Scalar Quantum Field Theory Research Articles

On the (in)consistency of perturbation theory at finite temperature

A well-known difficulty of perturbative approaches to quantum field theory at finite temperature is the necessity to address theoretical constraints that are not present in the vacuum theory. In this work, we use lattice simulations of scalar correlation functions in massive ϕ4 theory to analyse the extent to which these constraints affect the perturbative predictions. We find that the standard perturbative predictions deteriorate even in the absence of infrared divergences at relatively low temperatures, and that this is directly connected to the analytic structure of the propagators used in the expansion. This suggests that the incorporation of non-perturbative thermal effects in the propagators is essential for a consistent perturbative formulation of scalar quantum field theories at finite temperature. By utilising the spectral constraints imposed on finite-temperature correlation functions, we explore how these effects manifest themselves in the lattice data, and discuss why the presence of distinct thermoparticle excitations provides a potential resolution to these issues.

Loop correction and resummation of vertex functions for a self interacting scalar field in the de Sitter spacetime

We consider a massless and minimally coupled self interacting quantum scalar field theory in the inflationary de Sitter background of dimension four. The self interaction potential is taken to be either quartic, λϕ4/4!, or quartic plus cubic, λϕ4/4!+βϕ3/3! (λ>0). We compute the four and three point vertex functions up to two loop. The purely local or partly local part of these renormalised loop corrected vertex functions grow unboundedly after sufficient number of de Sitter e-foldings, due to the appearances of secular logarithms. We focus on the purely local part of the vertex functions and attempt a resummation of them in terms of the dynamically generated mass of the scalar field at late times. Such local logarithms have sub-leading powers compared to the non-local leading ones which can be resummed via the stochastic formalism. The variation of these vertex functions are investigated with respect to the tree level couplings numerically. Since neither the secular effect, nor the dynamical generation of field mass is possible in the Minkowski spacetime, the above phenomenon has no flat spacetime analogue. We have also compared our result with the ones that could be found via the recently proposed renormalisation group techniques. All these results suggest that at late times the value of the non-perturbative vertex function should be less than the tree level coupling.

Coupling renormalization flow in the strongly interacting regime of an asymptotically free quantum field theory in four dimensions

We consider a scalar quantum field theory with global O(N)3 symmetry in four Euclidean dimensions and solve it numerically in closed form in the large-N limit. For imaginary tetrahedral coupling the theory is asymptotically free, with stable and real quantum effective action. We demonstrate the dynamical build-up of a strong interaction as the correlation length increases in a regime where the coupling renormalization flow remains well defined in the infrared. This is in contrast to perturbative results of asymptotically free theories, which predict that the coupling becomes ill defined in the infrared, like in quantum chromodynamics. These properties make the model an important laboratory for the study of strong-coupling phenomena in quantum field theory from first principles. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Non-polynomial interactions as a path towards a non-renormalizable UV-completion

We propose a new class of single-field scalar quantum field theories with non-polynomial interactions leading to a two-point Green's function that can be naturally continued beyond the naive cutoff scale. This provides a new prospect for self-completing theories in the UV-domain. In our approach, the formal power series for the scalar potential has a vanishing radius of convergence and is defined through Borel resummation. We discuss concrete examples, among others with a spectral function that vanishes at large momenta, potentially leading to an asymptotically free theory. Finally, we give an outlook on future research, with a view towards possible applications to inflation and gravity.

Momentum non-conservation in a scalar quantum field theory with a planar θ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\ heta$$\\end{document} interface

