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Thermoelectric figure of merit and the deconfinement phase transition

Kamaljeet Singh, Raghunath Sahoo

TL;DR

The paper introduces a phenomenological study of the thermoelectric figure of merit $ZT$ in hot QCD matter, bridging hadronic and quark-gluon plasma phases using an ideal HRG and a quasiparticle QPM. Employing kinetic theory in the relaxation-time approximation, it derives expressions for the Seebeck coefficient $S$, electrical conductivity $\sigma_{el}$, and thermal conductivity $\kappa_0$, and computes $ZT = \frac{S^{2}\sigma_{el}T}{\kappa_{0}}$. The analyses reveal a nontrivial, peak-like behavior of $ZT$ near the QCD transition temperature, influenced by the evolving degrees of freedom and transport properties across the transition, with pronounced dependence on the baryon chemical potential $\mu_B$. The work suggests that $ZT$ can serve as a transport-based signature of deconfinement and degrees-of-freedom redistribution in hot QCD matter, offering complementary insight to traditional transport studies. The study provides a framework for connecting thermoelectric response to the QCD phase structure in heavy-ion collision environments.

Abstract

Thermoelectric phenomena are traditionally associated with the interconversion of thermal and electrical energy in many-body systems. In the context of high-temperature quantum chromodynamics (QCD) matter produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, thermoelectric responses can provide insight into the evolving microscopic dynamics and the redistribution of effective degrees of freedom across the phase transition region. In this work, for the first time, we present a phenomenological study of the thermoelectric figure of merit (\( ZT \)) in hot QCD matter, with a particular focus on its behavior across the hadronic and quark-gluon plasma phases. Using model-based calculations for the electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity, we analyze the temperature dependence of \( ZT \) and identify characteristic features near the QCD phase transition temperature. Our results indicate that \( ZT \) exhibits nontrivial behavior near the transition region, reflecting the changing transport properties and active degrees of freedom in the medium. This phenomenological study of the thermoelectric figure of merit provides a complementary perspective to traditional transport studies and may provide critical insights for advancing the understanding of QCD matter through the transition region.

Thermoelectric figure of merit and the deconfinement phase transition

TL;DR

The paper introduces a phenomenological study of the thermoelectric figure of merit in hot QCD matter, bridging hadronic and quark-gluon plasma phases using an ideal HRG and a quasiparticle QPM. Employing kinetic theory in the relaxation-time approximation, it derives expressions for the Seebeck coefficient , electrical conductivity , and thermal conductivity , and computes . The analyses reveal a nontrivial, peak-like behavior of near the QCD transition temperature, influenced by the evolving degrees of freedom and transport properties across the transition, with pronounced dependence on the baryon chemical potential . The work suggests that can serve as a transport-based signature of deconfinement and degrees-of-freedom redistribution in hot QCD matter, offering complementary insight to traditional transport studies. The study provides a framework for connecting thermoelectric response to the QCD phase structure in heavy-ion collision environments.

Abstract

Thermoelectric phenomena are traditionally associated with the interconversion of thermal and electrical energy in many-body systems. In the context of high-temperature quantum chromodynamics (QCD) matter produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, thermoelectric responses can provide insight into the evolving microscopic dynamics and the redistribution of effective degrees of freedom across the phase transition region. In this work, for the first time, we present a phenomenological study of the thermoelectric figure of merit () in hot QCD matter, with a particular focus on its behavior across the hadronic and quark-gluon plasma phases. Using model-based calculations for the electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity, we analyze the temperature dependence of and identify characteristic features near the QCD phase transition temperature. Our results indicate that exhibits nontrivial behavior near the transition region, reflecting the changing transport properties and active degrees of freedom in the medium. This phenomenological study of the thermoelectric figure of merit provides a complementary perspective to traditional transport studies and may provide critical insights for advancing the understanding of QCD matter through the transition region.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 7 sections, 28 equations, 1 figure.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Phenomenological models for the equation of state of QCD matter
  3. Quasiparticle model
  4. Ideal hadron resonance model
  5. Thermoelectric figure of merit of QCD matter
  6. Results and Discussion
  7. Summary

Figures (1)

  • Figure 1: Left: $ZT$ as a function of temperature for various values of $\mu_B$ in the HRG (solid lines) and QPM (dashed lines) phases. Right: 3D surface plot showing $ZT$ across a thermodynamic phase space spanned by $T$ and $\mu_B$ in both HRG and QPM phases.