Eur. Phys. J. C (2013) 73: 2346
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-013-2346-5

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

A study of the Higgs and confining phases in Euclidean SU(2) Yang–Mills theories in 3d by taking into account the Gribov horizon

¹ Departamento de Física Teórica, Instituto de Física, UERJ—Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, Rio de Janeiro, 20550-013, Maracanã, Brazil
² Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S9, 9000, Gent, Belgium

^* e-mail: msguimaraes@uerj.br

Received: 26 October 2012
Revised: 14 January 2013
Published online: 8 March 2013

Abstract

We study SU(2) three-dimensional Yang–Mills theories in presence of Higgs fields in the light of the Gribov phenomenon. By restricting the domain of integration in the functional integral to the first Gribov horizon, we are able to discuss a kind of transition between the Higgs and the confining phase in a semiclassical approximation. Both adjoint and fundamental representation for the Higgs field are considered, leading to a different phase structure.