Probing the finite temperature phase transition with Nf=2 nonperturbatively improved Wilson fermions

Abstract

The critical temperature and the nature of the QCD finite temperature phase transition are determined for Nf=2 dynamical flavors of nonperturbatively improved Wilson fermions. The calculations are performed on large lattices with temporal extents Nt=12, 10 and 8, and lattice spacings down to a = 0.075 fm. We find the deconfinement and chiral phasetransitions to take place at the same temperature. Our results are in broad agreement with a second order phase transition in the chiral limit. The critical temperature at the physical quark mass is found to be Tc = 174(3)(6) MeV.

28 pages, 10 figures; published version (Phys. Rev. D)