Kinetics of Chiral Phase Transitions in Quark Matter

Abstract

We study the kinetics of chiral transitions in quark matter using a microscopic framework (Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model) and a phenomenological model (Ginzburg-Landau free energy). We focus on the coarsening dynamics subsequent to a quench from the massless quark phase to the massive quark phase. The morphology of the ordering system is characterized by the scaling of the order-parameter correlation function. The domain growth process obeys the Allen-Cahn growth law, $L(t)\sim t^{1/2}$. We also study the growth of bubbles of the stable massive phase from the metastable massless phase.

Comments: To appear in proceedings of Gribov-80 Memorial workshop on Quantum Chromodynamics and Beyond, ICTP, 26-28 May 2010, to be published by World Scientific