Finite-temperature phase structure of lattice QCD for 8 and 17 flavors

The finite-temperature phase structure of lattice quantum chromodynamics with Nf=8 and 17 flavors of staggered quarks is mapped out in the range of quark mass 0.1≤mqa≤10 on the 16³×{}4 lattice and at zero baryon density. In contrast with an earlier study, chiral and deconfinement phase transitions are found to correspond to separate domains on the (mq, Nf) plane. No qualitative difference is found between the phase structures for the two values of Nf, nor between the two and the one for Nf=4. The chiral transition is found to strengthen with increasing Nf.