Cosmology of Bifundamental Fields

TL;DR

This paper explores how bifundamental fields in gauge theories can cause phase transition frustration, leading to complex flux tube networks with potential cosmological observational signatures.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of phase transition frustration in theories with bifundamental fields and discusses possible cosmological implications of confining flux tube networks.

Findings

Frustration of phase transitions can occur in models with bifundamental fields.

Formation of a web of confining flux tubes in cosmological scenarios.

Potential observational signatures from flux tube networks.

Abstract

If a field theory contains gauged, non-Abelian, bi-fundamental fields i.e. fields that are charged under two separate non-Abelian gauge groups, the transition from a deconfined phase to a hadronic phase may be frustrated. Similar frustration may occur in non-Abelian gauge models containing matter only in higher dimensional representations e.g. models with pure glue, or if ordinary quarks are confined by two flux tubes, as implied in the triangular configuration of baryons within QCD. In a cosmological setting, such models can lead to the formation of a web of confining electric flux tubes that can potentially have observational signatures.