Meson mass at real and imaginary chemical potentials

Chemical-potential dependence of pi and sigma meson masses is analyzed at both real and imaginary chemical potentials, μR and μI, by using the Polyakov-loop extended Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (PNJL) model that possesses both the extended Z3 symmetry and chiral symmetry. In the μI region, the meson masses have the Roberge-Weiss periodicity. The μI dependence of the meson masses becomes stronger as temperature increases. We argue that meson masses and physical quantities in the μR region will be determined from lattice QCD data on meson masses in the μI region by using the PNJL model, if the data are measured in the future.