Abstract
The phase diagram and the equation of state of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) is investigated in the presence of weak background electric fields by means of continuum extrapolated lattice simulations. The complex action problem at nonzero electric field is circumvented by a novel Taylor expansion, enabling the determination of the linear response of the thermal QCD medium to constant electric fields—in contrast to simulations at imaginary electric fields, which, as we demonstrate, involve an infrared singularity. Besides the electric susceptibility of QCD matter, we determine the dependence of the Polyakov loop on the field strength to leading order. Our results indicate a plasma-type behavior with a negative susceptibility at all temperatures, as well as an increase in the transition temperature as the electric field grows.
- Received 22 September 2023
- Accepted 23 January 2024
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.109.034506
Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI. Funded by SCOAP3.
Published by the American Physical Society