Casimir boundaries, monopoles, and deconfinement transition in 3+1 dimensional compact electrodynamics

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the presence of conducting plates affects monopole behavior and induces a deconfinement transition in 3+1 dimensional compact U(1) gauge theory, revealing a phase change driven by boundary proximity.

Contribution

It demonstrates that conducting boundaries can trigger a deconfinement transition in compact U(1) gauge theory through numerical simulations, expanding understanding of boundary effects on confinement.

Findings

Decreasing plate distance induces deconfinement transition.

Phase diagram mapping in gauge coupling and boundary distance.

Vacuum between plates transitions from confining to deconfining phase.

Abstract

Compact U(1) gauge theory in 3+1 dimensions possesses the confining phase, characterized by a linear raise of the potential between particles with opposite electric charges at sufficiently large inter-particle separation. The confinement is generated by condensation of Abelian monopoles at strong gauge coupling. We study the properties of monopoles and the deconfining order parameter in zero-temperature theory in the presence of ideally conducting parallel metallic boundaries (plates) usually associated with the Casimir effect. Using first-principle numerical simulations in compact U(1) lattice gauge theory, we show that as the distance between the plates diminishes, the vacuum in between the plates experiences a deconfining transition. The phase diagram in the space of the gauge coupling and the inter-plane distance is obtained.