An Introduction to Finite Temperature Quantum Chromodynamics on the Lattice∗)

In these lectures, we introduce finite temperature QCD on the lattice to nonexperts of the subject. We first formulate lattice QCD both at zero and finite temperatures. Then a section is devoted to the topic of improved lattice actions which are becoming an essential ingredient of precision studies of QCD on the lattice. We then discuss about finite temperature SU(3) gauge theory, i.e. QCD without dynamical quarks (quenched QCD). Finally, we report recent status of studies in full QCD taking into account the effects of dynamical quarks. ∗) Lectures presented at the 1997 Yukawa International Seminar (YKIS’97) on “Non-Perturbative QCD — Structure of the QCD Vacuum —”, Kyoto, Japan, 2–12 Dec. 1997. To be published in the proceedings [Prog. Theor. Phys. Suppl.] 1 typeset using PTPTEX.sty