2005/02/14 by F. Gliozzi, Stefano Lottini, S. Lottini +4 · 1 citation
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Quantum many-body systems #Stochastic processes and statistical mechanics #Theoretical and Computational Physics #cond-mat.stat-mech #hep-lat #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2005.04.021
published as Nucl.Phys.B719:255-274,2005 · 20 pages, 14 figures
arxiv created 2005/02/14 · openalex publication_date 2005/05/11 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Three-dimensional bond or site percolation theory on a lattice can be interpreted as a gauge theory in which the Wilson loops are viewed as counters of topological linking with random clusters. Beyond the percolation threshold large Wilson loops decay with an area law and show the universal shape effects due to flux tube quantum fluctuations like in ordinary confining gauge theories. Wilson loop correlators define a non-trivial spectrum of physical states of increasing mass and spin, like the glueballs of ordinary gauge theory. The crumbling of the percolating cluster when the length of one periodic direction decreases below a critical threshold accounts for the finite temperature deconfinement, which belongs to 2-D percolation universality class.