Width of the flux tube in compact U(1) gauge theory in three dimensions

TL;DR

This paper investigates the width and profile of flux tubes in three-dimensional compact U(1) lattice gauge theory, comparing numerical results with theoretical models and discussing implications for non-Abelian theories.

Contribution

It provides a detailed numerical analysis of flux tube properties in 3D U(1) gauge theory and evaluates the effectiveness of different theoretical models in describing these features.

Findings

Bosonic-string model fails to match quantitative flux tube features.

Dual-superconductor model aligns well with Monte Carlo data.

Analytical insights relate results to semi-classical analysis by Polyakov.

Abstract

We study the squared width and the profile of flux tubes in compact U(1) lattice gauge theory in three spacetime dimensions. The results obtained from numerical calculations in the dual formulation of this confining theory are compared with predictions from an effective bosonic-string model and from the dual-superconductor model: it is found that the former fails at describing the quantitative features of the flux tube, while the latter is in good agreement with Monte Carlo data. The analytical interpretation of these results (in the light of the semi-classical analysis by Polyakov) is pointed out, and a comparison with non-Abelian gauge theories in four spacetime dimensions is discussed.