Probing the finite temperature phase transition with Nf=2 nonperturbatively improved Wilson fermions

The critical temperature and the nature of the QCD finite temperature phase transition are determined for N-f = 2 dynamical flavors of nonperturbatively improved Wilson fermions. The calculations are performed on large lattices with temporal extents N-t = 12, 10, and 8, and lattice spacings down to a = 0.075 fm. We find that the deconfinement and chiral phase transitions take place at the same temperature. Our results are in broad agreement with a second order phase transition in the chiral limit. The critical temperature at the physical quark mass is found to be T-c = 174(3)(6) MeV.