Bubble formation in phi^4 theory in the thin-wall limit and beyond

TL;DR

This paper investigates bubble formation in phi^4 scalar field theory, analyzing the validity of the thin-wall approximation and providing analytical solutions for bounce configurations at different regimes.

Contribution

It introduces an analytical bounce solution that accurately describes both thin-wall and thick-wall limits in phi^4 theory with symmetry breaking.

Findings

Numerical solutions for bounce configurations at zero and high temperatures.

Assessment of the thin-wall approximation's range of validity.

Analytical bounce solution matching numerical results in various regimes.

Abstract

Scalar field theory with an asymmetric potential is studied at zero temperature and high-temperature for phi^4 theory with both phi and phi^3 symmetry breaking. The equations of motion are solved numerically to obtain O(4) symmetric and O(3) cylindrical symmetric bounce solutions. These solutions control the rates for tunneling from the false vacuum to the true vacuum by bubble formation. The range of validity of the thin-wall approximation (TWA) is investigated. An analytical solution for the bounce is presented, which reproduces the action in the thin-wall as well as the thick-wall limits.