QCD critical point in a quasiparticle model

Recent theoretical investigations have unveiled a rich structure in the quantum chromodynamics phase diagram, which consists of quark-gluon plasma and the hadronic phases but also supports the existence of a crossover transition ending at a critical end point (CEP). We find a too large variation in the determination of the coordinates of the CEP in the temperature (T) baryon chemical potential (μB) plane; and, therefore, its identification in the current heavy-ion experiments becomes debatable. Here we use an equation of state for a deconfined quark-gluon plasma using a thermodynamically-consistent quasiparticle model involving noninteracting quarks and gluons having thermal masses. We further use a thermodynamically-consistent excluded-volume model for the hadron gas, which was recently proposed by us. Using these equations of state, a first-order deconfining phase transition is constructed using Gibbs's criteria. This leads to an interesting finding that the phase transition line ends at a critical end point (CEP) beyond which a crossover region exists. Using our thermal hadron gas model, we obtain a chemical freeze out curve, and we find that the CEP lies in close proximity to this curve as proposed by some authors. The coordinates of CEP are found to lie within the reach of Relativistic heavy-ion collider experiment.