PNJL model with a Van der Monde term

Abstract

We extend the Polyakov-Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (PNJL) model for two degenerate flavours by including the effect of the SU(3) measure with a Van der Monde (VdM) term. This ensures that the Polyakov loop always remains in the domain [0,1]. The pressure, energy density, specific heat, speed of sound and conformal measure show small or negligible effects from this term. However various quark number and isospin susceptibilities are all found to approach their respective ideal gas limits around 2 $T_c$. We compare our methods with other similar approaches in PNJL model and also present a quantitative comparison with Lattice QCD data.

12 pages, 8 eps figures; extended discussion and reference added; accepted in Phys. Rev. D