Vortices in gauge models at finite density with vector condensates

There exists a class of gauge models incorporating a finite density of matter in which the Higgs mechanism is provided by condensates of gauge (or gauge plus scalar) fields, i.e., there are vector condensates in this case. We describe vortex solutions in the simplest model in this class, the gauged SU(2)×U(1)_Y sigma model with the chemical potential for hypercharge Y, in which the gauge symmetry is completely broken. It is shown that there are three types of topologically stable vortices in the model, connected either with photon field or hypercharge gauge field, or with both of them. Explicit vortex solutions are numerically found and their energy per unit length are calculated. The relevance of these solutions for the gluonic phase in the dense two-flavor QCD is discussed.

©2006 The American Physical Society