arXiv subjects

Yuki Fujimoto

Publications and source records attributed to Yuki Fujimoto.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Statistical Mechanics of Quarkyonic Matter

We extend the theoretical formulation of Quarkyonic Matter within the IdylliQ model framework proposed in [Y. Fujimoto et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 112701 (2024) [1]] for zero temperature to non-zero temperatures. To this end, we develop a consistent statistical mechanics and grand canonical ensemble description of Quarkyonic Matter as a quantum system subject to additional inequality constraints due to the Pauli exclusion principle acting simultaneously on baryons and their constituent quarks. These constraints result in a significant reduction in the number of physically available baryon states compared to an ideal Fermi gas. As a consequence, the one-particle baryon distribution function factorizes into a thermal Fermi-Dirac distribution and a momentum-dependent density of states. This separation allows us to derive a proper definition of the entropy density that satisfies the third law of thermodynamics in the zero-temperature limit. Moreover, we find that inside Quarkyonic Matter the physical temperature and the physical baryon chemical potential differ from the Lagrange multipliers appearing in the Fermi-Dirac distribution which may have important consequences for the thermodynamics of Quarkyonic Matter.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2025

Description of the baryon mass spectrum by open strings and diquarks

We analyze the mass spectra of hadrons and demonstrate that the physical spectra of mesons and baryons are well described by the exponential spectrum of open strings. The open-string spectrum, derived from string theory, is characterized by a unique Hagedorn temperature $T_{\rm H}$ and free from any other parameters. Notably, our fitting to the physical spectra yields consistent values for both mesons and baryons, $T_{\rm H} \simeq 0.34\,\text{GeV}$, which contrasts with previous phenomenological analyses that suggested different values. This obtained value aligns well with typical string tension derived from lattice-QCD calculations and the Regge slope. In the baryonic sector, our results indicate that diquarks play a crucial role in describing the mass spectrum, implying that baryons can be understood as a quark-diquark system, as anticipated by Regge phenomenology. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of quark deconfinement, especially in the possibly existing regime at high temperature and small baryon chemical potential within the QCD phase diagram.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Renormalization group analysis of color superconductivity revisited

Color superconductivity in cold, dense quark matter is a key feature of the QCD phase diagram, whose present theoretical understanding relies predominantly on weak-coupling calculations. In this work, we revisit the evaluation of the color-superconducting gap using a renormalization group (RG) framework formulated in effective theory near the Fermi surface. By incorporating quark self-energy corrections into the RG equation, we reproduce the known weak-coupling results from the gap equation at the same perturbative order at $O(g^0)$. Within the RG approach, the angular momentum structure of the pairing channel becomes more transparent, allowing us to examine the size of the gap for various pairing patterns. We also compare our results with recent lattice QCD calculations at finite isospin density. Finally, we argue that the RG method potentially offers a simpler and more systematic route to higher-order computations of the gap, which are of order $O(g)$ and thus quantitatively important.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Classification of color superconductivity by one-gluon exchange helicity amplitudes and renormalization group equations

Quark matter at high baryon density exhibits diverse pairing patterns classified by color, flavor, and angular momentum quantum numbers. We compute one-gluon exchange (OGE) helicity amplitudes and introduce a nonrelativistic classification of the pairing channel, justified by the channel decomposition in a Lorentz-noninvariant medium and the decoupling of renormalization group flows at leading order. We find the new attractive channel in OGE; the medium effects can render the vacuum-repulsive color $\boldsymbol{6}$ channel attractive in the spin-triplet sector. For color $\boldsymbol{\bar{3}}$ with antisymmetric flavor, the dominant pairing is ${}^1S_0$, while for symmetric flavor the same-helicity $^1P_1$ prevails over $^3S_1$, revising the conventional single-flavor picture. With a mismatch of the Fermi momenta, $^1S_0$ channel, leading to color-flavor locked or two-flavor color superconductor, remains most stable when the separation is small, and the color-spin locked pairing becomes favored as the mismatch gets large. We suggest there are possible quark-hadron continuity in certain cases as expected in the literature.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

A New State of Matter between the Hadronic Phase and the Quark-Gluon Plasma?

