On the thermodynamics of the 2+1 dimensional Gross-Neveu model with complex chemical potential

We study the thermodynamics of the 2+1 dimensional Gross-Neveu model in the presence of a chemical potential by introducing a representation for the canonical partition function which encodes both real and imaginary chemical potential cases. It is pointed out that the latter case probes the thermodynamics of the possible anyon-like excitations in the spectrum. It is also intimately connected to the breaking of the discrete Z-symmetry of a U(1) gauge theory coupled to the Gross-Neveu model at finite temperature, which we interpret as signaling anyon deconfinement. Finally, the chiral properties of the model in the presence of an imaginary chemical potential are discussed and analytical results for the free-energy density at the transition points are presented.