Motivated by the recent interest aroused by non-dynamical axionic electrodynamics in the context of topological insulators and Weyl semimetals, we discuss a simple model of the magnetoelectric effect in terms of a θ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\ heta$$\\end{document}-scalar field that interacts through a delta-like potential located at a planar interface. Thus, in the bulk regions the field is constructed by standard free waves with the absence of evanescent components. These waves have to be combined into linear superposition to account for the boundary conditions at the interface in order to yield the corresponding normal modes. Our aim is twofold: first we quantize the θ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\ heta$$\\end{document}-scalar field using the normal modes in the canonical approach and then we look for applications emphasizing the effect of momentum non-conservation due to the presence of the interface. To this end, we calculate the decay of a standard scalar particle into two θ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\ heta$$\\end{document}-scalar particles showing the opening of new decay channels. As a second application, we deal with the two-body scattering of standard charged scalar particles mediated by a θ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\ heta$$\\end{document}-scalar particle, focusing on the momentum non-conserving contribution of the scattering amplitude MNC\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\\mathcal {M}}}^{NC}$$\\end{document}. We define a generalization of the usual cross section in order to quantify the emergence of these events. We also study the allowed kinematical region for momentum non-conservation as well as the position of the poles of the amplitude MNC\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\\mathcal {M}}}^{NC}$$\\end{document}. Finally, the ratio of the magnitudes between MNC\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\\mathcal {M}}}^{NC}$$\\end{document} and the momentum conserving amplitude is discussed in the appropriate region of momentum space.

Quantum Mechanics Based on an Extended Least Action Principle and Information Metrics of Vacuum Fluctuations

We show that the formulations of non-relativistic quantum mechanics can be derived from an extended least action principle. The principle can be considered as an extension of the least action principle from classical mechanics by factoring in two assumptions. First, the Planck constant defines the minimal amount of action a physical system needs to exhibit during its dynamics in order to be observable. Second, there is constant vacuum fluctuation along a classical trajectory. A novel method is introduced to define the information metrics to measure additional observability due to vacuum fluctuations, which is then converted to an additional action through the first assumption. Applying the variational principle to minimize the total actions allows us to recover the basic quantum formulations including the uncertainty relation and the Schrödinger equation in the position representation. In the momentum representation, the same method can be applied to obtain the Schrödinger equation for a free particle while further investigation is still needed for a particle with an external potential. Furthermore, the principle brings in new results on two fronts. At the conceptual level, we find that the information metrics for vacuum fluctuations are responsible for the origin of the Bohm quantum potential. Even though the Bohm potential for a bipartite system is inseparable, the underlying vacuum fluctuations are local. Thus, inseparability of the Bohm potential does not justify a non-local causal relation between the two subsystems. At the mathematical level, quantifying the information metrics for vacuum fluctuations using more general definitions of relative entropy results in a generalized Schrödinger equation that depends on the order of relative entropy. The extended least action principle is a new mathematical tool. It can be applied to derive other quantum formalisms such as quantum scalar field theory.

Fuzzy onionlike space as a matrix model

We propose a matrix model realization of a three-dimensional quantum space. It has an onionlike structure composed of concentric fuzzy spheres of increasing radius. The angular part of the Laplace operator is inherited from that of the fuzzy sphere. The radial part is constructed using operators that relate matrices of various sizes using the matrix harmonic expansion. As an example of this approach, we produce a numerical simulation of a scalar quantum field theory, the classical heat transfer, study the quantum-mechanical hydrogen atom, and consider some analytical aspects of the scalar field theory on this space. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Relativistic generalised uncertainty and the corrected vacuum energy

Abstract In this paper we make use of the recent covariant extension of the generalised uncertainty principle to study the corrections to the vacuum energy of the simplest scalar quantum field theory. We then calculate the modifications to the Casimir effect that such a correction to the vacuum energy would bring about. We emphasise that these corrections are indeed physical.

Decoherence and entropy generation at one loop in the inflationary de Sitter spacetime for Yukawa interaction

Abstract The decoherence mechanism is believed to be possibly connected to the quantum to classical transition of the primordial cosmological perturbations in the early universe. In this paper, we extend our previous analysis on decoherence in a fermion and scalar quantum field theory coupled via the Yukawa interaction in the Minkowski spacetime, to the inflationary de Sitter background. We treat the scalar field as the system and the fermions as the environment, and both the fields are taken to be massless. We utilise a non-equilibrium effective field theory formalism, suitable for open quantum systems such as this. We assume that an observer measures only the Gaussian 2-point correlator for the scalar field, as the simplest realistic scenario. In order to compute the von Neumann entropy generated at late times as a measure of the decoherence, we construct the one loop renormalised Kadanoff-Baym equation, which is the equation of motion satisfied by the 2-point correlators in the closed time path Schwinger-Keldysh formalism. These equations account to the self energy corrections. Using this, we next construct the one loop corrected statistical propagator for the scalar, which is related to its phase space area, to compute the von Neumann entropy. We also compute the variation of the von Neumann entropy with respect to relevant parameters. We note the qualitative similarity between our findings and the scenario where both the system and the environment are scalars. Our result is also qualitatively similar to an earlier one found by using the influence functional technique for a massive Yukawa theory.

