Free energy of a baryon at finite temperatures and its implications to the heavy-ion collisions

Abstract

We study the free energy per baryon using canonical formalism in the Polyakov loop Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model with imaginary chemical potential. We find that the free energy decreases rapidly with temperature around the transition temperature. This result coupled with the heavy-ion collision geometry leads to the creation of a free energy well for the baryons. We study the time evolution of this free energy well using hydrodynamic simulations and discuss the implications of this free energy well on the dynamics of the baryons.