Dual path integral representation for finite temperature quantum field theory

Journal Article · Thu May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.77.105030· OSTI ID:21205020

Ttira, C Ccapa; Fosco, C D ^[1]; Malbouisson, A P. C.; Roditi, I ^[2]

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1. Centro Atomico Bariloche and Instituto Balseiro, Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, 8400 Bariloche (Argentina)
2. Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas-CBPF/MCT Rua Dr. Xavier Sigaud, 150, 22290-180 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

We impose the periodicity conditions corresponding to the Matsubara formalism for thermal field theory as constraints in the imaginary-time path integral. These constraints are introduced by means of time-independent auxiliary fields which, by integration of the original variables, become dynamical fields in the resulting 'dual' representation for the theory. This alternative representation has the appealing property of involving fields that live in one dimension less than the original ones, with a quantum partition function whose integration measure is identical to the one of its classical counterpart, albeit with a different (spatially nonlocal) action.

• OSTI ID: 21205020
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Journal Name: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 77; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ACTION INTEGRAL
PARTITION FUNCTIONS
PATH INTEGRALS
PERIODICITY
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY