Monte Carlo simulation of lattice ${\rm CP}^{N-1}$ models at large N

Abstract

In order to check the validity and the range of applicability of the 1/N expansion, we performed numerical simulations of the two-dimensional lattice CP(N-1) models at large N, in particular we considered the CP(20) and the CP(40) models. Quantitative agreement with the large-N predictions is found for the correlation length defined by the second moment of the correlation function, the topological susceptibility and the string tension. On the other hand, quantities involving the mass gap are still far from the large-$N$ results showing a very slow approach to the asymptotic regime. To overcome the problems coming from the severe form of critical slowing down observed at large N in the measurement of the topological susceptibility by using standard local algorithms, we performed our simulations implementing the Simulated Tempering method.