Evidence for layered symmetry breaking in SU(2) lattice gauge theory

Simulations of four-dimensional SU(2) lattice gauge theory are performed with partial axial gauge fixing trees spanning three of the four dimensions. The remaining SU(2) gauge symmetry, global in three directions and local in one, is found to break spontaneously at weak coupling, with the average fourth-dimension-pointing link in each perpendicular hyperplane as order parameter. The symmetry is restored at strong coupling. Symmetry breaking in each hyperplane appears to be independent, and occurs regardless of boundary conditions. The associated phase transition is likely coincident with the Polyakov loop transition.