Orbifold equivalence for finite density QCD and effective field theory

TL;DR

This paper uses effective field theory to analyze orbifold equivalence between a deformed SO(2N_c) gauge theory and QCD at finite density, providing insights into the physical role of double-trace deformations and supporting the equivalence.

Contribution

It clarifies the physical significance of double-trace deformations and provides theoretical support for orbifold equivalence at finite density in large N_c QCD.

Findings

Double-trace deformations prevent spontaneous baryon number breaking.

The deformed SO(2N_c) theory can be studied without a sign problem.

Strong support for orbifold equivalence at finite density.

Abstract

In the large N_c limit, some apparently different gauge theories turn out to be equivalent due to large N_c orbifold equivalence. We use effective field theory techniques to explore orbifold equivalence, focusing on the specific case of a recently discovered relation between an SO(2N_c) gauge theory and QCD. The equivalence to QCD has been argued to hold at finite baryon chemical potential, \mu_B, so long as one deforms the SO(2N_c) theory by certain "double-trace" terms. The deformed SO(2N_c) theory can be studied without a sign problem in the chiral limit, in contrast to SU(N_c) QCD at finite \mu_B. The purpose of the double-trace deformation in the SO(2N_c) theory is to prevent baryon number symmetry from breaking spontaneously at finite density, which is necessary for the equivalence to large N_c QCD to be valid. The effective field theory analysis presented here clarifies the physical significance of double-trace deformations, and strongly supports the proposed equivalence between the deformed SO(2N_c) theory and large N_c QCD at finite density.