Finite temperature phase transition, adjoint Polyakov loop and topology in SU(2) LGT

TL;DR

This paper explores the phase transitions in SU(2) lattice gauge theory at finite temperature, focusing on the role of the adjoint Polyakov loop and topology, with implications for understanding continuum limits.

Contribution

It introduces a modified SU(2) LGT with a Z2 monopole chemical potential and analyzes the decoupling of physical phase transitions from unphysical bulk transitions.

Findings

Finite temperature phase transition can be decoupled from bulk transitions.

Adjoint Polyakov loop may serve as an order parameter for the phase transition.

Topological structures are related to the phase behavior.

Abstract

We investigate the phase structure of pure SU(2) LGT at finite temperature in the mixed fundamental and adjoint representation modified with a Z2 monopole chemical potential. The decoupling of the finite temperature phase transition from unphysical zero temperature bulk phase transitions is analyzed with special emphasis on the continuum limit. The possible relation of the adjoint Polyakov loop to an order parameter for the finite temperature phase transition and to the topological structure of the theory is discussed.