Das SR, Murthy G. Compact z = 2 electrodynamics in 2 + 1 dimensions: confinement with gapless modes.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2010;
104:181601. [PMID:
20482166 DOI:
10.1103/physrevlett.104.181601]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2009] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
We consider 2+1-dimensional compact U(1) gauge theory at the Lifshitz point with a dynamical critical exponent z=2. As in the usual z=1 theory, monopoles proliferate the vacuum for any value of the coupling, generating a mass scale. The theory of the dilute monopole gas is written in terms of a nonrelativistic sine-Gordon model with two real fields. While monopoles remove some of the massless poles of the perturbative field strength propagator, a gapless mode representing the incomplete screening of monopoles remains, and is protected by a shift invariance of the original theory. Timelike Wilson loops still obey area laws, implying that minimal charges are confined, but the action of spacelike Wilson loops of linear size L goes instead as L(3).
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