The onset of deconfinement in SU(2) lattice gauge theory

Engels J, Fingberg J, Redlich K, Satz H, Weber M. The onset of deconfinement in SU(2) lattice gauge theory. Zeitschrift für Physik, C: Particles and Fields. 1989;42(2):341-347.In SU(2) lattice gauge theory, we study deviations from ideal gas behaviour near the deconfinement point. On lattices of sizeN [sigma] 3 ×4,N [sigma]=8, 12, 18 and 26, we calculate the quantity [Delta]= [epsilon]–3P)/T 4. It increases sharply just above T c , peaks at T/T c =1.15 ±0.05 and then drops quickly. This form of behaviour is shown to be the consequence of a second order phase transition. Dynamically it could arise because just above T c , the low momentum states of the system are remnant massive modes rather than deconfined massless gluons