Self-interacting Scalar Field Theory Research Articles

Effective potential and mass behavior of a self-interacting scalar field theory due to thermal and external electric and magnetic fields effects

Effective potential and mass behavior of a self-interacting scalar field theory due to thermal and external electric and magnetic fields effects

Loop corrections in Minkowski spacetime away from equilibrium. Part I. Late-time resummations

Loop corrections to unequal-time correlation functions in Minkowski spacetime exhibit secular growth due to a breakdown of time-dependent perturbation theory. This is analogous to secular growth in equal-time correlators on time-dependent backgrounds, except that in Minkowski the divergences must not signal a real IR issue. In this paper, we calculate the late-time limit of the two-point correlator for different massless self-interacting scalar quantum field theories on a Minkowski background. We first use a late-time version of the in-in path integral starting in the vacuum of the free theory; in this limit, the calculation, including UV renormalization, reduces to that in in-out. We find linear or logarithmic growth in time, depending on whether the interaction strength is dimension-one or dimensionless, respectively. We next develop the Weisskopf-Wigner resummation method, that proceeds by demanding unitarity within a truncated Hilbert space, to calculate the resummed correlator and find that it gives an exact exponentiation of the late-time perturbative result. The resummed (unequal-time) correlator thus decays with an exponential or polynomial time-dependence, which is suggestive of ‘universal’ behavior that depends on the dimensions of the interaction strength.

Loop corrections in Minkowski spacetime away from equilibrium. Part II. Finite-time results

Loop corrections to finite-time correlation functions in quantum field theories away from equilibrium can be calculated using the in-in path integral approach. In this paper, we calculate the unequal-time two-point correlator for different massless self-interacting scalar quantum field theories on a Minkowski background, starting the field evolution at an arbitrary initial time. We find the counterterms that need to be added to UV-renormalize the result, including usual in-out counterterms in the dynamics and additional initial state counterterms that are required to cancel all UV divergences. We find that the late-time limit of the renormalized correlation function exhibits a linear or logarithmic growth in time, depending on whether the interaction strength is dimension-one or dimensionless, respectively. The late-time correlations match those obtained in our companion paper and, as shown there, the divergences do not indicate a real IR issue, consistent with what one would expect in Minkowski.

Hartle-Hawking state in the real-time formalism

We study self-interacting massive scalar field theory in static spacetimes with a bifurcate Killing horizon and a wedge reflection. In this theory the Hartle-Hawking state is defined to have the $N$-point correlation functions obtained by analytically continuing those in the Euclidean theory, whereas the double Kubo-Martin-Schwinger (KMS) state is the pure state invariant under the Killing flow and the wedge reflection which is regular on the bifurcate Killing horizon and reduces to the thermal state at the Hawking temperature in each of the two static regions. We demonstrate in the Schwinger-Keldysh operator formalism of perturbation theory the equivalence between the Hartle-Hawking state and the double KMS state with the Hawking temperature, which was shown before by Jacobson in the path-integral framework.

Scalar lumps with a horizon

We study a self-interacting scalar field theory coupled to gravity and are interested in spherically symmetric solutions with a regular origin surrounded by a horizon. For a scalar potential containing a barrier, and using the most general spherically symmetric ansatz, we show that in addition to the known static, oscillating solutions discussed earlier in the literature there exist new classes of solutions which appear in the strong field case. For these solutions the spatial sphere shrinks either beyond the horizon, implying a collapsing universe outside of the cosmological horizon, or it shrinks already inside of the horizon, implying the existence of a black hole surrounding the scalar lump in all directions. Crucial for the existence of all such solutions is the presence of a scalar field potential with a barrier that satisfies the swampland conjectures.

