Compact QED under scrutiny: it's first order

TL;DR

This paper provides high-precision evidence that the phase transition in 4d compact pure U(1) gauge theory with Wilson action is first order, based on finite size scaling analysis of plaquette energy cumulants.

Contribution

It offers the first detailed finite size scaling analysis confirming the first-order nature of the phase transition in this gauge theory.

Findings

Strong evidence for a first-order phase transition

High precision critical coupling value obtained

Finite size scaling analysis of cumulants supports conclusions

Abstract

We report new results from our finite size scaling analysis of 4d compact pure U(1) gauge theory with Wilson action. Investigating several cumulants of the plaquette energy within the Borgs-Kotecky finite size scaling scheme we find strong evidence for a first-order phase transition and present a high precision value for the critical coupling in the thermodynamic limit.