*Article* **Dense Baryonic Matter and Applications of QCD Phase Diagram Dualities**

#### **Tamaz G. Khunjua 1,2, Konstantin G. Klimenko 3 and Roman N. Zhokhov 4,\***


Received: 6 December 2019; Accepted: 9 January 2020; Published: 19 January 2020

**Abstract:** Recently it has been found that quantum chromodynamics (QCD) phase diagram possesses a duality between chiral symmetry breaking and pion condensation. For the first time this was revealed in the QCD motivated toy model. Then it was demonstrated in effective models as well and new additional dualities being found. We briefly recap the main features of this story and then discuss its applications as a tool to explore the QCD phase structure. The most appealing application is the possibility of getting the results on the QCD phase diagram at large baryon density. Taking the idea from large 1/*Nc* universalities it was argued that the scenario of circumventing the sign problem with the help of dualities seems plausible. It is also discussed that there is a persistent problem about whether there should be catalysis or anti-catalysis of chiral symmetry breaking by chiral imbalance. One can probably say that the issue is settled after lattice results (first principle approach), where the catalysis was observed. But they used an unphysically large pion mass so it is still interesting to ge<sup>t</sup> additional indications that this is the case. It is shown just by the duality property that there exists catalysis of chiral symmetry breaking. So, having in mind our results and the earlier lattice simulations, one can probably claim that this issue is settled. It is demonstrated that the duality can be used to obtain new results. As an example, it is showcased how the phase structure of dense quark matter with chiral imbalance (with possibility of inhomogeneous phases) can be obtained from the knowledge of a QCD phase diagram with isopin asymmetry.

**Keywords:** QCD phase diagram; non-zero baryon density; chiral imbalance; dualities
