Eigenvalue density of Wilson loops in 2D SU(N) YM at large N

Abstract

The eigenvalue density of a Wilson loop matrix W associated with a simple loop in two-dimensional Euclidean SU(N) Yang-Mills theory undergoes a phase transition at a critical size in the infinite-N limit. The averages of 1/det(z-W) and det(1+uW)/(1-vW) at finite N lead to two different smoothed out expressions. It is shown by a saddle-point analysis that both functions tend to the known singular result at infinite N.