Search

We perform a $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric extension of the replica model quantized in the Landau gauge and compute the gluon and gluino propagators at tree-level, such results display a supersymmetric confined model very similar to the supersymmetric version of the Gribov-Zwanziger approach., Comment: 21 pages

We introduce, within the Refined-Gribov-Zwanziger setup, a composite BRST invariant fermionic operator coupled to the inverse of the Faddeev-Popov operator. As a result, an effective BRST invariant action in Euclidean space-time is constructed, enabling us to pave the first step towards the study of the behaviour of the fermion propagator in the infrared region in the class of the linear covariant gauges. The aforementioned action is proven to be renormalizable to all orders by means of the algebraic renormalization procedure., Comment: 31 pages. Some remarks were added

The renormalization properties of two local BRST invariant composite operators, $(O,V_\mu)$, corresponding respectively to the gauge invariant description of the Higgs particle and of the massive gauge vector boson, are scrutinized in the $U(1)$ Higgs model by means of the algebraic renormalization setup. Their renormalization $Z$'s factors are explicitly evaluated at one-loop order in the $\overline{\text{MS}}$ scheme by taking into due account the mixing with other gauge invariant operators. In particular, it turns out that the operator $V_\mu$ mixes with the gauge invariant quantity $\partial_\nu F_{\mu\nu}$, which has the same quantum numbers, giving rise to a $2 \times 2$ mixing matrix. Moreover, two additional powerful Ward identities exist which enable us to determine the whole set of $Z$'s factors entering the $2 \times 2$ mixing matrix as well as the $Z$ factor of the operator $O$ in a purely algebraic way. An explicit check of these Ward identities is provided. The final setup obtained allows for computing perturbatively the full renormalized result for any $n$-point correlation function of the scalar and vector composite operators., Comment: 36 pages, 6 figures

A nonlocal mass operator can be consistently set in local form through the introduction of a set of additional fields with geometrical appropriated properties. A local and polynomial gauge invariant action is thus identified. Equations compatible with the study of renormalization, from the algebraic point of view, are presented in the Landau Gauge., Comment: 17 pages, no figures

In this work, we study a gauge invariant local non-polynomial composite spinor field in the fundamental representation in order to establish its renormalizability. Similar studies were already done in the case of pure Yang-Mills theories where a local composite gauge invariant vector field was obtained and an invariant renormalizable mass term could be introduced. Our model consists of a massive Euclidean Yang-Mills action with gauge group $SU(N)$ coupled to fermionic matter in the presence of an invariant spinor composite field and quantized in the linear covariant gauges. The whole set of Ward identities is analysed and the algebraic proof of the renormalizability of the model is obtained to all orders in a loop expansion., Comment: 29 pages, no figures, new references and an appendix added

In this work we present an algebraic proof of the renormazibility of the super-Yang-Mills action quantized in a generalized supersymmetric version of the maximal Abelian gauge. The main point stated here is that the generalized gauge depends on a set of infinity gauge parameters in order to take into account all possible composite operators emerging from the dimensionless character of the vector superfield. At the end, after the removal of all ultraviolet divergences, it is possible to specify values to the gauge parameters in order to return to the original supersymmetric maximal Abelian gauge, first presented in Phys. Rev. D91, no. 12, 125017 (2015), Ref. [1]., Comment: 26 pages, no figures, new references added

The renormalization of $\mathcal{N}=1$ Super Yang-Mills theory with the presence of the local composite operators $AA$, $A_\mu \gamma_\mu \lambda$ and $\bar{\lambda}\lambda$ is analyzed in the Wess-Zumino gauge, employing the Landau condition. An all-orders proof of the renormalizability of the theory is given by means of the Algebraic Renormalization procedure. Only three renormalization constants are needed, which can be identified with the coupling constant, gauge field, and gluino renormalization. The non-renormalization theorem of the gluon--ghost--anti-ghost vertex in the Landau gauge is shown to remain valid in $\mathcal{N}=1$ Super Yang-Mills with the presence of the local composite operators. Moreover, due to the non-linear realization of the supersymmetry in the Wess-Zumino gauge, the renormalization factor of the gauge field turns out to be different from that of the gluino., Comment: Poster presented at the XIV International Workshop on Hadron Physics, Florian\'opolis, Brazil, March 2018

