The Effective String of 3D Z_2 Gauge Theory as a c=1 compactified CFT

TL;DR

This paper uses high-precision Monte Carlo simulations to analyze the flux tube in a 3D Z_2 gauge theory, confirming it behaves as a c=1 compactified conformal field theory with quantum fluctuations playing a crucial role.

Contribution

It provides a detailed numerical verification that the effective string description of the flux tube corresponds to a c=1 conformal field theory, emphasizing the importance of quantum fluctuations.

Findings

Agreement with Wilson loop results when quantum fluctuations are included

Confirmation of c=1 conformal field theory as the effective description

High-precision Monte Carlo data supports the effective string model

Abstract

We report on a high precision Montecarlo test of the three dimensional Ising gauge model at finite temperature. The string tension $\sigma$ is extracted from the expectation values of correlations of Polyakov lines. Agreement with the string tension extracted from Wilson loops is found only if the quantum fluctuations of the flux tube are properly taken into account. The central charge of the underlying conformal field theory is c=1.