Symmetries and symmetry breaking patterns in QCD: chiral and deconfinement transitions

Abstract

The symmetry breaking pattern of QCD features two seemingly disconnected phenomena: the spontaneous breakdown of the Z(3) center symmetry in the deconfinement transition of pure-gauge QCD, and the spontaneous breaking of chiral SU(N_f)xSU(N_f) symmetry in the limit of N_f massless quark flavours. The dynamical entanglement of these symmetries is displayed in the framework of a schematic model (the PNJL model) in comparison with results from Lattice QCD. Extensions to non-zero baryon chemical potential are discussed.