The Role of Vortex Strings in the Non-Compact Lattice Abelian Higgs Model

Abstract

The non-compact lattice version of the Abelian Higgs model is studied in terms of its topological excitations. The Villain form of the partition function is represented as a sum over world-sheets of gauge-invariant ``vortex'' strings. The phase transition of the system is then related to the density of these excitations. Through Monte Carlo simulations the density of the vortex sheets is shown to be a good order parameter for the system. The vortex density essentially vanishes in the Higgs phase, and the Coulomb phase consists of a single vortex condensate.

11 pages LaTeX2e, 4 Postscript figures, uses epsf.sty, references added