Phase diagram of the lattice SU(2) Higgs model

TL;DR

This paper maps the phase diagram of the lattice SU(2) Higgs model with fixed Higgs field length, identifying a first order transition line, an endpoint, and crossover regions, including temperature effects.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed phase diagram of the lattice SU(2) Higgs model, confirming theoretical predictions and identifying the nature and location of phase transitions and crossovers.

Findings

First order transition line with a determined endpoint.

Presence of crossover lines merging with the transition line.

Temperature influences the transition, turning it into a crossover at high temperature.

Abstract

We perform a detailed study of the phase diagram of the lattice Higgs SU(2) model with fixed Higgs field length. Consistently with previsions based on the Fradkin Shenker theorem we find a first order transition line with an endpoint whose position we determined. The diagram also shows cross-over lines: the cross-over corresponding to the pure SU(2) bulk is also present at nonzero coupling with the Higgs field and merges with the one that continues the line of first order transition beyond the critical endpoint. At high temperature the first order line becomes a crossover, whose position moves by varying the temperature.