Calculating QCD at High Densities with Functional Methods

by Franz Sattler (Universität Bielefeld)

Thursday Jul 17, 2025, 2:15 PM → 3:45 PM Europe/Berlin

D6-135 (UHG)

I discuss recent progress towards calculating the QCD phase diagram at finite density using the functional Renormalisation Group (fRG). After introducing the fRG as applied to QCD, I explain some of the challenges encountered in functional approaches to the QCD phase diagram.
Many of these can be resolved by recent developments of advanced numerical methods. In particular, the application of numerical hydrodynamics to RG flows and the scalability of our computations to very large systems allow us to make progress towards quantitative access to the region of the conjectured critical end-point (CEP) of the QCD phase diagram.
An interesting result is the appearance of new phases characterised by spatial modulations (the moat regime) and inhomogeneous condensates at high densities, arising from a self-consistent first-principles calculation. For the near future, a clear program emerges to further pinpoint the CEP and its nature using the fRG. 

2025-07-17_Sattler_Franz.pdf