On the Possibility of Second-Order Phase Transitions in Spontaneously Broken Gauge Theories

Abstract

In the ``Type-II'' regime, $m_{\rm Higgs}\gap m_{\rm gauge}$, the finite-temperature phase transition in spontaneously-broken gauge theories (including the standard model) must be be studied using a renormalization group treatment. Previous studies within the $(4-\ep)$-expansion suggest a 1st-order transition in this regime. We use analogies with experimentally accessible phase transitions in liquid crystals, and theoretical investigations of superconductor phase transitions to argue that, in this range, the critical behavior of a large class of gauge-Higgs-fermion systems changes from 1st to 2nd-order as a function of Higgs mass. We identify a set of models which, within the $(2+\ep)$-expansion, possess fixed points that can describe this 2nd-order behavior. As usual, a definitive demonstration that the claimed critical behavior occurs (and a reliable estimate of $m_{\mathrm{Higgs}}$ at the tricritical point) will probably require numerical simulations. This paper uses the ``phyzzx'' macro package. To obtain figure contact the author.

arXiv comment14 pages, 1 figure (not included), PUPT-92-1328, LBL-32540

Cited by in corpus (42)

• Supersymmetric Dark Matter
• 3D Physics and the Electroweak Phase Transition: Perturbation Theory
• Nonperturbative renormalization group approach to frustrated magnets
• Dissipation coefficients from scalar and fermion quantum field interactions
• Deconfined Quantum Criticality, Scaling Violations, and Classical Loop Models
• Finite Temperature Effective Potential to Order $g^4,\la^2$ and the Electroweak Phase Transition
• Phase Diagram of Superconductors from Non-Perturbative Flow Equations
• Aspects of the electroweak phase transition in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model
• The Small Observed Baryon Asymmetry from a Large Lepton Asymmetry
• Abelian Higgs model at four loops, fixed-point collision and deconfined criticality
• Thermodynamics of Gauge-Invariant U(1) Vortices from Lattice Monte Carlo Simulations
• On Non-Perturbative Effects at the High-Temperature Electroweak Phase Transition
• Coarse graining and first order phase transitions
• Masses and Phase Structure in the Ginzburg-Landau Model
• Formation of Topological Defects at First Order Phase Transitions
• The $\epsilon$-expansion and the electroweak phase transition
• Aspects of the Cosmological Electroweak Phase Transition
• The Electroweak Phase Transition through the Renormalization Group
• Critical Exponents without the Epsilon Expansion
• The Coleman-Weinberg Mechanism and First Order Phase Transitions
• Radiatively-Induced First-Order Phase Transitions: The Necessity of the Renormalization Group
• A non perturbative approach of the principal chiral model between two and four dimensions
• Easy-plane QED${}_3$'s in the large $N_f$ limit
• Critical Line for H-Superfluidity in Strange Quark Matter?
• GUT Cosmic Magnetic Fields in a Warm Inflationary Universe
• Self-consistently Improved Finite Temperature Effective Potential for Gauge Theories
• Duality and scaling in 3-dimensional scalar electrodynamics
• Inflation, phase transitions and the cosmological constant
• Three-dimensional Abelian and non-Abelian gauge Higgs theories
• Weakly first-order phase transitions: the epsilon expansion vs. numerical simulations
• Fixed points and their stability in the functional renormalization group of random field models
• On Spontaneous Baryogenesis and Transport Phenomena
• First Order Phase Transition in a Two Higgs-doublet Model with $M_h>M_W$
• The 3d Effective Field Theory for Finite Temperature Scalar Electrodynamics
• Phase Transitions and Mass Generation in 2+1 Dimensions
• The tricritical point of finite-temperature phase transitions in large N(Higgs) gauge theories
• QED's in $2+1$ dimensions: complex fixed points and dualities
• The order of the phase transition in 3d U(1)+Higgs theory
• Evaluating Critical Exponents in the Optimized Perturbation Theory
• The Wilson Renormalization Group Approach of the Principal Chiral Model around Two Dimensions
• Electroweak Baryogenesis: A Status Report
• Effective Potential Improvements, $\epsilon$-expansions, and the Electroweak Phase Transition