PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

We check the reliability of lattice perturbation theory for the deconfined phase of SU(3) gauge theory, by comparing the analytical results to subleading order in the gauge coupling with numerical simulations of thermal Polyakov loop correlations on a 4 x 12(3) lattice. There is good agreement even slightly above the critical temperature. We furthermore propose a weak coupling expansion which couples the approach to small coupling and large spatial volume, and which becomes infrared finite to all orders in renormalized perturbation theory. This in turn provides an approach to the zero-momentum sector which is particularly useful for finite temperature.