Complexified path integrals and the phases of quantum field theory

DOI10.1016/J.AOP.2010.06.001zbMATH Open1200.81104arXiv0710.1256OpenAlexW3103463417MaRDI QIDQ602016FDOQ602016

Authors: Gerald S. Guralnik, Zachary Guralnik 

Publication date: 29 October 2010

Published in: Annals of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: The path integral by which quantum field theories are defined is a particular solution of a set of functional differential equations arising from the Schwinger action principle. In fact these equations have a multitude of additional solutions which are described by integrals over a complexified path. We discuss properties of the additional solutions which, although generally disregarded, may be physical with known examples including spontaneous symmetry breaking and theta vacua. We show that a consideration of the full set of solutions yields a description of phase transitions in quantum field theories which complements the usual description in terms of the accumulation of Lee-Yang zeroes. In particular we argue that non-analyticity due to the accumulation of Lee-Yang zeros is related to Stokes phenomena and the collapse of the solution set in various limits including but not restricted to, the thermodynamic limit. A precise demonstration of this relation is given in terms of a zero dimensional model. Finally, for zero dimensional polynomial actions, we prove that Borel resummation of perturbative expansions, with several choices of singularity avoiding contours in the complex Borel plane, yield inequivalent solutions of the action principle equations.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/0710.1256

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zbMATH Keywords

quantum field theorypath integralLee-Yang zerosSchwinger-Dyson equationsSchwinger action principle

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Partial functional-differential equations (35R10) Feynman integrals and graphs; applications of algebraic topology and algebraic geometry (81Q30) Axiomatic quantum field theory; operator algebras (81T05) Path integrals in quantum mechanics (81S40)

Cites Work

• Statistical Theory of Equations of State and Phase Transitions. II. Lattice Gas and Ising Model
• Lee-Yang zeros and stokes phenomenon in a model with a wetting transition

Cited In (19)

• Momentum and Hamiltonian in complex action theory
• Phase transitions as Stokes' phenomena
• Distribution of solutions of the fastest apparent convergence condition in optimized perturbation theory and its relation to anti-Stokes lines
• Some remarks on Lefschetz thimbles and complex Langevin dynamics
• Effective Locality QCD calculations and the Gribov copy problem
• A simple approach towards the sign problem using path optimisation
• Resurgence theory, ghost-instantons, and analytic continuation of path integrals
• Complex Langevin equations and Schwinger-Dyson equations
• Saigo-Maeda operators involving the Appell function, real spectra from symmetric quantum Hamiltonians and violation of the second law of thermodynamics for quantum damped oscillators
• Complex classical fields: an example
• Complex charges, time reversal asymmetry, and interior-boundary conditions in quantum field theory
• GAUGE FIXING, UNITARITY AND PHASE SPACE PATH INTEGRALS
• Complex saddle points and the sign problem in complex Langevin simulation
• Effective potential for complex Langevin equations
• Nontrivial path integrals for nonrenormalizable fields—Multicomponent ultralocal models
• Galilei-covariant path-integral quantization of non-relativistic complex scalar fields.
• WKB and resurgence in the Mathieu equation
• Walking, weak first-order transitions, and complex CFTs
• RG stability of integrable fishnet models

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