We discuss nuclear physics in the Witten-Sakai-Sugimoto model, in the limit of large number $N_c$ of colors and large ’t Hooft coupling, with the addition of a finite mass for the quarks. Individual baryons are described by classical solitons whose size is much smaller than the typical distance in nuclear bound states; thus, we can use the linear approximation to compute the interaction potential and provide a natural description for lightly bound states. We find the classical geometry of nuclear bound states for baryon numbers up to $B=8$. The effect of the finite pion mass—induced by the quark mass via the Gell-Mann–Oakes–Renner relation—is to decrease the binding energy of the nuclei with respect to the massless case. We discuss the finite density case with a particular choice of a cubic lattice, for which we find the critical chemical potential, at which the hadronic phase transition occurs.

• Received 13 February 2021
• Revised 6 April 2021
• Accepted 13 May 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.103.126015

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Published by the American Physical Society