Lattice QCD at finite temperature and density in the phase-quenched approximation

Understand

QCD at a finite quark-number chemical potential $\mu$ has a complex fermion determinant, which precludes its study by standard lattice QCD simulations.

• We therefore simulate lattice QCD at finite $\mu$ in the phase-quenched approximation, replacing the fermion determinant with its magnitude.
• These simulations are used to study the finite temperature transition for small $\mu$,where the position and nature of this transition are expected to be unchanged by this approximation.
• We look for the expected critical endpoint for 3-flavour QCD.