Unified Functional-Holographic Theory of the QCD Critical End Point

Abstract

We develop a thermodynamically consistent nonperturbative framework for equilibrium QCD criticality, unifying DSE quark propagation, FRG flow, and PNJL thermodynamics for coupled chiral/deconfinement order parameters. A holographic Maxwell-Chern-Simons sector supplies topological response; its topological susceptibility enters the FRG flow of the determinantal ('t Hooft) interaction, encoding axial-anomaly evolution across the phase diagram. At $\hat{I}{¼}_B=0$ we anchor to continuum-extrapolated lattice thermodynamics and conserved-charge susceptibilities through a lattice-calibrated Polyakov sector, enforcing exact thermodynamic identities by evaluating derivatives at the stationary grand-potential solution at each RG scale. Solving the coupled DSE-FRG-holographic system yields, at the present approximation level, an equilibrium critical end point at $T_{\mathrm{CEP}}\simeq 130\text{–}135,\mathrm{MeV}$ and $\hat{I}{¼}_{B,\mathrm{CEP}}\simeq 600,\mathrm{MeV}$, with quantified sensitivity to regulator, Polyakov-sector, and holographic-normalization choices. The critical region is organized by a nonperturbative map onto universal 3D Ising scaling variables, with anomalous-dimension effects absorbed into nonuniversal metric factors, yielding predictions for the hierarchy, nonmonotonicity, and sign structure of higher-order net-baryon cumulant ratios along smooth freeze-out trajectories and speed-of-sound softening. Comparisons to RHIC BES fluctuation measurements are qualitative consistency checks on correlated equilibrium trends and sign patterns, because finite size/lifetime, critical slowing down, baryon-number conservation, acceptance/efficiency corrections, net-proton-to-net-baryon conversion, and baryon transport can round or reshape experimental cumulants. The results provide a unified equilibrium baseline and controlled inputs for finite-size scaling and dynamical embeddings of heavy-ion data.

67 pages, 17 figures