Probing the finite temperature phase transition with Nf=2 nonperturbatively improved Wilson fermions

TL;DR

This study investigates the finite temperature phase transition in two-flavor QCD using nonperturbatively improved Wilson fermions, determining the critical temperature and transition nature through lattice simulations.

Contribution

It provides a nonperturbative lattice calculation of the critical temperature and transition characteristics for Nf=2 QCD with improved Wilson fermions.

Findings

Deconfinement and chiral transitions occur at the same temperature.

Results support a second order phase transition in the chiral limit.

Critical temperature at physical quark mass is approximately 174 MeV.

Abstract

The critical temperature and the nature of the QCD finite temperature phase transition are determined for Nf=2 dynamical flavors of nonperturbatively improved Wilson fermions. The calculations are performed on large lattices with temporal extents Nt=12, 10 and 8, and lattice spacings down to a = 0.075 fm. We find the deconfinement and chiral phasetransitions to take place at the same temperature. Our results are in broad agreement with a second order phase transition in the chiral limit. The critical temperature at the physical quark mass is found to be Tc = 174(3)(6) MeV.