THE CHIRAL LIMIT AND PHASE-STRUCTURE OF QCD WITH WILSON FERMIONS

We present data for the simulation of QCD with two flavours of Wilson fermions on an 83×4 lattice for various values of the coupling β and the hopping parameter κ. The emphasis is on the approach to the chiral limit and its interplay with the finite temperature transition for the system. We find that the point βc*=5.0, κc*=0.175 in the β-κ plane represents the intersection of the finite temperature transition and the chiral limit. For lower values of β it is possible to approach the chiral limit in the confined phase as κ→κc, whereas at higher values of β the system undergoes a finite temperature deconfining transition at non-zero quark mass. The value of βc* increases with lattice size. For example, we show that it is possible to reach the unbroken chiral limit on an 84 lattice at β=5.0. © 1990.