%0 Generic
%A Cyrol, Anton Konrad
%D 2017
%F heidok:23766
%R 10.11588/heidok.00023766
%T Non-perturbative QCD Correlation Functions
%U https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/23766/
%X Functional methods provide access to the non-perturbative regime of quantum chromo- dynamics. Hence, they allow investigating confinement and chiral symmetry breaking. In this dissertation, correlation functions of Yang-Mills theory and unquenched two-flavor QCD are computed from the functional renormalization group. Employing a self-consistent vertex expansion of the effective action, Yang-Mills correlation functions are obtained in four as well as in three spacetime dimensions. To this end, confinement and Slavnov-Taylor identities are discussed. Our numerical results show very good agreement with corresponding lattice results. Next, unquenched two-flavor QCD is considered where it is shown that the unquenched two-flavor gluon propagator is insensitive to the pion mass. Furthermore, the necessity for consistent truncations is emphasized. Finally, correlation functions of finite-temperature Yang-Mills theory are computed in a truncation that includes the splitting of the gluon field into directions that are transverse and longitudinal to the heat bath. In particular, it includes the splitting of the three- and four-gluon vertices. The obtained gluon propagator allows to extract a Debye screening mass that coincides with the hard thermal loop screening mass at high temperatures, but is meaningful also at temperatures below the phase transition temperature.