Exploring Partially Confined Phases

TL;DR

This paper analytically explores partially confining phases in SU(N) gauge theories, revealing their phase structure, thermodynamic properties, and scaling behaviors of string and surface tensions at high temperatures.

Contribution

It introduces a method to realize and analyze partially confining phases via Wilson line modifications, providing explicit calculations of phase diagrams and tension ratios.

Findings

Partially confining phases occur with specific symmetry breaking patterns.

Analytic expressions for phase diagram, pressure, and tensions at high temperatures.

Emergence of approximate scaling laws for tensions.

Abstract

Phases of SU(N) gauge theories in which the global Z(N) symmetry breaks spontaneously to a subgroup Z(L) can be realized by adding appropriate Wilson line terms to the gauge action. These phases are partially confining, in the sense that quarks are confined but bound states of L quarks are not. At temperatures large compared to the normal deconfinement temperature, the phase diagram, pressure, string tensions, and 't Hooft loop surface tensions can be calculated analytically. Approximate scaling laws emerge naturally for both string tensions and surface tensions.