Kinks and domain walls in models for real scalar fields

TL;DR

This paper explores topological defects in real scalar field models, analyzing their stability, zero modes, and thermal effects, revealing phase transition behaviors relevant to high energy physics and condensed matter systems.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of topological defects, stability, zero modes, and thermal corrections in scalar field models, highlighting new insights into phase transitions and symmetry behavior.

Findings

Finite temperature induces a second-order phase transition.

Thermal effects do not fully restore symmetry at high temperature.

Identification of bosonic zero modes and stability conditions.

Abstract

We investigate several models described by real scalar fields, searching for topological defects, and investigating their linear stability. We also find bosonic zero modes and examine the thermal corrections at the one-loop level. The classical investigations are of interest to high energy physics and applications in condensed matter, in particular to spatially extended systems where fronts and interfaces separating different phase states may appear. The thermal investigations show that the finite temperature corrections that appear in a specific model induce a second-order phase transition in the system, although the thermal effects do not suffice to fully restore the symmetry at high temperature.