Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: The first-order phase transition is central to electroweak baryogenesis and gravitational wave generation, yet thermal equilibrium effective potential analyses cannot describe the real-time non-equilibrium dynamics of the phase transition process. We use the Schwinger-Keldysh closed-time-path formalism of real-time finite-temperature field theory to study these effects. For the $ϕ^6$ model, we derive the effective action and the corresponding Langevin equation. We further extend the formalism to the two scalar fields case, obtaining the coupled Langevin equations. These results provide a theoretical framework for the bubble nucleation simulation of the non-equilibrium phase transition process, laying the foundation for reliable predictions of baryogenesis and gravitational wave signals.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Liu, Jie, Bian, Ligong
Institution: Chongqing University
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G1796291137, G7223305753
OpenAlex ID: W7221801433