SU(N_c) gauge theories at deconfinement

Understand

The deconfinement transition in SU($N_c$) Yang--Mills is investigated by Monte Carlo simulations of the gauge theory discretized on a spacetime lattice.

• We present new results for $ 4 \le N_c \le 8$ (in particular, for $N_c = 5$ and $N_c = 7$), which are analysed together with previously published results.
• The increased amount of data, the improved statistics and simulations closer to the continuum limit provide us with better control over systematic errors.
• After performing the thermodynamic limit, numerical results for the ratio of the critical temperature $T_c$ over the square root of the string tension $\sqrt{\sigma}$ obtained on lattices with temporal extensions $N_t = 5,6,7,8$ are extrapolated to the continuum limit.