  We show the running coupling as derived from the SU(3) QQ potential and
discuss preliminary results on spin dependent heavy quark potentials from high
statistics lattice simulations of SU(2) gauge theory. The precision suffices to
study scaling properties and lattice artifacts (at short distances). We
identify the Coulomb like short range interaction as a mixed vector-scalar
exchange. We measure flux tube formation between a static QQ pair over physical
distances up to 2 fm, with a spatial resolution as small as .05 fm. Consistency
with the string picture is found for separation larger than about 1 fm, with a
half width of the profile of approximately .7 fm.
