The quark-antiquark potential is constructed by making use of a new analytic running coupling in QCD. This running coupling arises under “analytization” of the renormalization group equation. The rising behavior of the quark-antiquark potential at large distances, which provides the quark confinement, is shown explicitly. At small distances, the standard behavior of this potential originating in the QCD asymptotic freedom is revealed. The higher loop corrections and the scheme dependence of the approach are briefly discussed.

• Received 16 December 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.62.094028