Renormalized finite temperature effective potential of $SU(2)$ Yang-Mills theory

Abstract

It is shown that the renormalized finite temperature effective potential for continuum $SU(2)$ Yang-Mills theory develops a non-perturbative minimum for sufficiently strong coupling, i.e. below a critical temperature. The corresponding phase can be the candidate for the confining phase of the continuum theory and becomes energetically favoured basicly due to the decay of the $A^0$ condensate into three gluons.