Physics – High Energy Physics – High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Scientific paper
1993-03-12
Annals Phys. 234 (1994) 260-299
Physics
High Energy Physics
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
LaTeX, 45 pages, 13 figures [not included, can be sent upon request],DESY 93-021
Scientific paper
10.1006/aphy.1994.1082
We present a detailed analysis of the phase transition in the standard model at finite temperature. Using an improved perturbation theory, where plasma masses are determined from a set of one-loop gap equations, we evaluate the effective potential $V_{eff}(\varphi,T)$ in next-to-leading order, i.e., including terms cubic in the gauge coupling $g$, the scalar self-coupling $\lambda^{1/2}$ and the top-quark Yukawa coupling $f_t$. The gap equations yield a non-vanishing magnetic plasma mass for the gauge bosons, originating from the non-abelian self-interactions. We discuss in detail size and origin of higher order effects and conclude that the phase transition is weakly first-order up to Higgs masses of about $70\ GeV$, above which our calculation is no longer self-consistent. For larger Higgs masses even an approximation containing all $g^4$ contributions to $V_{eff}$ is not sufficient, at least a full calculation to order $g^6$ is needed. These results turn out to be rather insensitive to the top-quark mass in the range $m_t=100\ -\ 180\ GeV$. Using Langer's theory of metastability we calculate the nucleation rate of critical droplets and discuss some aspects of the cosmological electroweak phase transition.
Buchmüller Wilfried
Helbig Fodor Z. T.
Walliser Dirk
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