Domain growth in chiral phase transitions

Abstract

We study the kinetics of chiral phase transitions in quark matter. We discuss the phase diagram of this system in both a microscopic framework (using the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model) and a phenomenological framework (using the Landau free energy). Then, we study the far-from-equilibrium coarsening dynamics subsequent to a quench from the chirally-symmetric phase to the massive quark phase. Depending on the nature of the quench, the system evolves via either spinodal decomposition or nucleation and growth. The morphology of the ordering system is characterized using the order-parameter correlation function, structure factor, domain growth laws, etc.