2023 Impact factor 4.2
Particles and Fields
Eur. Phys. J. C 12, 479-488
DOI 10.1007/s100529900295

Analytic approach to confinement
and monopoles in lattice SU(2)

D. Gromes

Institut für Theoretische Physik der Universität Heidelberg, Philosophenweg 16, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
(e-mail: d.gromes@thphys.uni-heidelberg.de)

Received: 27 August 1999 / Revised version: 29 October 1999 / Published online: 21 December 1999

Abstract
We extend the approach of Banks, Myerson, and Kogut for the calculation of the Wilson loop in lattice U(1) to the non-abelian SU(2) group. The original degrees of freedom of the theory are integrated out, new degrees of freedom are introduced in several steps. The centre group Z2 enters automatically through the appearance of a field strength tensor $f_{\mu \nu }$, which takes on the values 0 or 1 only. It obeys a linear field equation with the loop current as source. This equation implies that $f_{\mu \nu }$ is non vanishing on a two-dimensional surface bounded by the loop, and possibly on closed surfaces. The two-dimensional surfaces have a natural interpretation as strings moving in euclidean time. In four dimensions we recover the dual Abrikosov string of a type II superconductor, i.e. an electric string encircled by a magnetic current. In contrast to other types of monopoles found in the literature, the monopoles and the associated magnetic currents are present in every configuration. With some plausible, though not generally conclusive, arguments we are directly led to the area law for large loops.


Copyright Springer-Verlag 2000