We construct a vector gauge invariant transverse field configuration $V^H$, consisting of the well-known superfield $V$ and of a Stueckelberg-like chiral superfield. The renormalizability of the Super Yang Mills action in the Landau gauge is analyzed in the presence of a gauge invariant mass term $m^2 \int dV \mathcal{M}(V^H)$, with $\mathcal{M}(V^H)$ a power series in $V^H$. Unlike the original Stueckelberg action, the resulting action turns out to be renormalizable to all orders., Comment: 19 pages

In light of the recently established BRST invariant formulation of the Gribov-Zwanziger theory, we show that Zwanziger's horizon function displays a universal character. More precisely, the correlation functions of local BRST invariant operators evaluated with the Yang-Mills action supplemented with a BRST invariant version of the Zwanziger's horizon function and quantized in an arbitrary class of covariant, color invariant and renormalizable gauges which reduce to the Landau gauge when all gauge parameters are set to zero, have a unique, gauge parameters independent result, corresponding to that of the Landau gauge when the restriction to the Gribov region $\Omega$ in the latter gauge is imposed. As such, thanks to the BRST invariance, the cut-off at the Gribov region $\Omega$ acquires a gauge independent meaning in the class of the physical correlators., Comment: 14 pages. v2: version accepted by Phys.Lett.B

The $\mathcal{N}=1$ Super Yang-Mills theory in the presence of the local composite operator $A^2$ is analyzed in the Wess-Zumino gauge by employing the Landau gauge fixing condition. Due to the superymmetric structure of the theory, two more composite operators, $A_\mu \gamma_\mu \lambda$ and $\bar{\lambda}\lambda$, related to the susy variations of $A^2$ are also introduced. A BRST invariant action containing all these operators is obtained. An all order proof of the multiplicative renormalizability of the resulting theory is then provided by means of the algebraic renormalization setup. Though, due to the non-linear realization of the supersymmetry in the Wess-Zumino gauge, the renormalization factor of the gauge field turns out to be different from that of the gluino., Comment: 20 pages, no figures

The dimension two gauge invariant non-local operator $A_{\min }^{2}$, obtained through the minimization of $\int d^4x A^2$ along the gauge orbit, allows to introduce a non-local gauge invariant configuration $A^h_\mu$ which can be employed to built up a class of Euclidean massive Yang-Mills models useful to investigate non-perturbative infrared effects of confining theories. A fully local setup for both $A_{\min }^{2}$ and $A^{h}_\mu$ can be achieved, resulting in a local and BRST invariant action which shares similarities with the Stueckelberg formalism. Though, unlike the case of the Stueckelberg action, the use of $A_{\min }^{2}$ gives rise to an all orders renormalizable action, a feature which will be illustrated by means of a class of covariant gauge fixings which, as much as 't Hooft's $R_\zeta$-gauge of spontaneously broken gauge theories, provide a mass for the Stueckelberg field.

The Refined Gribov-Zwanziger framework takes into account the existence of equivalent gauge field configurations in the gauge-fixing quantization procedure of Euclidean Yang-Mills theories. Recently, this setup was extended to the family of linear covariant gauges giving rise to a local and BRST-invariant action. In this paper, we give an algebraic proof of the renormalizability of the resulting action to all orders in perturbation theory., Comment: 25 pages, no figures

In this work, we study the propagators of matter fields within the framework of the Refined Gribov-Zwanziger theory, which takes into account the effects of the Gribov copies in the gauge-fixing quantization procedure of Yang-Mills theory. In full analogy with the pure gluon sector of the Refined Gribov-Zwanziger action, a non-local long-range term in the inverse of the Faddeev-Popov operator is added in the matter sector. Making use of the recent BRST invariant formulation of the Gribov-Zwanziger framework achieved in [Capri et al 2016], the propagators of scalar and quark fields in the adjoint and fundamental representations of the gauge group are worked out explicitly in the linear covariant, Curci-Ferrari and maximal Abelian gauges. Whenever lattice data are available, our results exhibit good qualitative agreement., Comment: 27 pages, no figures; V2, minor modifications, to appear in EPJC