Lattice-QCD simulations and theoretical arguments hint at the existence of an intermediate phase of strongly interacting matter between a confined hadron gas and a deconfined Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). We qualitatively and semi-quantitatively explore and differentiate the phase structures in the temperature window from the QCD pseudo-critical temperature $T_c\simeq 160\;\text{MeV}$ to the pure-gluonic deconfinement temperature $T_d\simeq 285\;\text{MeV}$. We propose a three-regime picture using a hadron resonance gas (HRG) description augmented with the glueball spectrum based on the analysis of a large number, $N_c$, of colors. We estimate the entropy density from our model to confirm that the lattice-QCD data are bracketed with three regimes, i.e., a hadron gas, a QGP, and a new phase for $T_c \lesssim T \lesssim T_d$. In this new phase that we name a Spaghetti of Quarks with Glueballs (SQGB), thermal degrees of freedom of quarks are deconfined, yet gluons remain confined in glueballs. Since the Hagedorn temperature, $T_H\sim 285\;\text{MeV}$, is universal in the meson and the glueball sectors, in the infinite $N_c$ limit, the phase diagram in the plane of the baryon chemical potential and the temperature is reduced to the one with the confined and deconfined phases and Quarkyonic Matter at high density. At large but finite $N_c$, an SQGB window may open between these phases. We point out that the SQGB has interesting similarities with Quarkyonic Matter and that this matter in the large $N_c$ limit is confined as measured by the interaction between heavy quarks, but behaves in other respects like a quasi-free gas of quarks. As a result of the extrapolation to $N_c=3$, we present a revised phase diagram with the SQGB phase bounded by thermal crossovers. Finally, we give a quantitative analysis of chiral symmetry restoration in the SQGB phase.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Renormalization-group approach to the Kohn-Luttinger superconductivity: Amplification of the pairing gap from $\ell^4$ to $\ell$

We revisit the renormalization group (RG) analysis of the Kohn-Luttinger (KL) mechanism for superconductivity. The KL mechanism leads to superconductivity in a system with a repulsive bare interaction. The key ingredient is the screening effect that renders the induced interaction attractive in channels with nonzero angular momentum $\ell \neq 0$, thereby triggering the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) instability. According to the original argument, the resulting gap is exponentially small, with its exponent scaling as $-\ell^4$. However, the KL mechanism was originally formulated within perturbation theory, where the series is known to converge poorly in certain cases -- most notably, for the p-wave paring gap induced by a repulsive s-wave contact interaction. This poor convergence may be attributed to a divergent integrand in a specific class of diagrams containing both the BCS logarithm and the Kohn anomaly, suggesting that one must resum the Kohn anomaly contributions separately from the BCS logarithm. In this work, we incorporate the Kohn anomaly contribution into the beta function of the RG equation governing the BCS instability near the Fermi surface. Our solution shows that the KL gap exponent is then proportional to $-\ell$, indicating a significant enhancement of the KL mechanism beyond the previously known result. To illustrate this, we study the spin-triplet p-wave pairing gap arising from a repulsive s-wave contact interaction and compare our RG-based results with those obtained from the Bethe-Salpeter equation in perturbation theory.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Evolution of strangeness and hyperons in quarkyonic matter

We study the evolution of matter composition from nuclear to quark densities in the confining regime, by extending an ideal model of Quarkyonic matter, IdylliQ model, to multi-flavor systems including strangeness. The model provides a dual description of quark and baryon occupation probabilities which are determined by minimizing the energy of the system. Saturation of low-momentum quark states drives the formation of quark matter and constrains baryon distributions, inducing statistical repulsion among baryon species. Applying the model to charge-neutral matter composed of neutrons, $\Lambda_0$, and $\Sigma_0$ hyperons, we find that, for typical size of baryons, $d$-quark saturation occurs before hyperons appear, delaying their onset and shifting the threshold density from $\sim 2$--$3n_{\rm sat}$ to $\sim 5$--$6n_{\rm sat}$ ($n_{\rm sat} \approx 0.16\,{\rm fm^{-3}}$: nuclear saturation density). After hyperons emerge, low-momentum hyperon states remain only sparsely occupied due to the quark saturation. These features mitigate the hyperon puzzle, in which the appearance of hyperons softens neutron star equations of state significantly by increasing energy density with little pressure increase. Our results highlight the key role of quark saturation in dense baryonic matter and provide new insights into the interplay between quark dynamics and hyperon physics in neutron stars.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2024

Quark saturation in the QCD phase diagram

We determine the onset of Quarkyonic Matter corresponding to values of temperature and baryon chemical potential at which the quark phase space density becomes one. At zero temperature for baryon chemical potentials below the mass of the Lambda baryon, only nucleons contribute to the quark density. This is different at finite temperature, where all baryons, mesons and their resonances can be excited and thus add quarks to the phase space. The probability density to find a quark inside a hadron is determined using the Yukawa ansatz of the IdylliQ model of Quarkyonic Matter. We estimate separately the magnitude of the various contributions of nucleons, Delta baryons, pions as well as further hadrons and resonances. The uncertainty in the parametrization of the probability density to find a quark inside a nucleon is spanned by assuming that at zero temperature the transition density to Quarkyonic Matter is between one and three times that of nuclear matter. Various predictions for a possible critical point associated with the chiral phase transition are found close to a triple point at which the line of the deconfinement transition and the curve associated with the transition to Quarkyonic Matter intersect. These considerations provide an estimate for the region in the QCD phase diagram where Quarkyonic Matter may be found.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2024

