Topological transition in a parallel electromagnetic field

Abstract

In this work, we attack the problem of "chiral phase instability" ($\chi$PI) in a quantum chromodynamics (QCD) system under a parallel and constant electromagnetic field. The $\chi$PI refers to that: When $I_2\equiv{\bf E\cdot B}$ is larger than the threshold $I_2^c$, no homogeneous solution can be found for $\sigma$ or $\pi^0$ condensate, and the chiral phase (or angle) $\theta$ becomes unstable. Within the two-flavor chiral perturbation theory, we obtain an effective Lagrangian density for $\theta(x)$ where the chiral anomalous Wess-Zumino-Witten term is found to play a role of "source" to the "potential field" $\theta(x)$. The Euler-Lagrangian equation is applied to derive the equation of motion for $\theta(x)$, and physical solutions are worked out for several shapes of system. In the case $I_2>I_2^c$, it is found that the $\chi$PI actually implies an inhomogeneous QCD phase with $\theta(x)$ spatially dependent. By its very nature, the homogeneous-inhomogeneous phase transition is of pure topological and second order at $I_2^c$. Finally, the work is extended to the three-flavor case, where an inhomogeneous $\eta$ condensation is also found to be developed for $I_2>I_2^c$. Correspondingly, there is a second critical point, $I_2^{c'}=24.3I_2^c$, across which the transition is also of topological and second order by its very nature.