Stabilization of the Electroweak Vacuum by a Scalar Threshold Effect

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how a heavy scalar singlet can stabilize the Standard Model electroweak vacuum through threshold effects, providing a mechanism applicable in various models like see-saw and axion scenarios.

Contribution

It introduces a novel stabilization mechanism using scalar threshold effects that can be integrated into existing models to prevent vacuum instability.

Findings

Heavy scalar singlet induces positive threshold correction to Higgs quartic.

The mechanism stabilizes the electroweak vacuum in models like see-saw and axion.

Applicable within specific Higgs mass ranges.

Abstract

We show how a heavy scalar singlet with a large vacuum expectation value can evade the potential instability of the Standard Model electroweak vacuum. The quartic interaction between the heavy scalar singlet and the Higgs doublet leads to a positive tree-level threshold correction for the Higgs quartic coupling, which is very effective in stabilizing the potential. We provide examples, such as the see-saw, invisible axion and unitarized Higgs inflation, where the proposed mechanism is automatically implemented in well-defined ranges of Higgs masses.