QCD phase diagram from finite energy sum rules

TL;DR

This paper investigates the QCD phase diagram at finite temperature and density by linking the light-quark condensate to the onset of perturbative QCD, revealing that chiral symmetry restoration and deconfinement occur nearly simultaneously.

Contribution

It introduces a novel relation between the light-quark condensate and the perturbative threshold energy within finite energy QCD sum rules at finite temperature and density.

Findings

Critical temperatures for chiral symmetry restoration and deconfinement are nearly identical.

Bounds for the critical end point are estimated as mu_{B c} >~ 300 MeV and T_c <~ 185 MeV.

Abstract

We study the QCD phase diagram at finite temperature and baryon chemical potential by relating the behavior of the light-quark condensate to the threshold energy for the onset of perturbative QCD. These parameters are connected to the chiral symmetry restoration and the deconfinement phase transition, respectively. This relation is obtained in the framework of finite energy QCD sum rules at finite temperature and density, with input from Schwinger-Dyson methods to determine the light-quark condensate. Results indicate that both critical temperatures are basically the same within some 3% accuracy. We also obtain bounds for the position of the critical end point, mu_{B c} >~ 300 MeV and T_c <~ 185 MeV.