THE DECONFINEMENT TRANSITION IN SU(2) LATTICE GAUGE-THEORY

The three dimensional fundamental-adjoint SU(2) lattice gauge theory i s studied on asymmetric lattices. On an 8(3) x 2 lattice at beta(A) = 1.1, We find that the deconfinement transition takes place at beta = 1 .20 and is of first order. There is no evidence of any transition at t he location of a previously known bulk phase transition around beta = 1.33 and the plaqutte susceptibility there is found to decrease with v olume. Our results imply a change of universality class from that of t he Wilson action at beta(A) = 0.