Non-Gaussian entanglement renormalization for quantum fields

In this work, a non-Gaussian cMERA tensor network for interacting quantum field theories (icMERA) is presented. This consists of a continuous tensor network circuit in which the generator of the entanglement renormalization of the wavefunction is nonperturbatively extended with nonquadratic variational terms. The icMERA circuit nonperturbatively implements a set of scale dependent nonlinear transformations on the fields of the theory, which suppose a generalization of the scale dependent linear transformations induced by the Gaussian cMERA circuit. Here we present these transformations for the case of self-interacting scalar and fermionic field theories. Finally, the icMERA tensor network is fully optimized for the λϕ4 theory in (1 + 1) dimensions. This allows us to evaluate, nonperturbatively, the connected parts of the two- and four-point correlation functions. Our results show that icMERA wavefunctionals encode proper non-Gaussian correlations of the theory, thus providing a new variational tool to study phenomena related with strongly interacting field theories.

Equilibrium States in Thermal Field Theory and in Algebraic Quantum Field Theory

In this paper we compare the construction of equilibrium states at finite temperature for self-interacting massive scalar quantum field theories on Minkowski spacetime proposed by Fredenhagen and Lindner with results obtained in ordinary thermal field theory, by means of real time and Matsubara formalisms. In the construction of this state, even if the adiabatic limit is considered, the interaction Lagrangian is multiplied by a smooth time cut-off. In this way the interaction starts adiabatically and the correlation functions are free from divergences. The corresponding interaction Hamiltonian is a local interacting field smeared over the interval of time where the chosen cut-off is not constant. In order to cope with this smearing, the Matsubara propagator needs to be modified. We obtain an expansion of the correlation functions of the interacting equilibrium state as a sum over certain type of graphs with mixed edges, some of them correspond to modified Matsubara propagators and others to propagators of the real time formalism. An integration over the adiabatic time cut-off is present in every vertex. However, at every order in perturbation theory, the final result does not depend on the particular form of the cut-off function. The obtained graphical expansion contains in it both the real time formalism and the Matsubara formalism as particular cases. Finally, we show that a particular factorisation which is used to derive the ordinary real time formalism holds only in special cases and we present a counterexample. We conclude with the analysis of certain correlation functions and we notice that corrections to the self-energy in a $\lambda\phi^4$ at finite temperature theory are expected.

Critical properties of scalar field theory with Lorentz violation: Exact treatment of Lorentz-violating mechanism

In this work, we compute analytically the infrared divergences of massless O(N) self-interacting scalar field theories with Lorentz violation, which are exact in the Lorentz-violating Kμν coefficients, for evaluating the corresponding next-to-leading order critical exponents. For that, we apply three distinct and independent field-theoretic renormalization group methods. We find that the outcomes for the critical exponents are the same in the three methods and, furthermore, are identical to their Lorentz invariant counterparts. We generalize the results for all loop levels by employing a general theorem arising from the exact procedure and give the corresponding physical interpretation.

Quantum Sensors for the Generating Functional of Interacting Quantum Field Theories

Difficult problems described in terms of interacting quantum fields evolving in real time or out of equilibrium are abound in condensed-matter and high-energy physics. Addressing such problems via controlled experiments in atomic, molecular, and optical physics would be a breakthrough in the field of quantum simulations. In this work, we present a quantum-sensing protocol to measure the generating functional of an interacting quantum field theory and, with it, all the relevant information about its in or out of equilibrium phenomena. Our protocol can be understood as a collective interferometric scheme based on a generalization of the notion of Schwinger sources in quantum field theories, which make it possible to probe the generating functional. We show that our scheme can be realized in crystals of trapped ions acting as analog quantum simulators of self-interacting scalar quantum field theories.

Bulk reconstruction in AdS and Gel\u2019fand-Graev-Radon transform

The bulk reconstruction formula for a Euclidean anti-de Sitter space is directly related to the inverse of the Gel’fand-Graev-Radon transform. Correlation functions of a conformal scalar field theory in the boundary are thereby related to correlation functions of a self-interacting scalar field theory in the bulk at different loop orders.

