We propose a three-flavor version of the Polyakov-Nambu-Jona-Lasino (PNJL) model at zero temperature regime, by implementing a traced Polyakov loop ($\mathrm{\Phi }$) dependence in the scalar, vector and ’t Hooft channel strengths. We study the thermodynamics of this model, named as PNJL0, with special attention for the first-order confinement/deconfinement phase transition for which $\mathrm{\Phi }$ is the order parameter. For the symmetric quark matter case, an interesting feature observed is a strong reduction of the constituent strange quark mass ($M_s$) at the chemical potential related to point where deconfinement takes place. The emergence of $\mathrm{\Phi }$ favors the restoration of chiral symmetry even for the strange quark. We also investigate the charge neutral system of quarks and leptons in weak equilibrium. As an application, we construct a hadron-quark phase transition with a density dependent hadronic model coupled to the SU(3) PNJL0 model. In this case, the quark side is composed by deconfined particles. This approach is used to determine mass-radius profiles compatible with recent data from the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer mission.

• Received 31 July 2021
• Accepted 22 October 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.104.116001

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Published by the American Physical Society