In this work we investigate numerically the lattice QCD with two light quarks in the adjoint representation (aQCD). In contrast to the fundamental QCD the chiral and the deconfinement phase transition are separated in the aQCD.
The results of the simulations are compared to the universal values of O(N) spin models. The critical behaviour of the chiral phase transition in the continuum aQCD with two light quark flavours is assumed to be the same as that of the three-dimensional O(6) universality class. On the lattice this symmetry is reduced to O(2) for Kogut-Susskind fermions.
In the temperature region between the two phase transitions the chiral condensate is shown to be in good agreement with the Goldstone behaviour of three-dimensional O(N) spin models. Below the deconfinement phase transition we cannot distinguish the three- and four-dimensional Goldstone behaviour.
The critical behaviour and the universal scaling function can be well described with O(2) exponents. Therefore we conclude that the chiral phase transition is in the same universality class as the three-dimensional O(2) spin model.