E, B, \mu, T Phase Structure of the D3/D7 Holographic Dual

TL;DR

This paper explores the complex phase structure of a holographic gauge theory with magnetic and electric fields, revealing multiple phase transitions including chiral symmetry restoration and conductor-insulator transitions.

Contribution

It extends previous studies by including electric field effects, mapping the full phase diagram with multiple transition types in a holographic D3/D7 system.

Findings

Identification of chiral symmetry restoration transition.

Discovery of conductor-insulator transition with meson instability.

Phase diagram with first and second order transitions depending on parameters.

Abstract

The large N_c N=4 gauge theory with quenched N=2 quark matter displays chiral symmetry breaking in the presence of a magnetic field. We previously studied the temperature and chemical potential phase structure of this theory in the grand canonical ensemble - here we, in addition, include the effect of an electric field which acts to counter chiral symmetry breaking by disassociating mesons. We compute using the gravity dual based on the D3/probe-D7 brane system. The theory displays two transition at one of which chiral symmetry is restored. At the other transition density switches on, the mesons of the theory become unstable and a current forms, making it a conductor-insulator transition. Through the temperature, electric field, chemical potential volume (at fixed magnetic field parallel to the electric field) these transitions can coincide or separate at critical points, and be first order or second order. We map out this full phase structure which provides varied computable examples relevant to strongly coupled gauge theories and potentially condensed matter systems.