Thermodynamic Properties of Strongly Interacting Matter in a Finite Volume using the Polyakov-Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model

TL;DR

This paper investigates the thermodynamic behavior of strongly interacting matter in finite volumes using the Polyakov-Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model, revealing shifts in phase transition properties and potential chiral symmetry restoration within the confined phase.

Contribution

It introduces a finite volume analysis of strongly interacting matter with the PNJL model, highlighting qualitative changes in phase transition behavior and chiral symmetry restoration possibilities.

Findings

Lowered critical end point temperature in finite volume.

Possible chiral symmetry restoration within the confined phase.

Implications for heavy-ion experiment detection.

Abstract

We present the thermodynamic properties of strongly interacting matter in finite volume in the framework of Polyakov loop enhanced Nambu$-$Jona-lasinio model within mean field approximation. We considered both the 2 flavor and 2+1 flavor matter. Our primary observation was a qualitative change in the phase transition properties that resulted in the lowering of the temperature corresponding to the critical end point. This would make it favorable for detection in heavy-ion experiments that intend to create high density matter with considerably small temperatures. We further demonstrate the possibility of obtaining chiral symmetry restoration even within the confined phase in finite volumes.