In order to construct a gauge invariant two-point function in a Yang-Mills theory, we propose the use of the all-order gauge invariant transverse configurations A^h. Such configurations can be obtained through the minimization of the functional A^2_{min} along the gauge orbit within the BRST invariant formulation of the Gribov-Zwanziger framework recently put forward in [1,2] for the class of the linear covariant gauges. This correlator turns out to provide a characterization of non-perturbative aspects of the theory in a BRST invariant and gauge parameter independent way. In particular, it turns out that the poles of are the same as those of the transverse part of the gluon propagator, which are also formally shown to be independent of the gauge parameter entering the gauge condition through the Nielsen identities. The latter follow from the new exact BRST invariant formulation introduced before. Moreover, the correlator enables us to attach a BRST invariant meaning to the possible positivity violation of the corresponding temporal Schwinger correlator, giving thus for the first time a consistent, gauge parameter independent, setup to adopt the positivity violation of as a signature for gluon confinement. Finally, in the context of gauge theories supplemented with a fundamental Higgs field, we use to probe the pole structure of the massive gauge boson in a gauge invariant fashion., Comment: 31 pages. v2: extended bibliography + new subsection on LKF transformations

We review our recent work on the gauge-invariant non-local dimension-two operator $A^2_{\rm min}$, whose minimization is defined along the gauge orbit. Albeit non-local, the operator $A^2_{\rm min}$ can be cast in local form through the introduction of an auxiliary Stueckelberg field. The whole procedure results into a local action which turns out to be renormalizable to all orders., Comment: 5 pages. Contribution to the proceedings of the 19th International Conference in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD 16), 4 July - 8 July 2016, Montpellier, France

We prove the renormalizability to all orders of a refined Gribov-Zwanziger type action in linear covariant gauges in four-dimensional Euclidean space. In this model, the Gribov copies are taken into account by requiring that the Faddeev-Popov operator is positive definite with respect to the transverse component of the gauge field, a procedure which turns out to be analogous to the restriction to the Gribov region in the Landau gauge. The model studied here can be regarded as the first approximation of a more general nonperturbative BRST invariant formulation of the refined Gribov-Zwanziger action in linear covariant gauges obtained recently in [Phys. Rev. D 92, no. 4, 045039 (2015) and arXiv:1605.02610 [hep-th]]. A key ingredient of the set up worked out in [Phys. Rev. D 92, no. 4, 045039 (2015) and arXiv:1605.02610 [hep-th]] is the introduction of a gauge invariant field configuration $\mathbf{A}_{\mu}$ which can be expressed as an infinite non-local series in the starting gauge field $A_\mu$. In the present case, we consider the approximation in which only the first term of the series representing $\mathbf{A}_{\mu}$ is considered, corresponding to a pure transverse gauge field. The all order renormalizability of the resulting action gives thus a strong evidence of the renormalizability of the aforementioned more general nonperturbative BRST invariant formulation of the Gribov horizon in linear covariant gauges., Comment: 26 pages, no figures, new references added

We address the issue of the renormalizability of the gauge-invariant non-local dimension-two operator $A^2_{\rm min}$, whose minimization is defined along the gauge orbit. Despite its non-local character, we show that the operator $A^2_{\rm min}$ can be cast in local form through the introduction of an auxiliary Stueckelberg field. The localization procedure gives rise to an unconventional kind of Stueckelberg-type action which turns out to be renormalizable to all orders of perturbation theory. In particular, as a consequence of its gauge invariance, the anomalous dimension of the operator $A^2_{\rm min}$ turns out to be independent from the gauge parameter $\alpha$ entering the gauge-fixing condition, being thus given by the anomalous dimension of the operator $A^2$ in the Landau gauge., Comment: 35 pages; v2: ref. added

