Linear and nonlinear field transformations and their application in the variational approach to nonperturbative quantum field theory

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dc.contributor.advisorStevenson, Paul M.en_US
dc.creatorIbanez Meier, Rodrigoen_US
dc.date.accessioned2009-06-04T00:16:07Zen_US
dc.date.available2009-06-04T00:16:07Zen_US
dc.date.issued1992en_US
dc.description.abstractThe present work concerns nonperturbative variational studies of the effective potential beyond the Gaussian effective potential (GEP) approximation. In the Hamiltonian formalism, we study the method of non-linear canonical transformations (NLCT) which allows one to perform variational calculations with non-Gaussian trial states, constructed by nonlinear unitary transformations acting on Gaussian states. We consider in detail a particular transformation that leads to qualitative as well as quantitative improvement over the Gaussian approximation. In particular we obtain a non-trivial correction to the Gaussian mass renormalization. For a general NLCT state, we present formulas for the expectation value of the $O(N)$-symmetric $\gamma(\phi\sp2)\sp2$ Hamiltonian, and also for the one-particle NLCT state energy. We also report on the development of a manifestly covariant formulation, based on the Euclidian path integral, to construct lower-bound approximations to $\Gamma\sb{1PI}$, the generating functional of one-particle-irreducible Green's functions. In the Gaussian approximation the formalism leads to the Gaussian effective action (GEA), as a natural variational bound to $\Gamma\sb{1PI}$. We obtain, non-trivially, the proper vertex functions at non-zero momenta, and non-zero values of the classical field. In general, the formalism allows improvement beyond the Gaussian approach, by applying nonlinear measure-preserving field transformations to the path integral. We apply this method to the $O(N)$-symmetric $\lambda(\phi\sp2)\sp2$ theory. In 4 dimensions, we consider two applications of the GEA. First, we consider the N = 1 $\lambda\phi\sp4$ theory, whose renormalized GEA seems to suggest that the theory undergoes SSB, but has noninteracting particles in its SSB phase. Second, we study the Higgs mechanism in scalar quantum electrodynamics (i.e., $O(2)$ $\lambda\phi\sp4$ coupled to a U(1) gauge field) in a general covariant gauge. In our variational scheme we can optimize the gauge parameter, leading to the Landau gauge as the optimal gauge. We derive optimization equations for the GEA and obtain the renormalized effective potential explicitly.en_US
dc.format.extent113 p.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.callnoThesis Phys. 1992 Ibanezen_US
dc.identifier.citationIbanez Meier, Rodrigo. "Linear and nonlinear field transformations and their application in the variational approach to nonperturbative quantum field theory." (1992) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/16581">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/16581</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/16581en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectParticle physicsen_US
dc.subjectElementary particlesen_US
dc.subjectHigh energy physicsen_US
dc.titleLinear and nonlinear field transformations and their application in the variational approach to nonperturbative quantum field theoryen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentPhysicsen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineNatural Sciencesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
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