Self-interacting scalar fields at high-temperature

We study two self-interacting scalar field theories in their high-temperature limit using path integrals on a lattice. We first discuss the formalism and recover known potentials to validate the method. We then discuss how these theories can model, in the high-temperature limit, the strong interaction and General Relativity. For the strong interaction, the model recovers the known phenomenology of the nearly static regime of heavy quarkonia. The model also exposes a possible origin for the emergence of the confinement scale from the approximately conformal Lagrangian. Aside from such possible insights, the main purpose of addressing the strong interaction here – given that more sophisticated approaches already exist – is mostly to further verify the pertinence of the model in the more complex case of General Relativity for which non-perturbative methods are not as developed. The results have important implications on the nature of Dark Matter. In particular, non-perturbative effects naturally provide flat rotation curves for disk galaxies, without need for non-baryonic matter, and explain as well other observations involving Dark Matter such as cluster dynamics or the dark mass of elliptical galaxies.

Renormalization group approach for Lorentz-violating scalar field theory at all loop orders

We compute, both explicitly, at least, up to next-to-leading order and in a proof by induction for all loop levels, the critical exponents for thermal Lorentz-violating O([Formula: see text]) self-interacting scalar field theory. They are evaluated in a massless theory renormalized at arbitrary external momenta, where a reduced number of Feynman diagrams is needed. The results are presented and shown to be identical to that found previously in distinct theories renormalized at different renormalization schemes. Finally, we give both mathematical explanation and physical interpretation for them based on coordinates redefinition techniques and symmetry ideas, respectively.

Quantum renormalization group

The observed IR and the spectator UV particles of a regulated, cutoff quantum field theory are entangled by their interactions; hence, the IR sector can be described by the help of the density matrix only. The tree-level renormalized trajectory is obtained for a self-interacting scalar field theory, containing the mixed state contributions. One needs a sharp cutoff in the momentum space as regulator to realize the true loss of information, caused by massive particles.

Nonequilibrium fixed points in longitudinally expanding scalar theories: Infrared cascade, Bose condensation, and a challenge for kinetic theory

In Phys. Rev. Lett. 114 (2015) 6, 061601, we reported on a new universality class for longitudinally expanding systems, encompassing strongly correlated non-Abelian plasmas and $N$-component self-interacting scalar field theories. Using classical-statistical methods, we showed that these systems share the same self-similar scaling properties for a wide range of momenta in a limit where particles are weakly coupled but their occupancy is high. Here we significantly expand on our previous work and delineate two further self-similar regimes. One of these occurs in the deep infrared (IR) regime of very high occupancies, where the nonequilibrium dynamics leads to the formation of a Bose-Einstein Condensate. The universal IR scaling exponents and the spectral index characterizing the isotropic IR distributions are described by an effective theory derived from a systematic large-$N$ expansion at next-to-leading order. Remarkably, this effective theory can be cast as a vertex-resummed kinetic theory. The other novel self-similar regime occurs close to the hard physical scale of the theory, and sets in only at later times. We argue that the important role of the infrared dynamics ensures that key features of our results for scalar and gauge theories cannot be reproduced consistently in conventional kinetic theory frameworks.

Scalar Field Theories with Polynomial Shift Symmetries

We continue our study of naturalness in nonrelativistic QFTs of the Lifshitz type, focusing on scalar fields that can play the role of Nambu-Goldstone (NG) modes associated with spontaneous symmetry breaking. Such systems allow for an extension of the constant shift symmetry to a shift by a polynomial of degree $P$ in spatial coordinates. These "polynomial shift symmetries" in turn protect the technical naturalness of modes with a higher-order dispersion relation, and lead to a refinement of the proposed classification of infrared Gaussian fixed points available to describe NG modes in nonrelativistic theories. Generic interactions in such theories break the polynomial shift symmetry explicitly to the constant shift. It is thus natural to ask: Given a Gaussian fixed point with polynomial shift symmetry of degree $P$, what are the lowest-dimension operators that preserve this symmetry, and deform the theory into a self-interacting scalar field theory with the shift symmetry of degree $P$? To answer this (essentially cohomological) question, we develop a new graph-theoretical technique, and use it to prove several classification theorems. First, in the special case of $P=1$ (essentially equivalent to Galileons), we reproduce the known Galileon $N$-point invariants, and find their novel interpretation in terms of graph theory, as an equal-weight sum over all labeled trees with $N$ vertices. Then we extend the classification to $P>1$ and find a whole host of new invariants, including those that represent the most relevant (or least irrelevant) deformations of the corresponding Gaussian fixed points, and we study their uniqueness.

