Universal and non-universal behavior in Dirac spectra

Abstract

We have computed ensembles of complete spectra of the staggered Dirac operator using four-dimensional SU(2) gauge fields, both in the quenched approximation and with dynamical fermions. To identify universal features in the Dirac spectrum, we compare the lattice data with predictions from chiral random matrix theory for the distribution of the low-lying eigenvalues. Good agreement is found up to some limiting energy, the so-called Thouless energy, above which random matrix theory no longer applies. We determine the dependence of the Thouless energy on the simulation parameters using the scalar susceptibility and the number variance.