We present a local setup for the recently introduced BRST-invariant formulation of Yang-Mills theories for linear covariant gauges that takes into account the existence of gauge copies \`a la Gribov and Zwanziger. Through the convenient use of auxiliary fields, including one of the Stueckelberg type, it is shown that both the action and the associated nilpotent BRST operator can be put in local form. Direct consequences of this fully local and BRST-symmetric framework are drawn from its Ward identities: (i) an exact prediction for the longitudinal part of the gluon propagator in linear covariant gauges that is compatible with recent lattice results and (ii) a proof of the gauge-parameter independence of all correlation functions of local BRST-invariant operators., Comment: 29 pages

In this paper, we discuss the gluon propagator in the linear covariant gauges in $D=2,3,4$ Euclidean dimensions. Non-perturbative effects are taken into account via the so-called Refined Gribov-Zwanziger framework. We point out that, as in the Landau and maximal Abelian gauges, for $D=3,4$, the gluon propagator displays a massive (decoupling) behaviour, while for $D=2$, a scaling one emerges. All results are discussed in a setup that respects the Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) symmetry, through a recently introduced non-perturbative BRST transformation. We also propose a minimizing functional that could be used to construct a lattice version of our non-perturbative definition of the linear covariant gauge., Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure; V2 typos fixed and inclusion of section on the ghost propagator. To appear in PhysRev D

We study the ultraviolet properties of theories whose fundamental fields display a confining, Gribov-type, propagator. These are propagators that exhibit complex poles and violate positivity, thus precluding a physical propagating particle interpretation. We show that the properties of this type of confining propagators do not change the ultraviolet behavior of the theory, in the sense that no new ultraviolet primitive divergences are generated, thus securing the renormalizability of these confining theories. We illustrate these properties by studying a variety of models, including bosonic and fermionic confined degrees of freedom. The more intricate case of Super Yang-Mills with ${\cal N} =1$ supersymmetries in the Wess-Zumino gauge is taken as example in order to prove these statements to all orders by means of the algebraic renormalization set up., Comment: 30 pages, 1 figure

The non-perturbative nilpotent exact BRST symmetry of the Gribov-Zwanziger action in the Landau gauge constructed in [ arXiv:1506.06995 [hep-th]] is generalized to the case of Euclidean Yang-Mills theories quantized in the maximal Abelian gauge. The resulting diagonal gluon propagator is evaluating in dimensions D=4,3,2. In D=4,3 a decoupling type behavior is found in the infrared region, while in D=2 a scaling type behavior emerges., Comment: Reviewed version with a new section and new references added

This work presents concisely the results obtained from the analysis of the two-point function of the gauge field in the $SU(2)$ and $SU(2)\times U(1)$ gauge theories, in the Landau gauge, coupled to a scalar Higgs field in the fundamental or adjoint representation. Non-perturbative effects are considered by taking into account the Gribov ambiguity. In general, in both Yang-Mills models the gluon propagator has non-trivial contributions of physical and non-physical modes, which clearly depends on the group representation of the Higgs field. These results were presented during the Fourth Winter Workshop on Non-perturbative Quantum Field Theory, which took place in Sophia-Antipolis - France., Comment: 27 pages; review based on the talk given by one of the authors, I. F. Justo, during the Fourth Winter Workshop on Non-perturbative Quantum Field Theory, at Sophia-Antipolis, France, Feb. 2015

We point out the existence of a non-perturbative exact nilpotent BRST symmetry for the Gribov-Zwanziger action in the Landau gauge. We then put forward a manifestly BRST invariant resolution of the Gribov gauge fixing ambiguity in the linear covariant gauge., Comment: 8 pages. v2: version accepted for publication in PhysRevD

In this paper, a proposal for the restriction of the Euclidean functional integral to a region free of infinitesimal Gribov copies in linear covariant gauges is discussed. An effective action, akin to the Gribov-Zwanziger action of the Landau gauge, is obtained which implements the aforementioned restriction. Although originally non-local, this action can be cast in local form by introducing auxiliary fields. As in the case of the Landau gauge, dimension two condensates are generated at the quantum level, giving rise to a refinement of the action which is employed to obtain the tree-level gluon propagator in linear covariant gauges. A comparison of our results with those available from numerical lattice simulations is also provided., Comment: 21 pages, no figures, version to appear in EPJC