Non-minimal two-loop inflation

We investigate the chaotic inflationary model using the two-loop effective potential of a self-interacting scalar field theory in curved spacetime. We use the potential which contains a non-minimal scalar curvature coupling and a quartic scalar self-interaction and which was found in Ref. [1]. We analyze the Lyapunov stability of de Sitter solution and show the stability bound. Calculating the inflationary parameters, we systematically explore the spectral index ns and the tensor-to-scalar ratio r, with varying the four parameters, the scalar-curvature coupling ξ0, the scalar quartic coupling λ0, the renormalization scale μ and the e-folding number N. It is found that the two-loop correction on ns is much larger than the leading-log correction, which has previously been studied in Ref. [2]. We show that the model is consistent with the observation by Planck with WMAP [3,4] and a recent joint analysis of BICEP2 [5].

Three-loop field renormalization for scalar field theory with Lorentz violation

Applying the counterterm method in minimal subtraction scheme we calculate the three-loop quantum correction to field anomalous dimension in a Lorentz-violating O(N) self-interacting scalar field theory. We compute the Feynman diagrams using dimensional regularization and ϵ-expansion techniques. As this approximation corresponds to a three-loop term, to our knowledge this is the first time in literature in which such a loop level is attained for a LV theory.

Renormalization and vacuum energy for an interacting scalar field in a δ-function potential

We study a self-interacting scalar field theory in the presence of a δ-function background potential. The role of surface interactions in obtaining a renormalizable theory is stressed and demonstrated by a two-loop calculation. The necessary counterterms are evaluated by adopting dimensional regularization and the background field method. We also calculate the effective potential for a complex scalar field in a non-simply connected spacetime in the presence of a δ-function potential. The effective potential is evaluated as a function of an arbitrary phase factor associated with the choice of boundary conditions in the non-simply connected spacetime. We obtain asymptotic expansions of the results for both large and small δ-function strengths, and stress how the non-analytic nature of the small strength result vitiates any analysis based on standard weak field perturbation theory.This article is part of a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical in honour of Stuart Dowker’s 75th birthday devoted to ‘Applications of zeta functions and other spectral functions in mathematics and physics’.

Aspects of self-consistency in the Dyson-Schwinger approach to QED andλ(ϕ⋆ϕ)2theories

We investigate some aspects of the self-consistency in the Dyson-Schwinger approach to both the QED and the self-interacting scalar field theories. We prove that the set of the Dyson-Schwinger equations, together with the Green-Ward-Takahashi identity, is equivalent to the analogous set of integral equations studied in condensed matter, namely, many-body perturbation theory, where it is solved self-consistently and iteratively. In this framework, we compute the nonperturbative solution of the gap equation for the self-interacting scalar field theory.

Gravitational instantons in R4-gravity for open inflation

In a Euclidean gravity we study the creation of an inflationary universe in a higher order theory of gravity making use of the Hawking–Turok instantons. Here we consider a nonlinear γR4 term to the Einstein gravitational action including a cosmological constant to obtain gravitational instantons relevant for describing the early universe. It is found that the theory permits gravitational instantons even in the absence of a cosmological constant. To explore instantons other than the de Sitter instanton in the framework of higher order theory of gravity, we use the conformal transformation. The higher order theory is converted into a theory of self-interacting scalar field minimally coupled to Einstein gravity. The singular instantons obtained in the conformally equivalent case is taken up to obtain an open inflationary scenario. The probability of creation of singular and non-singular instantons is evaluated here. We note that a non-singular instanton solution is permitted with a positive cosmological constant when γ < 0 and that with a negative cosmological constant when γ > 0. It is also noted that such instanton solutions are permitted even in the absence of a cosmological constant. The singular instanton solution relevant for the inflationary universe is obtained for . The potential obtained in the conformally equivalent case permits enough inflation necessary for a consistent cosmological model.