Lattice QCD at Finite Temperature and Density

TL;DR

This paper introduces finite density lattice QCD, discusses the sign problem, and reviews methods like imaginary chemical potential and Taylor expansion for studying QCD thermodynamics and phase transitions.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of techniques to address the sign problem in finite density lattice QCD, emphasizing the imaginary chemical potential approach.

Findings

Analysis of the sign problem in finite density lattice QCD

Comparison of Taylor expansion and analytic continuation methods

Review of applications to critical line and thermodynamics

Abstract

A general introduction into the subject aimed at a general theoretical physics audience. We introduce the sign problem posed by finite density lattice QCD, and we discuss the main methods proposed to circumvent it, with emphasis on the imaginary chemical potential approach. The interrelation between the Taylor expansion and the analytic continuation from imaginary chemical potential is discussed in detail. The main applications to the calculation of the critical line, and to the thermodynamics of the hot and the hadronic phase are reviewed.