We present an N=1 supersymmetric generalization of the Maximal Abelian Gauge (MAG) in its superfield and component-field formulations, and discuss its Faddeev-Popov quantization, the associated BRST symmetry and the corresponding Slavnov-Taylor identity in superspace approach., Comment: 11 pages, no figures

We address the issue of the all order multiplicative renormalizability of SU(2) Yang-Mills theories quantized in the maximal Abelian gauge in presence of scalar matter fields. The non-linear character of the maximal Abelian gauge requires the introduction of quartic interaction terms in the Faddeev-Popov ghosts, a well known feature of this gauge. We show that, when scalar matter fields are introduced, a second quartic interaction term between scalar fields and Faddeev-Popov ghosts naturally arises. A BRST invariant action accounting for those quartic interaction terms is identified and proven to be multiplicative renormalizable to all orders by means of the algebraic renormalization procedure., Comment: 12 pages

The inverse of the Faddeev-Popov operator plays a pivotal role within the Gribov-Zwanziger approach to the quantization of Euclidean Yang-Mills theories in Landau gauge. Following a recent proposal [Phys. Rev. D90 (2014) 085010], we show that the inverse of the Faddeev-Popov operator can be consistently coupled to quark fields. Such a coupling gives rise to a local action while reproducing the behaviour of the quark propagator observed in lattice numerical simulations in the non-perturbative infrared region. By using the algebraic renormalization framework, we prove that the aforementioned local action is multiplicatively renormalizable to all orders., Comment: 17 pages

In light of the development of the Gribov issue for pure Euclidean gauge theories and of the recent lattice measurement of soft breaking of the BRST invariance in Yang-Mills theories in the Landau gauge, we consider non-perturbative features in the gauge-interacting matter sector and their relation with general properties of the Faddeev-Popov operator. A signature for BRST breaking in the matter sector is proposed and a local and renormalizable framework is constructed, accommodating this signature and predicting non-perturbative matter propagators that are consistent with available lattice data for adjoint scalars and quarks., Comment: 25 pages, 3 figures

The issue of the Gribov copies is discussed in Euclidean N=4 Super Yang-Mills theory quantized in the Landau gauge. As a consequence of the absence of a renormalization group invariant scale, it turns out that it is not possible to attach a dynamical meaning to the Gribov parameter. This implies that, in N=4 Super Yang-Mills, there is no need for the restriction of the domain of integration in the functional integral to the Gribov region, and no non-perturbative dynamical scale is generated. This result is in agreement with the absence of a confining phase observed from the Coulomb behaviour of the Wilson loop evaluated through the AdS/CFT correspondence. The non-renormalization theorem of the gluon-ghost-antighost vertex of the Landau gauge is also explicitly checked till three loops., Comment: 10 pages, no figures; v2: discussion on the ghost propagator added, matches version to appear in PLB

The Gribov-Zwanziger framework accounting for the existence of Gribov copies is extended to N=1 Super Yang--Mills theories quantized in the Landau gauge. We show that the restriction of the domain of integration in the Euclidean functional integral to the first Gribov horizon can be implemented in a way to recover non-perturbative features of N=1 Super Yang--Mills theories, namely: the existence of the gluino condensate as well as the vanishing of the vacuum energy., Comment: 19 pages, no figures

The renormalization of N=1 Super Yang-Mills theory is analysed in the Wess-Zumino gauge, employing the Landau condition. An all orders proof of the renormalizability of the theory is given by means of the Algebraic Renormalization procedure. Only three renormalization constants are needed, which can be identified with the coupling constant, gauge field and gluino renormalization. The non-renormalization theorem of the gluon-ghost-antighost vertex in the Landau gauge is shown to remain valid in N=1 Super Yang-Mills. Moreover, due to the non-linear realization of the supersymmetry in the Wess-Zumino gauge, the renormalization factor of the gauge field turns out to be different from that of the gluino. These features are explicitly checked through a three loop calculation., Comment: 15 pages, minor text improvements, references added. Version accepted for publication in the EPJC

