Monopoles, vortices and confinement in SU(3) gauge theory

TL;DR

This paper investigates the role of $Z_3$ vortices and monopoles in SU(3) gauge theory, demonstrating that the dual Polyakov line serves as an effective disorder parameter for confinement, similar to the monopole condensate.

Contribution

It extends the dual Polyakov line technique from SU(2) to SU(3), highlighting new features in constructing the disorder operator for confinement.

Findings

Dual Polyakov line is a good disorder parameter for confinement.

Behavior of the dual Polyakov line is similar to monopole condensate.

New features in the construction of the disorder operator for SU(3).

Abstract

We compute, in SU(3) pure gauge theory, the vacuum expectation value (vev) of the operator which creates a $Z_3$ vortex wrapping the lattice through periodic boundary conditions (dual Polyakov line). The technique used is the same already tested in the SU(2) case. The dual Polyakov line proves to be a good disorder parameter for confinement, and has a similar behaviour to the monopole condensate. The new features which characterise the construction of the disorder operator in SU(3) are emphasised.