SCREENING AND CHIRAL SYMMETRY-BREAKING IN 3-DIMENSIONAL SU(2) GAUGE-THEORY WITH DYNAMIC FERMIONS

We study chiral symmetry breaking in three-dimensional SU(2) gauge theory with dynamical fermions using lattice computer simulations techniques. The lattice studies indicate that chiral symmetry breaking is a feature of the theory's continuum limit only for N(f), the number of light dynamical fermion, below a critical value N(c). We estimate N(c) almost-equal-to 5-6. Using staggered fermions we calculate <psiBARpsi> on the lattice at strong coupling g2 = infinity and find no chiral symmetry breaking for N(f) greater-than-or-similar-to 8. We discuss the theoretical obstacles which must be overcome before a reliable analytic estimate of N(c) is obtained. Applications of these results to models of high-T(c) superconductivity are emphasized.