Inhomogeneous chiral phase in the magnetic field

Abstract

Inhomogeneous chiral phase is discussed in the presence of the magnetic field. A topological aspect is pointed out for the complex order parameter, in relation to the spectral asymmetry of the Dirac operator. It induces an anomalous baryon number and extremely extends the region of the inhomogeneous chiral phase in the QCD phase diagram. It is also shown that the novel tricritical point appears at zero chemical potential, which should be examined by the lattice QCD simulation.