Theory HEP Seminar

Vacuum decay mediated by topological defects

Richard MacKenzie

Université de Montréal/McGill University

We study a two-dimensional field theory model which has a symmetry-breaking false vacuum and a symmetric true vacuum. If the system finds itself in the false vacuum, topological defects may occur; the core of such a defect would be the true vacuum. The false vacuum is of course unstable via quantum tunneling to the true vacuum; the presence of topological defects could speed up the tunneling. We will analyze the structure of topological defects and the enhancement of the tunneling amplitude caused by them. In a three-dimensional model with the same field content, strings would occur. If time permits, the enhancement of the tunneling amplitude will be discussed in this context.