The deconfinement transition in SU(2) lattice gauge theories

Abstract

Using Monte Carlo techniques we study the SU(2) Yang-Mills system at finite temperatures for two different forms of lattice action, proposed by Villain and Monton respectively. In both cases the energy density ε exhibits a similar behaviour to the case of the Wilson action, being an order of magnitude smaller at lower temperatures and approaching the Stefan-Boltzmann limit for a free gluon gas at higher temperatures. The transition between these two temperature regimes appears rather abrupt and the specific heat of gluon matter exhibits a sharp peak at the transition point. The transition temperature, expressed in MeV, is found to be consistent in both the cases with that obtained by using the Wilson action, although in the natural units of the corresponding Λ-parameters it differs substantially, being 10.7, 27.3 and 42.8 for Manton, Villain and Wilson actions, respectively.