Q-ball formation at the deconfinement temperature in large-Nc QCD

Abstract

The deconfinement phase transition in large-Nc QCD is studied within the framework of an effective Polyakov-loop model, where the potential has a U(1) symmetry originating in the large-Nc limit of a ZNc-symmetric model. At the critical temperature, the shape of the effective potential allows the existence of Q-balls as position-dependent fluctuations of the Polyakov loop. Q-balls with spherical or axial symmetry are numerically obtained from the equations of motion of the effective model under consideration. The physical properties of these nontopological solitons (mass, charge, and size) are discussed, as well as their interpretation in terms of spinning ‘‘bubbles,’’ with various shapes, of deconfined matter surrounded by a confined environment.