A study of the zero modes of the Faddeev-Popov operator in the maximal Abelian gauge is presented in the case of the gauge group SU(2) and for different Euclidean space-time dimensions. Explicit examples of classes of normalizable zero modes and corresponding gauge field configurations are constructed by taking into account two boundary conditions, namely: i) the finite Euclidean Yang-Mills action, ii) the finite Hilbert norm., Comment: 17 pages

It is well accepted that dealing with the Gribov ambiguity has a major impact on correlation functions in gauge-fixed Yang-Mills theories, in particular in the low momentum regime where standard perturbation theory based on the Faddeev-Popov approach fails. Recent results, derived from functional tools (Dyson-Schwinger equations or exact RG) or the effective Gribov-Zwanziger action method, pointed towards e.g. gauge boson correlation functions that are not compatible with the properties of observable degrees of freedom. Although such an observation is a welcome feature for gauge theories exhibiting confinement, it would be a discomfort for gauge theories supplemented with Higgs fields, cfr. the experimental success of the electroweak model based on a SU(2) x U(1) gauge group. The purpose of this short note is to assure that the effective action resolution to the Gribov ambiguity reduces to the standard Faddeev-Popov method in the perturbative regime of sufficiently small coupling/large Higgs condensate, thereby not compromising the physical particle spectrum of massive gauge bosons and a massless photon for the SU(2) x U(1) gauge-Higgs model. The closer the theory gets to the limit of vanishing Higgs condensate, the more the Gribov problem resurfaces with all its consequences. We give some speculations w.r.t. the Fradkin-Shenker insights about the phase diagram., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1305.4155. v2: expanded motivation, extra explanations, extended reference list. Version to appear in Annals of Physics

An all orders algebraic proof of the multiplicative renormalizability of the novel formulation of the Gribov-Zwanziger action proposed in Phys. Rev. D 86, 045005 (2012) [arXiv:1205.3934], and allowing for an exact but spontaneously broken BRST symmetry, is provided., Comment: 15 pages

We study the structure of the gauge propagators of a 3d version of the electroweak interaction in terms of the Higgs vacuum expectation value nu, of the non-Abelian gauge coupling g, and of the Abelian gauge coupling g', when nonperturbative effects related to the non-Abelian gauge fixing are introduced by means of an adapted path integral measure. In the perturbative regime of small non-Abelian coupling g and sufficiently large nu, the well-known standard Z and W propagators are recovered, together with a massless photon. In general, depending on the relative magnitudes of g, g' and nu, we uncover a quite different propagator structure. In a later stage of research, the results here derived can be used to study the associated phase diagram in more depth., Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures

We propose a mechanism displaying gluon confinement, as defined by the behavior of the propagators, in a model of SU(2) gauge fields. The model originates from an explicitly broken SU(3) gauge theory giving rise to a replica model composed of three mixed SU(2) groups. The mechanism consists in the usual SU(3) Yang-Mills theory in the Landau gauge, with a soft breaking term in such a way as to change the field propagation and group content at low energies. The relation of this soft mass term with the Gribov problem is presented and the link between soft terms and the scaling and decoupling solutions is discussed., Comment: 22 pages, no figures

The quantization of non-Abelian gauge theories is known to be plagued by Gribov copies. Typical examples are the copies related to zero modes of the Faddeev-Popov operator, which give rise to singularities in the ghost propagator. In this work we present an exact and compact expression for the ghost propagator as a function of external gauge fields, in SU(N) Yang-Mills theory in the Landau gauge. It is shown, to all orders, that the condition for the ghost propagator not to have a pole, the so-called Gribov's no-pole condition, can be implemented by demanding a nonvanishing expectation value for a functional of the gauge fields that turns out to be Zwanziger's horizon function. The action allowing to implement this condition is the Gribov-Zwanziger action. This establishes in a precise way the equivalence between Gribov's no-pole condition and Zwanziger's horizon condition., Comment: 11 pages, typos corrected, version accepted for publication in Phys. Lett. B

