On the spectrum and string tension of U(1) lattice gauge theory in 2+1 dimensions

Abstract: We calculate the low-lying spectra of glueballs and confining flux tubes in the U(1) lattice gauge theory in 2+1 dimensions. We see that up to modest lattice spacing corrections, the glueball states are consistent with being multiparticle states composed of non-interacting massive JPC=0-- particles. We observe that the ag^2 -> 0 limit is, as expected, unconventional, and follows the well-known saddle-point analysis of Polyakov to a good approximation. The spectrum of closed (winding) flux tubes exhibits the presence of a massive world-sheet excitation whose mass is consistent with that of the bulk screening mass. These U(1) calculations are intended to complement existing lattice calculations of the properties of SU(N) and SO(N) gauge theories in D=2+1.