TOPOLOGICAL EXCITATIONS IN COMPACT MAXWELL-CHERN-SIMONS THEORY

We construct a lattice model of compact (2+1)-dimensional Maxwell-Cher n-Simons theory, starting from its formulation in terms of gauge invar iant quantities proposed by Deser and Jackiw. We thereby identify the topological excitations and their interactions. These consist of monop ole-antimonopole pairs bounded by strings carrying both magnetic flux and electric charge. The electric charge renders the Dirac strings obs ervable and endows them with a finite energy per unit length, which re sults in a linearly confining string tension. Additionally, the string s interact via an imaginary, topological term measuring the (self-)lin king number of closed strings.