Two-loop Potential Research Articles

Two-loop scale-invariant scalar potential and quantum effective operators

Spontaneous breaking of quantum scale invariance may provide a solution to the hierarchy and cosmological constant problems. In a scale-invariant regularization, we compute the two-loop potential of a higgs-like scalar $\phi$ in theories in which scale symmetry is broken only spontaneously by the dilaton ($\sigma$). Its vev $\langle\sigma\rangle$ generates the DR subtraction scale ($\mu\sim\langle\sigma\rangle$), which avoids the explicit scale symmetry breaking by traditional regularizations (where $\mu$=fixed scale). The two-loop potential contains effective operators of non-polynomial nature as well as new corrections, beyond those obtained with explicit breaking ($\mu$=fixed scale). These operators have the form: $\phi^6/\sigma^2$, $\phi^8/\sigma^4$, etc, which generate an infinite series of higher dimensional polynomial operators upon expansion about $\langle\sigma\rangle\gg \langle\phi\rangle$, where such hierarchy is arranged by {\it one} initial, classical tuning. These operators emerge at the quantum level from evanescent interactions ($\propto\epsilon$) between $\sigma$ and $\phi$ that vanish in $d=4$ but are demanded by classical scale invariance in $d=4-2\epsilon$. The Callan-Symanzik equation of the two-loop potential is respected and the two-loop beta functions of the couplings differ from those of the same theory regularized with $\mu=$fixed scale. Therefore the running of the couplings enables one to distinguish between spontaneous and explicit scale symmetry breaking.

Chiral symmetry breaking from two-loop effective potential of the holographic non-local NJL model

We calculate the two-loop effective potential of the non-local Nambu–Jona–Lasinio (NJL) model derived from the Sakai–Sugimoto model in string theory. In contrast to the conventional NJL with 4-fermion contact interaction, the chiral symmetry was previously found to be dynamically broken for an arbitrary weak coupling at the one-loop level. As a confirmation, the approximate numerical solutions to the gap equation at the one-loop level are explicitly demonstrated for weak couplings. We then calculate the one- and two-loop contributions to the effective potential of the non-local NJL model and found that the two-loop contribution is negative. The two-loop potential for the chiral-symmetric vacuum is also negative but larger than the combined effective potential of the chiral broken vacuum at the two-loop level. The chiral symmetry breaking thus persists for the arbitrary weak coupling at the two-loop level.

Calculation of the pseudoscalar masses from a QCD effective potential

We calculate the effective two-loop potential of QCD with massive quarks in the CJT composite operator formalism. To perform the wave-function renormalization of composite operators we are lead to a condition which corresponds to the Adler-Dashen requirement in the limit of vanishing quark masses. The condition also assures absence of spontaneous breaking of parity. Pseudoscalar masses are calculated from the second derivatives of the effective potential, and a fit is obtained for quark masses m u = 3.6 MeV, m d = 7 MeV, m s = 152 MeV. We also comment on consistuent quark masses and on the effect of heavy quarks.