THE U(1)-HIGGS MODEL - CRITICAL-BEHAVIOR IN THE CONFINING HIGGS REGION

We study numerically the critical properties of the U(1)-Higgs lattice model, with fixed Higgs modulus, in the region of small gauge coupling where the Higgs and confining phases merge. We find evidence for a first-order transition line that ends in a second-order point. By means of a rotation in parameter space we introduce thermodynamic magnitudes and critical exponents in close resemblance with simple models that show analogous critical behaviour. The measured data allow us to fit the critical exponents finding values in agreement with the mean-field prediction. The location of the critical point and the slope of the first-order line are accurately measured.