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arXiv · 1506.05091

Tunneling decay of false kinks

Éric Dupuis·Yan Gobeil·Richard MacKenzie·Luc Marleau·M. B. Paranjape·Y. Ung
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Abstract

We consider the decay of "false kinks," that is, kinks formed in a scalar field theory with a pair of degenerate symmetry-breaking false vacua in 1+1 dimensions. The true vacuum is symmetric. A second scalar field and a peculiar potential are added in order for the kink to be classically stable. We find an expression for the decay rate of a false kink. As with any tunneling event, the rate is proportional to $\exp(-S_E)$ where $S_E$ is the Euclidean action of the bounce describing the tunneling event. This factor varies wildly depending on the parameters of the model. Of interest is the fact that for certain parameters $S_E$ can get arbitrarily small, implying that the kink is only barely stable. Thus, while the false vacuum itself may be very long-lived, the presence of kinks can give rise to rapid vacuum decay.

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Éric Dupuis, Yan Gobeil, Richard MacKenzie, Luc Marleau, M. B. Paranjape, Y. Ung. 2015-06-16. Tunneling decay of false kinks. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.92.025031

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