Finite-temperature Gaussian effective potential from a variational principle

Journal Article · Mon Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.43.2736· OSTI ID:5621155

Haugerud, H; Ravndal, F ^[1]

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1. Institute of Physics, University of Oslo, N-0316 Oslo 3, Norway (NO)

Writing the partition function for a scalar quantum field theory as a functional integral, it follows that the finite-temperature Gaussian effective potential is an upper limit to the free energy of the system. Explicit results are given for the anharmonic oscillator at finite temperature.

• OSTI ID: 5621155
• Journal Information: Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (USA), Vol. 43:8; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
PARTITION FUNCTIONS
ANHARMONIC OSCILLATORS
FEYNMAN PATH INTEGRAL
FREE ENERGY
GAUSSIAN PROCESSES
GREEN FUNCTION
HAMILTONIANS
POTENTIALS
SCALAR FIELDS
VARIATIONAL METHODS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY
EQUIPMENT
FIELD THEORIES
FUNCTIONS
INTEGRALS
MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
OSCILLATORS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUANTUM OPERATORS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
645400* - High Energy Physics- Field Theory