Z(3) metastable states in a Polyakov quark meson model

Abstract

We study the existence of Z(3) metastable states in the presence of the dynamical quarks within the ambit of Polyakov quark meson (PQM) model. Within the parameters of the model, it is seen that for temperatures $T_m$ greater than the chiral transition temperature $T_c$, Z(3) metastable states exist ( $T_{m} \sim 310$ MeV at zero chemical potential). At finite chemical potential $T_m$ is larger than the same at vanishing chemical potential. We also observe a shift of ($\sim 5^\circ$) in the phase of the metastable vacua at zero chemical potential. The energy density difference between true and Z(3) metastable vacua is very large in this model. This indicates a strong explicit symmetry breaking effect due to quarks in PQM model. We compare this explicit symmetry breaking in PQM model with small explicit symmetry breaking as a linear term in Polyakov loop added to the Polyakov loop potential. We also study about the possibility of domain growth in a quenched transition to QGP in relativistic heavy ion collisions.