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Connecting Polyakov loops to the thermodynamics of SU(N{sub c}) gauge theories using the gauge-string duality

Journal Article · · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields
 [1]
  1. Department of Physics, Columbia University, 538 West 120th Street, New York, New York 10027 (United States)

We show that in four-dimensional gauge theories dual to five-dimensional Einstein gravity coupled to a single scalar field in the bulk, the derivative of the single heavy quark free energy in the deconfined phase is dF{sub Q}(T)/dT{approx}-1/c{sub s}{sup 2}(T), where c{sub s}(T) is the speed of sound. This general result provides a direct link between the softest point in the equation of state of strongly-coupled plasmas and the deconfinement phase transition described by the expectation value of the Polyakov loop. We give an explicit example of a gravity dual with black hole solutions that can reproduce the lattice results for the expectation value of the Polyakov loop and the thermodynamics of SU(3) Yang-Mills theory in the (nonperturbative) temperature range between T{sub c} and 3T{sub c}.

OSTI ID:
21409338
Journal Information:
Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Journal Name: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 81; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English