In the framework of a holographic QCD approach we study the influence of matter on the deconfinement temperature $T_c$. We first consider the quark flavor number ($N_f$) dependence of $T_c$. We observe that $T_c$ decreases with $N_f$, which is consistent with a lattice QCD result. We also delve into how the quark number density ${\rho }_q$ affects the value of $T_c$. We find that $T_c$ drops with increasing ${\rho }_q$. In both cases, we confirm that the contributions from quarks are suppressed by $1/N_c$, as it should be, compared to the ones from a gravitational action (pure Yang-Mills theory).

• Received 4 July 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.76.086003