We present an analytical study of continuum 4d SU(2) gauge Higgs models with a single Higgs field with fixed length in either the fundamental or adjoint representation. We aim at analytically probing the renowned predictions of Fradkin & Shenker on the phase diagram in terms of confinement versus Higgs behaviour, obtained for the lattice version of the model. We work in the Landau version of the 't Hooft R_\xi gauges in which case we can access potential nonperturbative physics related to the existence of the Gribov copies. In the fundamental case, we clearly show that in the perturbative regime of small gauge coupling constant g and large Higgs vacuum expectation value v, there is a Higgs phase with Yukawa gauge boson propagators without Gribov effects. For a small value of the Higgs vev v and/or large g, we enter a region with Gribov type propagators that have no physical particle interpretation: the gauge bosons are as such confined. The transition between both behaviours is found to be continuous. In the adjoint case, we find evidence of a more drastic transition between the different behaviours for the propagator of the off-diagonal gauge bosons, whereas the "photon", i.e. the diagonal component of the gauge field, displays a propagator of the Gribov type. In the limit of infinite Higgs condensate, we show that a massless photon is recovered. We compare our findings with those of Fradkin & Shenker as well as with more recent numerical lattice simulations of the fundamental Higgs model. We also carefully discuss in which region of the parameter space (v,g) our approximations are trustworthy., Comment: 21 pages. v2: Extra references, improved discussion, including that of infinite Higgs condensate. Added author

We study SU(2) three-dimensional Yang-Mills theories in presence of Higgs fields in the light of the Gribov phenomenon. By restricting the domain of integration in the functional integral to the first Gribov horizon, we are able to discuss a kind of transition between the Higgs and the confining phase in a semi-classical approximation. Both adjoint and fundamental representation for the Higgs field are considered, leading to a different phase structure., Comment: 12 pages. Version accepted for publication in the EPJC

We study a toy model for an interacting scalar field theory in which the fundamental excitations are confined in the sense of having unphysical, positivity-violating propagators, a fact tracing back to a decomposition of these in propagators with complex conjugate mass poles (the so-called $i$-particles). Similar two-point functions show up in certain approaches to gluon or quark propagators in Yang-Mills gauge theories. We investigate the spectrum of our model and show that suitable composite operators may be constructed having a well-defined K\"all\'{e}n-Lehmann spectral representation, thus allowing for a particle interpretation. These physical excitations would correspond to the "mesons" of the model, the latter being bound states of two unphysical $i$-particles. The meson mass is explicitly estimated from the pole emerging in a resummed class of diagrams. The main purpose of this paper is thus to explicitly verify how a real mass pole can and does emerge out of constituent $i$-particles that have complex masses., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures; v2: minor corrections and references added, improved discussion in the introduction, to appear in IJMPA

Examples of normalizable zero modes of the Faddeev-Popov operator in SU(2) Euclidean Yang-Mills theories in the Landau gauge are constructed in d=2,3,4 dimensions., Comment: 18 pages. Text modifications. References added. Version accepted for publication in the EPJC

A qualitative study of the lightest glueball states in Euclidean SU(2) Yang-Mills theory quantized in the maximal Abelian gauge is presented. The analysis is done by generalizing to the maximal Abelian gauge the so-called replica model, already successfully introduced in the Landau gauge. As it will be shown, the gluon and ghost propagators obtained from the replica model are of the same type of those already introduced in Phys. Rev. D77, 105023 (2008) [arXiv:0801.0566], whose behavior turns out to be in agreement with that available from the lattice data on the maximal Abelian gauge. The model turns out to be renormalizable to all orders, while enabling us to introduce gauge invariant composite operators for the study of the lightest glueballs $J^{PC}=0^{++}$, $2^{++}$ and $0^{-+}$. The spectral representation for the correlation functions of these operators are evaluated to the first order, and the corresponding spectral densities are shown to be positive. Under the assumption of Abelian dominance, it turns out that the hierarchy for the masses of the lightest glueballs in the maximal Abelian gauge is in agreement with that already obtained in the Landau gauge, a feature which provides evidence for the gauge independence of the spectrum of the theory., Comment: 30 pages, 2 figures. Title and Abstract changed. Text improvements. References added. Version accepted for publication in the Physical Review D

