Renormalization of the Abelian-Higgs Model in the R-xi and Unitary gauges and the physicality of its scalar potential

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the quantum-level equivalence of the Unitary and R_xi gauges in the Abelian-Higgs model through one-loop renormalization, validating the Unitary gauge's use in loop computations and analyzing the scalar potential.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed one-loop renormalization comparison of the Unitary and R_xi gauges, confirming their equivalence at the quantum level for the Abelian-Higgs model.

Findings

The Unitary gauge is consistent and equivalent to the R_xi gauge at the level of beta-functions.

The renormalized Higgs potential is equivalent in both gauges after proper cancellation of gauge parameter dependence.

RG trajectories and Lines of Constant Physics are used to compare quantum behaviors across gauges.

Abstract

We perform an old school, one-loop renormalization of the Abelian-Higgs model in the Unitary and $R_\xi$ gauges, focused on the scalar potential and the gauge boson mass. Our goal is to demonstrate in this simple context the validity of the Unitary gauge at the quantum level, which could open the way for an until now (mostly) avoided framework for loop computations. We indeed find that the Unitary gauge is consistent and equivalent to the $R_\xi$ gauge at the level of $\beta$-functions. Then we compare the renormalized, finite, one-loop Higgs potential in the two gauges and we again find equivalence. This equivalence needs not only a complete cancellation of the gauge fixing parameter $\xi$ from the $R_\xi$ gauge potential but also requires its $\xi$-independent part to be equal to the Unitary gauge result. We follow the quantum behaviour of the system by plotting Renormalization Group trajectories and Lines of Constant Physics, with the former the well known curves and with the latter, determined by the finite parts of the counter-terms, particularly well suited for a comparison with non-perturbative studies.