Interplay between the weak-coupling results and the lattice data in dense QCD

We discuss the interplay between two first-principles calculations of QCD at high density: perturbative results in the weak-coupling regime and the recent lattice-QCD result at finite isospin density. By comparing these two results, we verify empirically that the weak-coupling calculations of the bulk thermodynamics and the gap parameter for Cooper pairing between quarks can be applicable down to the quark chemical potential $\mu \sim 1$ GeV. Having verified the validity of the weak-coupling results in QCD at finite isospin density, we discuss possible effects on QCD at finite baryon density, which is relevant for the application to realistic environments such as neutron stars, by using the fact that QCD at finite baryon and isospin density have the common weak-coupling expansions. First, we show the size of the color-superconducting gap at finite baryon density is as small as a few MeV at $\mu = 1$ GeV, which implies that the color-flavor locked phase may be unstable against unpairing up to $\mu \sim 1.4$ GeV even in the weak-coupling regime. We also introduce a prescription to reduce the ambiguity arising from the undetermined renormalization scale in the weak-coupling calculation by matching with the lattice-QCD data. We demonstrate the effect of such reduction on neutron-star phenomenology by performing the Bayesian analysis.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Signature of hadron-quark crossover in binary-neutron-star mergers

We study observational signatures of the hadron-quark crossover in binary-neutron-star mergers by numerical-relativity simulations with various mass configurations. We employ two equations of state (EoSs) for matter consistent with inference from the observational data. In the crossover scenario the EoS is softened in a density realized in binary-neutron-star mergers and is smoothly continued to quark matter. In the phase transition scenario without crossover, the EoS remains stiff and a first-order phase transition takes place in a density out of reach of mergers. A GW170817-like system forms a remnant massive neutron star in both scenarios, and it collapses into a black hole only in the crossover scenario due to the softening while gravitational-wave emission is strong. This difference is clearly reflected in the sudden shutdown of gravitational waves. For a given EoS, the lifetime of the merger remnant is determined primarily by the total mass of the system. Identifying these features in a variety of future events with the next generation of ground-based gravitational-wave detectors will enable us to clarify details of hadron-quark transition. The mass of the accretion disk surrounding the remnant black hole is affected not only by the lifetime of the remnant but also by the mass ratio of the system. Electromagnetic emission associated with the disk outflow will also be useful for detailed investigation of the hadron-quark transition.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Enhanced contribution of the pairing gap to the QCD equation of state at large isospin chemical potential

I study QCD at large isospin density, which is known to be in the superfluid state with Cooper pairs carrying the same quantum number as pions. I solve the gap equation derived from the perturbation theory up to the next-to-leading order corrections. The pairing gap at large isospin chemical potential is found to be enhanced compared to the color-superconducting gap at large baryon chemical potential due to the $\sqrt{2}$ difference in the exponent arising from the stronger attraction in one-gluon exchange in the singlet channel. Then, using the gap function, I evaluate the contribution of the condensation energy of the superfluid state to the QCD equation of state. At isospin chemical potential of a few GeV, where the lattice QCD and the perturbative QCD can be both applied, the effect of the condensation energy becomes dominant even compared to the next-to-leading order corrections to the pressure in the perturbation theory. It resolves the discrepancy between the recent lattice QCD results and the perturbative QCD result.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Momentum Shell in Quarkyonic Matter from Explicit Duality: A Dual Model for Cold, Dense QCD

We present a model of cold QCD matter that bridges nuclear and quark matter through the duality relation between quarks and baryons. The baryon number and energy densities are expressed as functionals of either the baryon momentum distribution, $f_{\rm B}$, or the quark distribution, $f_{\rm Q}$, which are subject to the constraints on fermions, $0 \le f_{\rm B,Q} \le 1$. The theory is ideal in the sense that the confinement of quarks into baryons is reflected in the duality relation between $f_{\rm Q}$ and $f_{\rm B}$, while other possible interactions among quarks and baryons are all neglected. The variational problem with the duality constraints is formulated and we explicitly construct analytic solutions, finding two distinct regimes: A nuclear matter regime at low density and a Quarkyonic regime at high density. In the Quarkyonic regime, baryons underoccupy states at low momenta but form a momentum shell with $f_{\rm B}=1$ on top of a quark Fermi sea. Such a theory describes a rapid transition from a soft nuclear equation of state to a stiff Quarkyonic equation of state. At this transition, there is a rapid increase in the pressure.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2024

Uncertainty quantification in the machine-learning inference from neutron star probability distribution to the equation of state

