Lattice QCD with 12 Quark Flavors: A Careful Scrutiny

TL;DR

This study uses extensive lattice simulations to analyze the phase structure of 12-flavor QCD, identifying a critical point where the scalar meson mass vanishes, and compares continuum limits across different phases.

Contribution

It provides a detailed examination of lattice artifacts, phase diagrams, and the behavior of scalar mesons in 12-flavor QCD, highlighting the critical endpoint and continuum limits.

Findings

Identification of a first order bulk transition

Scalar meson mass vanishes at the critical endpoint

Comparison of phase diagrams with other research groups

Abstract

With a substantial amount of simulations, we have explored the system across a wide range of lattice scales. We have located a lattice artifact, first order bulk transition, have studied its properties, and found that the flavor-singlet scalar meson mass vanishes at the critical endpoint. We will discuss the lattice phase diagrams and the continuum limits for both a spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking phase and an infrared conformal phase, and compare results with other groups.