Related papers: k-String tensions and the 1/N expansion
In pure SU(N) gauge theory in four dimensions, we determine the string tension at large N from smeared rectangular Wilson loops on the lattice. We learn how well loops of sizes barely on the strong-coupling side of the large-N transition in…
We calculate the string tension and part of the mass spectrum of SU(4) and SU(6) gauge theories in 2+1 dimensions using lattice techniques. We combine these new results with older results for N=2,...,5 so as to obtain more accurate…
We study k-strings in deformed Yang-Mills (dYM) with SU(N) gauge group in the semiclassically calculable regime on ${\rm I\!R}^3 \times S^1$. Their tensions T$_{\text{k}}$ are computed in two ways: numerically, for $2$ $\le$ N $\le$ $10$,…
The classic argument by Polyakov showing that monopoles produce confinement in the Higgs phase of the Georgi-Glashow model is generalized to study the spectrum of k-strings. We find that the leading-order low-density approximation yields…
I begin these three lectures by describing some of the useful things that we have learned about large-N gauge theories using lattice simulations. For example that the theory is confining in that limit, that for many quantities SU(3) is…
We calculate the mass spectra and string tensions of SU(2), SU(3), SU(4) and SU(5) gauge theories in 2+1 dimensions. We do so by simulating the corresponding lattice theories and then extrapolating dimensionless mass ratios to the continuum…
I show how one can use lattice methods to calculate various continuum properties of SU(N) gauge theories; in part to explore old ideas that N=3 might be close to N=infinity. I describe calculations of the low-lying `glueball' mass spectrum,…
In the presence of a static quark--antiquark pair, the spectrum of the low-lying states in SU($N$) gauge theories is discrete and likely to be described, at large quark separations $r$, by an effective string theory. The expansion of the…
We consider large Wilson loops with quarks in higher representations in SU(N) Yang-Mills theories. We consider representations with common N-ality and check whether the expectation value of the Wilson loop depends on the specific…
We calculate the energy spectrum of closed strings in SU(N) gauge theories with N=2,3,4,6,8 in 2+1 dimensions to a high accuracy. We attempt to control all systematic errors, and this allows us to perform a precise comparison with different…
We discuss two issues related to the physics of center vortices in pure SU(N) lattice gauge theory at large N: (1) Center vortices are stable classical solutions of the Wilson action, as well as of a wide class of improved lattice actions,…
We propose gauging matrix models of string theory to eliminate unwanted non-singlet states. To this end we perform a discretised light-cone quantisation of large N gauge theory in 1+1 dimensions, with scalar or fermionic matter fields…
We perform lattice calculations of the spatial 't Hooft k-string tensions in the deconfined phase of SU(N) gauge theories for N=2,3,4,6. These equal (up to a factor of T) the surface tensions of the domain walls between the corresponding…
Some mysterious features of the strong interactions become easily understood if our usual QCD with N=3 is `close to' SU(oo) and if the latter theory is confining. N=oo theories are theoretically simpler; in particular there has been much…
We use lattice techniques to calculate the continuum string tensions of SU(N) gauge theories in 2+1 dimensions. We attempt to control all systematic errors at a level that allows us to perform a precise test of the analytic prediction of…
We calculate the excitation spectrumof closed k-strings in 2+1 dimensional SU(N) gauge theories for N = 4, 5 and k = 2. Our results demonstrate that the low-lying spectrum of the k = 2 string falls into sectors that belong to nearly pure…
This article gives a rigorous formulation and proof of the $1/N$ expansion for Wilson loop expectations in strongly coupled $SU(N)$ lattice gauge theory in any dimension. The coefficients of the expansion are represented as absolutely…
A numerical study of the string tension and of the masses of the lowest-lying glueballs is performed in SU($N$) gauge theories for $2 \le N \le 8$ in D=3+1 and $2 \le N \le 6$ in D=2+1. It is shown that for the string tension a smooth $N…
We calculate the string tension, K, and some of the lightest glueball masses, M, in 3+1 dimensional SU(N) lattice gauge theories for N=2,3,4,5 . From the continuum extrapolation of the lattice values, we find that the mass ratios,…
We consider a phenomenological model for the dynamics of Wilson loops in pure SU(N) QCD where the expectation value of the loop is the average over an interacting diffusion process on the group manifold SU(N). The interaction is provided by…