fm, which should be compared with the average planar vortex density of approximately 2 vortices/fm^2. We comment on the implications of these results for recent discussions of the Casimir scaling behavior of higher dimensional representation Wilson loops in the vortex confinement picture.

hep-lat↗
arXiv1997

Asymptotic freedom in a scalar field theory on the lattice

An alternative model to the trivial $ϕ^4$-theory of the standard model of weak interactions is suggested, which embodies the Higgs-mechanism, but is free of the conceptual problems of standard $ϕ^4$-theory. We propose a N-component, O(N)-symmetric scalar field theory, which is originally defined on the lattice. The model can be motivated from SU(2) gauge theory. Thereby the scalar field arises as a gauge invariant degree of freedom. The scalar lattice model is analytically solved in the large N limit. The continuum limit is approached via an asymptotically free scaling. The renormalized theory evades triviality, and furthermore gives rise to a dynamically formed mass of the scalar particle.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1996

Monopoles and Strings in Yang-Mills Theories

Yang-Mills theory is studied in a variant of 't Hooft's maximal Abelian gauge. In this gauge magnetic monopoles arise in the Abelian magnetic field. We show, however, that the full (non-Abelian) magnetic field does not possess any monopoles, but rather strings of magnetic fluxes. We argue that these strings are the relevant infrared degrees of freedom. The properties of the magnetic strings which arise from a dilute instanton gas are investigated for the gauge group SU(2).

hep-th↗
arXiv1994

Scale Anomaly Induced Instanton Interaction

The binary interaction of large size instantons in a SU(2) Yang-Mills theory is obtained from the one-loop effective action for the field strength. The instanton interaction is calculated as a function of the instanton separation and in dependence on radius and relative orientation of the instantons. Two equally oriented instantons with radii large compared with the scale defined by the gluon condensate have purely attractive interaction, whereas the interaction of maximal disoriented instantons is repulsive. We argue that the medium range attractive interaction of the instantons generally holds and is solely due to the instability of the perturbative vacuum.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1993

Natural Slow-Roll Inflation

It is shown that the non-perturbative dynamics of a phase change to the non-trivial phase of $λφ^4$-theory in the early universe can give rise to slow-rollover inflation without recourse to unnaturally small couplings.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1993

The Non-Trivial Phase of $ϕ^{4}$-Theory in an External Magnetic Field and at Finite Temperature

The effective potential for the order parameter $ϕ^{\dagger } ϕ$ is investigated in massless $ϕ^{4}$-theory in the presence of magnetic fields at finite temperature. It is found that the first order nature of the phase transition from the non-trivial to the perturbative ground state at a critical temperature is unchanged by the presence of magnetic fields, though they do increase the critical temperature and weaken the barrier separating the perturbative from the non-trivial phase. The results might be relevant for the electro-weak phase transition as well as for inflationary models of the early universe.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1993

Non-Trivial SU(N) Instantons and Exotic Skyrmions

The classical Yang-Mills equations are solved for arbitrary semi-simple gauge groups in the Schwinger-Fock gauge. A new class of SU(N) instantons is presented which are not embeddings of SU(N-1) instantons but have non-trivial SU(N) color structure and carry winding number $n=N(N^{2}-1)/6$. Explicit configurations are given for SU(3) and SU(4) gauge groups. By means of the Atiyah Manton procedure Skyrmion fields are constructed from the SU(N) instantons. These Skyrmions represent exotic baryon states.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1993

Casimir Effect of Strongly Interacting Scalar Fields

Non-trivial $ϕ^{4}$-theory is studied in a renormalisation group invariant approach inside a box consisting of rectangular plates and where the scalar modes satisfy periodic boundary conditions at the plates. It is found that the Casimir energy exponentially approaches the infinite volume limit, the decay rate given by the scalar condensate. It therefore essentially differs from the power law of a free theory. This might provide experimental access to properties of the non-trivial vacuum. At small interplate distances the system can no longer tolerate a scalar condensate, and a first order phase transition to the perturbative phase occurs. The dependence of the vacuum energy density and the scalar condensate on the box dimensions are presented.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1993

Anisotropic Electron Coupling as a Phenomenological Model for High-Temperature Superconductors

A three-dimensional weak coupling BCS model with an {\it anisotropic} pairing interaction in momentum space is reported. It exhibits an anisotropic gap in accord with recent experimental observations for high-$T_c$ oxides. The gap ratio ${2 Δ/ k_B T_c }$ is calculated as function of the anisotropy ratio of the electron pairing. It is found that the mean gap ratio decreases with increasing anisotropy of the electron pairing, whereas the maximum gap ratio increases. Assuming a unique strength of the effective electron interaction the transition temperature turns out to be always larger than in the isotropic case. The temperature dependence of the gap in the Cu-O plane and along the c-axis of YBaCuO is presented.

cond-mat↗