CONFINEMENT-DECONFINEMENT TRANSITION IN DISSIPATIVE GAUGE FIELD

The effect of dissipation on confinement is studied for compact QED. This model is relevant to the recently developed gauge theory of high-T(c) superconductors. The global phase diagram of the gauge field is clarified in the parameter space of the coupling constant g, the strength of dissipation gamma, and the temperature T. Confinement is drastically suppressed by dissipation, and the deconfining phase appears even in the strong-coupling and zero temperature limit when gamma exceeds a critical value. This result supports the spin-charge separation in the resonating-valence-bond state.