We discuss the machine-learning inference and uncertainty quantification for the equation of state (EoS) of the neutron star (NS) matter directly using the NS probability distribution from the observations. We previously proposed a prescription for uncertainty quantification based on ensemble learning by evaluating output variance from independently trained models. We adopt a different principle for uncertainty quantification to confirm the reliability of our previous results. To this end, we carry out the MC sampling of data to infer an EoS and take the convolution with the probability distribution of the observational data. In this newly proposed method, we can deal with arbitrary probability distribution not relying on the Gaussian approximation. We incorporate observational data from the recent multimessenger sources including precise mass measurements and radius measurements. We also quantify the importance of data augmentation and the effects of prior dependence.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2024

Dense Nuclear Matter Equation of State from Heavy-Ion Collisions

The nuclear equation of state (EOS) is at the center of numerous theoretical and experimental efforts in nuclear physics. With advances in microscopic theories for nuclear interactions, the availability of experiments probing nuclear matter under conditions not reached before, endeavors to develop sophisticated and reliable transport simulations to interpret these experiments, and the advent of multi-messenger astronomy, the next decade will bring new opportunities for determining the nuclear matter EOS, elucidating its dependence on density, temperature, and isospin asymmetry. Among controlled terrestrial experiments, collisions of heavy nuclei at intermediate beam energies (from a few tens of MeV/nucleon to about 25 GeV/nucleon in the fixed-target frame) probe the widest ranges of baryon density and temperature, enabling studies of nuclear matter from a few tenths to about 5 times the nuclear saturation density and for temperatures from a few to well above a hundred MeV, respectively. Collisions of neutron-rich isotopes further bring the opportunity to probe effects due to the isospin asymmetry. However, capitalizing on the enormous scientific effort aimed at uncovering the dense nuclear matter EOS, both at RHIC and at FRIB as well as at other international facilities, depends on the continued development of state-of-the-art hadronic transport simulations. This white paper highlights the essential role that heavy-ion collision experiments and hadronic transport simulations play in understanding strong interactions in dense nuclear matter, with an emphasis on how these efforts can be used together with microscopic approaches and neutron star studies to uncover the nuclear EOS.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2023

Bounds on the Equation of State from QCD Inequalities and Lattice QCD

We derive robust bounds on the equation of state (EoS) at finite baryon chemical potential using QCD inequalities and input from recent lattice-QCD calculations of thermodynamic properties of matter at nonzero isospin chemical potential. We use lattice data to deduce an upper bound on the baryon density of the symmetric nuclear matter at a given baryon chemical potential and a lower bound on the pressure as a function of the energy density. We also use constraints from perturbative calculations of the QCD EoS at high density derived in earlier work and causality to delineate robust bounds on the EoS of isospin symmetric matter at densities relevant to heavy-ion collisions.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

Equation of state of neutron star matter and its warm extension with an interacting hadron resonance gas

We propose an interpolating equation of state that satisfies phenomenologically established boundary conditions in two extreme regimes at high temperature and low baryon density and at low temperature and high baryon density. We confirm that the hadron resonance gas model with the Carnahan-Starling excluded volume effect can reasonably fit the empirical equation of state at high density up to several times the normal nuclear density. We identify the onsets of strange particles and quantify the strangeness contents in dense matter. We finally discuss the finite temperature effects and estimate the thermal index $Γ_{\rm th}$ as a function of the baryon density, which should be a crucial input for the core-collapse supernova and the binary neutron star merger simulations.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

Trace anomaly as signature of conformality in neutron stars

We discuss an interpretation that a peak in the sound velocity in neutron star matter, as suggested by the observational data, signifies strongly-coupled conformal matter. The normalized trace anomaly is a dimensionless measure of conformality leading to the derivative and the non-derivative contributions to the sound velocity. We find that the peak in the sound velocity is attributed to the derivative contribution from the trace anomaly that steeply approaches the conformal limit. Smooth continuity to the behavior of high-density QCD implies that the matter part of the trace anomaly may be positive definite. We discuss a possible implication of the positivity condition of the trace anomaly on the $M$-$R$ relation of the neutron stars.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

Gravitational Wave Signal for Quark Matter with Realistic Phase Transition

The cores of neutron stars (NSs) near the maximum mass realize the most highly compressed matter in the universe where quark degrees of freedom may be liberated. Such a state of dense matter is hypothesized as quark matter (QM) and its presence has awaited to be confirmed for decades in nuclear physics. Gravitational waves from binary NS mergers are expected to convey useful information called the equation of state (EOS). However, the signature for QM with realistic EOS is not yet established. Here, we show that the gravitational wave in the post-merger stage can distinguish the theory scenarios with and without a transition to QM. Instead of adopting specific EOSs as studied previously, we compile reliable EOS constraints from the ab initio approaches. We demonstrate that early collapse to a black hole after NS merger signifies softening of the EOS associated with the onset of QM in accord with ab initio constraints. Nature of hadron-quark phase transition can be further constrained by the condition that electromagnetic counterparts need to be energized by the material left outside the remnant black hole.

astro-ph.HE↗