Fate of the false vacuum: Semiclassical theory

Journal Article · Sun May 15 00:00:00 EDT 1977 · Phys. Rev., D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.15.2929· OSTI ID:7259567

Coleman, S

It is possible for a classical field theory to have two homogeneous stable equilibrium states with different energy densities. In the quantum version of the theory, the state of higher-energy density becomes unstable through barrier penetration; it is false vacuum. This is a the first of two papers developing the qualitative and quantitative semiclassical theory of the decay of such a false vacuum for theories of a single scalar field with nonderivative interactions. In the limit of vanishing energy density between the two ground states, it is possible to obtain explicit expressions for the relevant quantities to leading order in h; in the more general case, the problem can be reduced to solving a single nonlinear ordinary differential equation.

• Research Organization: Lyman Laboratory of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
• OSTI ID: 7259567
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., D; (United States), Vol. 15:10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
COSMOLOGY
VACUUM STATES
FIELD THEORIES
CLASSICAL MECHANICS
DECAY
PROBABILITY
SEMICLASSICAL APPROXIMATION
SPACE-TIME
THERMODYNAMICS
UNIVERSE
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