The Zero Temperature Chiral Phase Transition in SU(N) Gauge Theories
Thomas Appelquist, John Terning, L. C. R. Wijewardhana
TL;DR
It is argued that there exists a critical number of fermions above which there is no chiral symmetry breaking or confinement, and below which both chiral symmetries breaking and confinement set in.
Abstract
We investigate the zero temperature chiral phase transition in an SU(N) gauge theory as the number of fermions $N_f$ is varied. We argue that there exists a critical number of fermions $N_f^c$, above which there is no chiral symmetry breaking or confinement, and below which both chiral symmetry breaking and confinement set in. We estimate $N_f^c$ and discuss the nature of the phase transition.