Poincaré symmetries and representations in pseudo-Hermitian quantum field theory

This paper explores quantum field theories with pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians, where PT-symmetric Hamiltonians serve as a special case. In specific regimes, these pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians have real eigenspectra, orthogonal eigenstates, and unitary time evolution. So far, most pseudo-Hermitian quantum field theories have been constructed using analytic continuation or by adding non-Hermitian terms to otherwise Hermitian Hamiltonians. However, in this paper, we take a different approach. We construct pseudo-Hermitian scalar and fermionic quantum field theories from first principles by extending the Poincaré algebra to include non-Hermitian generators. This allows us to develop consistent pseudo-Hermitian quantum field theories, with Lagrangian densities that transform appropriately under the proper Poincaré group. By doing so, we establish a more solid theoretical foundation for the emerging field of non-Hermitian quantum field theory. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Multiparticle states in braided lightlike κ -Minkowski noncommutative QFT

In this study, we construct a 1+1-dimensional, relativistic, free, complex scalar quantum field theory on the noncommutative spacetime known as lightlike κ-Minkowski. The associated κ-Poincaré quantum group of isometries is triangular, and its quantum R matrix enables the definition of a braided algebra of N points that retains κ-Poincaré invariance. Leveraging our recent findings, we can now represent the generators of the deformed oscillator algebra as nonlinear redefinitions of undeformed oscillators, which are nonlocal in momentum space. The deformations manifest at the multiparticle level, as the one-particle states are identical to the undeformed ones. We successfully introduce a covariant and involutive deformed flip operator using the R matrix. The corresponding deformed (anti)symmetrization operators are covariant and idempotent, allowing for a well-posed definition of multiparticle states, a result long sought in quantum field theory on κ-Minkowski. We find that P and T are not symmetries of the theory, although PT (and hence CPT) is. We conclude by noticing that identical particles appear distinguishable in the new theory, and discuss the fate of the Pauli exclusion principle in this setting. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Quantum Scalar Field Theory Based on an Extended Least Action Principle

Recently it is shown that the non-relativistic quantum formulations can be derived from an extended least action principle Yang (2023). In this paper, we apply the principle to massive scalar fields, and derive the Schrödinger equation of the wave functional for the scalar fields. The principle extends the least action principle in classical field theory by factoring in two assumptions. First, the Planck constant defines the minimal amount of action a field needs to exhibit in order to be observable. Second, there are constant random field fluctuations. A novel method is introduced to define the information metrics to measure additional observable information due to the field fluctuations, which is then converted to the additional action through the first assumption. Applying the variation principle to minimize the total actions allows us to elegantly derive the transition probability of field fluctuations, the uncertainty relation, and the Schrödinger equation of the wave functional. Furthermore, by defining the information metrics for field fluctuations using general definitions of relative entropy, we obtain a generalized Schrödinger equation of the wave functional that depends on the order of relative entropy. Our results demonstrate that the extended least action principle can be applied to derive both non-relativistic quantum mechanics and relativistic quantum scalar field theory. We expect it can be further used to obtain quantum theory for non-scalar fields.

An algebraic formula for two loop renormalization of scalar quantum field theory

We find a general formula for the two-loop renormalization counterterms of a scalar quantum field theory with interactions containing up to two derivatives, extending ’t Hooft’s one-loop result. The method can also be used for theories with higher derivative interactions, as long as the terms in the Lagrangian have at most one derivative acting on each field. We show that diagrams with factorizable topologies do not contribute to the renormalization group equations. The results in this paper will be combined with the geometric method in a subsequent paper to obtain the counterterms and renormalization group equations for the scalar sector of effective field theories (EFT) to two-loop order.

