The search for ``polarized'' instantons in the vacuum

TL;DR

This paper explores a new gauge theory phase where instantons are polarized with a preferred orientation, indicating a phase transition that could impact gauge field descriptions of gravity.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of polarized instantons in gauge theories and demonstrates a first-order phase transition into this phase using mean-field approximation.

Findings

Existence of a polarized instanton phase confirmed

First-order phase transition identified

Potential implications for gauge theory gravity models

Abstract

The new phase of a gauge theory in which the instantons are ``polarized'', i.e. have the preferred orientation is discussed. A class of gauge theories with the specific condensates of the scalar fields is considered. In these models there exists an interaction between instantons resulting from one-fermion loop correction. The interaction makes the identical orientation of instantons to be the most probable, permitting one to expect the system to undergo the phase transition into the state with polarized instantons. The existence of this phase is confirmed in the mean-field approximation in which there is the first order phase transition separating the ``polarized phase'' from the usual non-polarized one. The considered phase can be important for the description of gravity in the framework of the gauge field theory.