Thermodynamics of Quasi Conformal Theories From Gauge/Gravity Duality

Understand

We use gauge/gravity duality to study the thermodynamics of a generic almost conformal theory, specified by its beta function.

• Three different phases are identified, a high temperature phase of massless partons, an intermediate quasi-conformal phase and a low temperature confining phase.
• The limit of a theory with infrared fixed point, in which the coupling does not run to infinity, is also studied.
• The transitions between the phases are of first order or continuous, depending on the parameters of the beta function.