Scaling properties of SU(2) gauge theory with mixed fundamental-adjoint action

TL;DR

This paper investigates the phase diagram of SU(2) lattice gauge theory with mixed fundamental-adjoint action, identifying a potential continuum limit at a second order end-point and analyzing the glueball spectrum near this critical point.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of the phase structure and scaling behavior of SU(2) gauge theory with mixed actions, including the estimation of the end-point location.

Findings

Confirmed first order bulk phase transition

Estimated the end-point of the transition in parameter space

Studied the scaling of the glueball spectrum near the critical point

Abstract

We study the phase diagram of the SU(2) lattice gauge theory with fundamental-adjoint Wilson plaquette action. We confirm the presence of a first order bulk phase transition and we estimate the location of its end-point in the bare parameter space. If this point is second order, the theory is one of the simplest realizations of a lattice gauge theory admitting a continuum limit at finite bare couplings. All the relevant gauge observables are monitored in the vicinity of the fixed point with very good control over finite-size effects. The scaling properties of the low-lying glueball spectrum are studied while approaching the end-point in a controlled manner.