In previous work arXiv:1009.4135 we have shown that the soft breaking of the BRST symmetry arising within the Gribov-Zwanziger framework can be converted into a linear breaking, while preserving the nilpotency of the BRST operator. Due to its compatibility with the Quantum Action Principle, the linearly broken BRST symmetry directly translates into a set of Slavnov-Taylor identities. We show that these identities guarantee the multiplicative renormalizability of both Gribov-Zwanziger and Refined Gribov-Zwanziger theories to all orders. The known property that only two renormalization factors are needed is recovered. The non-renormalization theorem of the gluon-ghost-antighost vertex as well as the renormalization factor of the Gribov parameter are derived within the linearly broken formulation., Comment: 20 pages, references added, version accepted for publication in Physical Review D

We show that the soft breaking of the BRST symmetry arising in the Gribov-Zwanziger theory can be converted into a linear breaking upon introduction of a set of BRST quartets of auxiliary fields. Due to its compatibility with the Quantum Action Principle, the linearly broken BRST symmetry can be directly converted into a suitable set of useful Slavnov-Taylor identities. As a consequence, it turns out that the renormalization aspects of the Gribov-Zwanziger theory can be addressed by means of the cohomology of a nilpotent local operator, Comment: 11 pages, final version to appear in Phys. Rev. D

The construction of BRST invariant local operators with the quantum numbers of the lightest glueball states, $J^{PC}= 0^{++}, 2^{++}, 0^{-+}$, is worked out by making use of an Euclidean confining renormalizable gauge theory. The correlation functions of these operators are evaluated by employing a confining gluon propagator of the Gribov type and shown to display a spectral representation with positive spectral densities. An attempt to provide a first qualitative analysis of the ratios of the masses of the lightest glueballs is also discussed, Comment: 24 pages, 5 figures, version accepted for publication in the European Physical Journal C

In this paper we address the issue of the Gribov copies in SU(N), N>2, Euclidean Yang-Mills theories quantized in the maximal Abelian gauge. A few properties of the Gribov region in this gauge are established. Similarly to the case of SU(2), the Gribov region turns out to be convex, bounded along the off-diagonals directions in field space, and unbounded along the diagonal ones. The implementation of the restriction to the Gribov region in the functional integral is discussed through the introduction of the horizon function, whose construction will be outlined in detail. The influence of this restriction on the behavior of the gluon and ghost propagators of the theory is also investigated together with a set of dimension two condensates., Comment: 43 pages, published version

We prove the renormalizability of a quark-gluon model with a soft breaking of the BRST symmetry, which accounts for the modification of the large distance behavior of the quark and gluon correlation functions. The proof is valid to all orders of perturbation theory, by making use of softly broken Ward identities., Comment: 20 pages, no figures. Preprint number added in v2

The properties of the Gribov region in SU(2) Euclidean Yang-Mills theories in the maximal Abelian gauge are investigated. This region turns out to be bounded in all off-diagonal directions, while it is unbounded along the diagonal one. The soft breaking of the BRST invariance due to the restriction of the domain of integration in the path integral to the Gribov region is scrutinized. Owing to the unboundedness in the diagonal direction, the invariance with respect to Abelian transformations is preserved, a property which is at the origin of the local U(1) Ward identity of the maximal Abelian gauge., Comment: 15 pages, one reference added, version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D

The infrared behavior of the gluon and ghost propagators is studied in SU(2) Euclidean Yang-Mills theory in the maximal Abelian gauge within the Gribov-Zwanziger framework. The nonperturbative effects associated with the Gribov copies and with the dimension two condensates are simultaneously encoded into a local and renormalizable Lagrangian. The resulting behavior turns out to be in good agreement with the lattice data., Comment: final version, to appear in Physical Review D

The nonlocal gauge invariant mass operator $\mathrm{Tr} \int d^{4}x F_{\mu\nu} (D^2)^{-1} F_{\mu\nu}$ is investigated in Yang-Mills theories in the maximal Abelian gauge. By means of the introduction of auxiliary fields a local action is achieved, enabling us to use the algebraic renormalization in order to prove the renormalizability of the resulting local model to all orders of perturbation theory.