Force between static quarks

Abstract

We present Monte Carlo results for the force between static quarks, calculated on a large (${16}^{3}$\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}32) lattice. A simulation with high statistics allows us to compute expectation values for loop factors of size up to 8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}8 at several values of $\ensuremath{\beta}$ in the transition region. Values and errors are tabulated; a fitting procedure is then used to evaluate the force between static quarks and, in particular, its asymptotic limit, i.e., the string tension $\ensuremath{\sigma}$. We find good agreement with scaling for $\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\ge}6$, with a ratio between scale parameter $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ and $\sqrt{\ensuremath{\sigma}}$ approximately equal to 9.6 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$.