Color Superconductivity in Asymmetric Matter

TL;DR

This paper investigates how flavor asymmetry affects color superconductivity, revealing a first-order transition with bubble formation and phase coexistence, and showing that asymmetry influences the phase structure at various densities.

Contribution

It introduces an analysis of flavor asymmetry effects on color superconductivity, highlighting phase transitions and mixed states not previously detailed.

Findings

First order transition with bubble formation as asymmetry increases

Existence of mixed phases at high densities for large asymmetries

Superconducting gap larger than in symmetric case

Abstract

The influence of different chemical potential for different flavors on color superconductivity is analyzed. It is found that there is a first order transition as the asymmetry grows. This transition proceeds through the formation of bubbles of low density, flavor asymmetric normal phase inside a high density, superconducting phase with a gap {\it larger} than the one found in the symmetric case. For small fixed asymmetries the system is normal at low densities and superconducting only above some critical density. For larger asymmetries the two massless quarks system stays in the mixed state for arbitrarily high densities.