Year: 1999
Type: preprint
Abstract: We summarize recent work on the consistent calculation of bubble-nucleation rates. Our approach is based on the notion of a real coarse-grained potential. The bubble-nucleation rate is calculated through an expansion around the semiclassical saddle point associated with tunnelling. We resolve outstanding problems related to the convexity of the potential, the double-counting of the effect of fluctuations and the inherent ultraviolet divergences. We determine the region of validity of the expansion around the saddle point. We find that this expansion fails near the spinodal line, and for weak or radiatively-induced first-order phase transitions. We apply our method to the bound on the Higgs-boson mass from vacuum metastability and the electroweak phase transition.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Author: Tetradis, N.
Institution: Scuola Normale Superiore
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1629489727