The chiral critical point of Nf=3 QCD at finite density to the order (mu/T)^4
| dc.creator | de Forcrand, Philippe | |
| dc.creator | Philipsen, Owe | |
| dc.date | 2008-08-07 | |
| dc.date | 2008-11-05 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-07T11:45:24Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-07T11:45:24Z | |
| dc.description | QCD with three degenerate quark flavours at zero baryon density exhibits a first order thermal phase transition for small quark masses, which changes to a smooth crossover for some critical quark mass m^c_0, i.e. the chiral critical point. It is generally believed that as an (even) function of quark chemical potential, m_c(mu), the critical point moves to larger quark masses, constituting the critical endpoint of a first order phase transition in theories with m\geq m^c_0. To test this, we consider a Taylor expansion of m_c(mu) around mu=0 and determine the first two coefficients from lattice simulations with staggered fermions on N_t=4 lattices. We employ two different techniques: a) calculating the coefficients directly from a mu=0 ensemble using a novel finite difference method, and b) fitting them to simulation data obtained for imaginary chemical potentials. The mu^2 and mu^4 coefficients are found to be negative by both methods, with consistent absolute values. Combining both methods gives evidence that also the mu^6 coefficient is negative. Hence, on coarse N_t=4 lattices a three-flavour theory with m > m^c_0 does not possess a chiral critical endpoint for quark chemical potentials mu\lsim T. Simulations on finer lattices are required for reliable continuum physics. Possible implications for the QCD phase diagram are discussed. | |
| dc.description | 15 pages, 8 figures. Published version, with additional cautionary statements, corrected typos, and updated last figure | |
| dc.identifier | https://arxiv.org/abs/0808.1096 | |
| dc.identifier | http://arxiv.org/abs/0808.1096 | |
| dc.identifier | JHEP0811:012,2008 | |
| dc.identifier | doi:10.1088/1126-6708/2008/11/012 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/201865 | |
| dc.subject | High Energy Physics - Lattice | |
| dc.subject | High Energy Physics - Phenomenology | |
| dc.subject | Nuclear Theory | |
| dc.title | The chiral critical point of Nf=3 QCD at finite density to the order (mu/T)^4 | |
| dc.type | text |