Topological defects as inhomogenenous condensates in quantum field theory: Kinks in \((1+1)\) dimensional \(\lambda\psi^4\) theory (Q1597383)

The authors treat a \((1+1)\)-dimensional \(\lambda\psi^4\) model: \[ (\partial^2+ \mu^2)\psi=- \lambda[\psi^3(x)],\quad \psi(x)= v+\rho(x). \] Here \(\partial^2= \partial^2/\partial x_+\partial x_-\), \(x_\pm= (x^0\pm x^1)/2^{1/2}\): a renormalized operator. The asymptotic field \(\rho_{in}(x)\) satisfies \((\partial^2+ m^2)\rho_{in}= 0\), \(-2\mu^2= m^2\). The closed-time-path formalism gives a closed expression for \(\psi\) in terms of \(\rho_{in}: \psi(x)= F[x; \rho_{in}]\). Next let \(f(x)\) be a \(c\)-number function satisfying \((\partial^2+ m^2)f=0\). Boson transformation given by \(f\) is \(\psi^f(x)= F[x; \rho_{in}+ f]\). They obtain the order parameter \[ \phi^f= \langle 0|\psi^f|0\rangle= v+ C[K](x)|_{K=f}+ D[K](x)|_{K=f}, \] where \(|0\rangle\) is the vacuum for \(\rho_{in}\). By taking the classical limit \(\phi^f_{\text{cl}}= \lim_{\hslash\to 0}\phi^f\) called Born approximation, they determine the form of the shift function \(f\), say \(\widetilde f\), corresponding to a particular classical kink solution, and obtain the operator \(\psi^{\widehat f}\). The function \(f\) controls the choice of the Hilbert space. They study finite temperature effect on the order parameter: \[ \langle\psi^f\rangle_\beta+ \text{Tr}(e^{-\beta H}\psi^f)/\text{Tr}(e^{-\beta H})= v+ C[K](x, T)|_{K= f}+ D[K](x,T)|_{K= f},\;\beta= 1/T,\;T\neq 0, \] too.