Ground States of the ${\varphi }^4$ Double-Well QFT

Abstract

At second order in perturbation theory, we find the ground states of the ${\varphi }^4$ double-well quantum field theory in 1+1 dimensions. The operators which create these ground states from the free vacuum are constructed explicitly at this order, as is the operator which interpolates between the ground states. As a warm up we perform the analogous calculation in quantum mechanics, where the true ground state is unique but in perturbation theory there are also two ground states.

arXiv comment16 pages, no figures, v2: Important reference added

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