Nuclear correlation functions in lattice QCD

Abstract

We consider the problem of calculating the large number of Wick contractions necessary to compute states with the quantum numbers of many baryons in lattice QCD. We consider a constructive approach and a determinant-based approach and show that these methods allow the required contractions to be performed in a computationally manageable amount of time for certain choices of interpolating operators. Examples of correlation functions computed using these techniques are shown for the quantum numbers of the light nuclei, [superscript 4]He, [superscript 8]Be, [superscript 12]C, [superscript 16]O, and [superscript 28]Si.