Asymptotic behavior of solutions and spectrum of states in the quantum scalar field theory in the Schwarzschild spacetime

Asymptotic behavior of solutions and spectrum of states in the quantum scalar field theory in the Schwarzschild spacetime

Quantum computation of phase transition in interacting scalar quantum field theory

Quantum computation of phase transition in interacting scalar quantum field theory

Weak vs. strong breaking of integrability in interacting scalar quantum field theories

The recently proposed classification of integrability-breaking perturbations according to their strength is studied in the context of quantum field theories. Using random matrix methods to diagnose the resulting quantum chaotic behaviour, we investigate the \phi^4ϕ4 and \phi^6ϕ6 interactions of a massive scalar, by considering the crossover between Poissonian and Wigner-Dyson distributions in systems truncated to a finite-dimensional Hilbert space. We find that a naive extension of the scaling of crossover coupling with the volume observed in spin chains does not give satisfactory results for quantum field theory. Instead, we demonstrate that considering the scaling of the crossover coupling with the number of particles yields robust signatures, and is able to distinguish between the strengths of integrability breaking in the \phi^4ϕ4 and \phi^6ϕ6 quantum field theories.

Scaling violation and the appearance of mass in scalar quantum field theories

В безмассовых квантово-полевых теориях в логарифмических размерностях нарушается скейлинг. Рассматривается возможность интерпретации этого эффекта как спонтанного появления массы в рамках скелетных уравнений самосогласования с полным пропагатором в моделях с взаимодействиями $\varphi^3$, $\varphi^4$, $\varphi^6$ скалярного поля $\varphi$.

Scaling violation and the appearance of mass in scalar quantum field theories

Scaling violation and the appearance of mass in scalar quantum field theories

The connection between nonzero density and spontaneous symmetry breaking for interacting scalars

We consider U(1)-symmetric scalar quantum field theories at zero temperature. At nonzero charge densities, the ground state of these systems is usually assumed to be a superfluid phase, in which the global symmetry is spontaneously broken along with Lorentz boosts and time translations. We show that, in d > 2 spacetime dimensions, this expectation is always realized at one loop for arbitrary non-derivative interactions, confirming that the physically distinct phenomena of nonzero charge density and spontaneous symmetry breaking occur simultaneously in these systems. We quantify this result by deriving universal scaling relations for the symmetry breaking scale as a function of the charge density, at low and high density. Moreover, we show that the critical value of μ above which a nonzero density develops coincides with the pole mass in the unbroken, Poincaré invariant vacuum of the theory. The same conclusions hold non-perturbatively for an O(N) theory with quartic interactions in d = 3 and 4, at leading order in the 1/N expansion. We derive these results by computing analytically the zero-temperature, finite-μ one-loop effective potential, paying special attention to subtle points related to the iε terms. We check our results against the one-loop low-energy effective action for the superfluid phonons in λϕ4 theory in d = 4 previously derived by Joyce and ourselves, which we further generalize to arbitrary potential interactions and arbitrary dimensions. As a byproduct, we find analytically the one-loop scaling dimension of the lightest charge-n operator for the λϕ6 conformal superfluid in d = 3, at leading order in 1/n, reproducing a numerical result of Badel et al. For a λϕ4 superfluid in d = 4, we also reproduce the Lee-Huang-Yang relation and compute relativistic corrections to it. Finally, we discuss possible extensions of our results beyond perturbation theory.

Nonlocal Fractional Quantum Field Theory and Converging Perturbation Series

The main purpose of this paper is to derive a new perturbation theory (PT) that has converging series. Such series arise in the nonlocal scalar quantum field theory (QFT) with fractional power potential. We construct a PT for the generating functional (GF) of complete Green functions (including disconnected parts of functions) Zj as well as for the GF of connected Green functions Gj=lnZj in powers of coupling constant g. It has infrared (IR)-finite terms. We prove that the obtained series, which has the form of a grand canonical partition function (GCPF), is dominated by a convergent series—in other words, has majorant, which allows for expansion beyond the weak coupling g limit. Vacuum energy density in second order in g is calculated and researched for different types of Gaussian part S0[ϕ] of the action S[ϕ]. Further in the paper, using the polynomial expansion, the general calculable series for Gj is derived. We provide, compare and research simplifications in cases of second-degree polynomial and hard-sphere gas (HSG) approximations. The developed formalism allows us to research the physical properties of the considered system across the entire range of coupling constant g, in particular, the vacuum energy density.