BROKEN CHIRAL-SYMMETRY IN 2-QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS AT FINITE-TEMPERATURE(1)

An extension of the T = 0 theory based on the nonperturbative gauge te chnique is used to investigate broken chiral symmetry in standard Quan tum Electrodynamics in 2 + 1 space at finite temperatures. We employ a simple Linearizing approximation of the Dyson-Schwinger equation to s how that chiral-symmetry breaking prevails for a range of temperatures . We are also able to demonstrate that the theory exhibits a transitio n to a massless phase at a temperature given by the infrared regulator mass. The indication of a phase transition is borne out by a detailed analysis of the solution to the approximate gap equation for the dyna mical electron mass.