Higgs Mechanism in String Theory

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the Higgs mechanism within string theory by analyzing symmetry breaking and gauge boson mass generation in a specific compactification setup.

Contribution

It introduces a gauge-covariant formulation of symmetry breaking in string theory and illustrates the Higgs effect using conformal field theory techniques.

Findings

Goldstone bosons are absorbed to give mass to gauge bosons

Gauge-covariant equations of motion are derived for broken symmetries

Higgs mechanism is explicitly realized in string theory context

Abstract

In first-quantized string theory, spacetime symmetries are described by inner automorphisms of the underlying conformal field theory. In this paper we use this approach to illustrate the Higgs effect in string theory. We consider string propagation on M^{24,1} \times S^1, where the circle has radius R, and study SU(2) symmetry breaking as R moves away from its critical value. We find a gauge-covariant equation of motion for the broken-symmetry gauge bosons and the would-be Goldstone bosons. We show that the Goldstone bosons can be eliminated by an appropriate gauge transformation. In this unitary gauge, the Goldstone bosons become the longitudinal components of massive gauge bosons.