Exploring the QCD Phase Structure with Beam Energy Scan in Heavy-ion Collisions

TL;DR

This paper reviews the exploration of the QCD phase diagram through beam energy scans in heavy-ion collisions, highlighting experimental signatures, recent results, and future prospects at RHIC and other facilities.

Contribution

It provides an overview of recent experimental findings from beam energy scans and discusses future experimental plans to study the QCD phase structure at high baryon density.

Findings

Observation of structures like dip, peak, and oscillation in energy dependence of observables

Discussion of experimental signatures indicating the QCD phase transition and critical point

Summary of results from STAR, PHENIX, and NA61/SHINE experiments

Abstract

Beam energy scan programs in heavy-ion collisions aim to explore the QCD phase structure at high baryon density. Sensitive observables are applied to probe the signatures of the QCD phase transition and critical point in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and SPS. Intriguing structures, such as dip, peak and oscillation, have been observed in the energy dependence of various observables. In this paper, an overview is given and corresponding physics implications will be discussed for the experimental highlights from the beam energy scan programs at the STAR, PHENIX and NA61/SHINE experiments. Furthermore, the beam energy scan phase II at RHIC (2019-2020) and other future experimental facilities for studying the physics at low energies will be also discussed.