arXiv subjects

Christopher T. Hill

Publications and source records attributed to Christopher T. Hill.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

William A. Bardeen -- A Brief Biography

William Allan Bardeen (September 15, 1941 $-$ November 18, 2025) was an American theoretical physicist who worked at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. He is renowned for his foundational work on the chiral anomaly, the Adler-Bardeen theorem, the non-Abelian anomaly and gravitational anomalies. He was instrumental in the development of quantum chromodynamics and its applications, such as semileptonic decays and the $Λ_{\overline{MS}}$ scheme frequently used in perturbative analysis of high energy processes involving strong interactions. Bardeen also played a major role in developing a theory of dynamical breaking of electroweak symmetry via top quark condensates, leading to one of the first composite Brout-Englert-Higgs boson models. His work on the chiral symmetry dynamics of heavy-light quark bound states correctly predicted abnormally long-lived resonances which are chiral symmetry partners of the ground state.

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arXiv2026

The Nontrivial Vacuum Structure of an Extended $t\bar{t}$ BEH (Higgs) Bound State

In a recent reformulation of top-quark condensation for the Brout-Englert-Higgs boson we introduced an extended internal wave-function, $ϕ(r)$. We show how this leads to a manifestly Lorentz invariant formalism, where the absence of ``relative time'' is a gauge invariance of the bilocal field theory. This dictates a novel and nontrivial Lorentz invariant vacuum structure for the BEH boson, the relativistic generalization of a condensed matter state analogous to a BCS condensate.

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arXiv2025

Quantum Aspects of Natural Top Quark Condensation

In top quark condensation the Brout-Englert-Higgs (BEH) boson is a $\bar{t}t$ bound state. With a UV completion of a single coloron exchange interaction, a recent semiclassical treatment gave a novel theory of the BEH boson as an extended object with composite scale $M_0\sim 6$ TeV. Presently we obtain the semiclassical theory as an effective action, using the source/Legendre transformation techniques of Jackiw, \etal, and fermion loop effects in the large-$N_c$ limit by deploying an auxiliary field to implement the sum of leading fermion loop diagrams. The theory remains natural at the loop level, with fine tuning at the level of a few \%, and the effective coupling of the 4-fermion interaction, $\bar{g}_0^2$, is significantly enhanced by quantum loops over the fundamental coloron coupling, $g_0^2$. Hence a relatively weaker ``topcolor'' theory can produce critical coupling in the effective BEH bound state theory.

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arXiv2025

Natural Top Quark Condensation (a Redux)

The Nambu--Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model involves a pointlike 4-fermion interaction. While it gives a useful description of chiral dynamics (mainly in QCD), it nonetheless omits the crucially important internal wave-function of a two-body bound state, $ϕ(r)$. This becomes significant near critical coupling where $ϕ(r)$ extends to large distance, leading to dilution and suppression of induced couplings $\propto ϕ(0)$, such as the Yukawa and quartic couplings, as well as reduced fine-tuning of a hierarchy. In top quark condensation, where the BEH boson is a $\bar{t}t$ bound state and we have a UV completion such as topcolor, we must go beyond the NJL model and include effects of $ϕ(r)$. We provide a formulation of this for the Brout-Englert-Higgs boson, and find that it leads to an extended $ϕ(r)$, a significantly reduced and natural composite scale of $M_0 \sim 6$ TeV, a successful prediction for the quartic coupling, $λ$, and fine tuning that is reduced to a few percent, providing a compelling candidate solution to the naturalness problem of the BEH boson. The theory is testable and new physics should begin to emerge on the multi-TeV mass scales and possibly accessible to the LHC.

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arXiv2024

A New-Old Approach to Composite Scalars with Chiral Fermion Constituents

We develop a dynamical, Lorentz invariant theory of composite scalars in configuration space consisting of chiral fermions, interacting by the perturbative exchange of a massive "gluon" of coupling $g_0$ and mass $M_0^2$ (the coloron model). The formalism is inspired by, but goes beyond, old ideas of Yukawa and the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model. It yields a non-pointlike internal wave-function of the bound state, $ϕ(r)$, which satisfies a Schrödinger-Klein-Gordon (SKG) equation with eigenvalue $μ^2$. For super-critical coupling, $g_0 >g_{0c}$, we have $μ^2< 0$ leading to spontaneous symmetry breaking. The binding of chiral fermions is semiclassical, and not loop-level as in NJL. The mass scale is determined by the interaction as in NJL. We mainly focus on the short-distance, large $M_0^2$ limit, yielding an NJL pointlike interaction, but the bound state internal wave-function, $ϕ(r)$, remains spatially extended and dilutes $ϕ(0)$. This leads to power-law suppression of the induced Yukawa and quartic couplings and requires radically less fine-tuning of a hierarchy than does the NJL model. We include a discussion of loop corrections of the theory. A realistic top--condensation model appears possible.

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arXiv2024

Nambu and Compositeness

The Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model is the simplest field theory of a composite scalar boson, consisting of a pair of chiral fermions. A bound state emerges from an assumed point-like 4-fermion interaction and is described by local effective field, $Φ(x)$. We review this in the context of the renormalization group and show some its phenomenological successes, such as the QCD chiral dynamics and the prediction of stable heavy-light resonances that reveal the single light quark chiral dynamics. We also review some NJL--inspired composite Higgs models. We then describe a novel UV completion of the NJL model, to an extended interaction, where the solution is described by a bilocal effective, Yukawa field, $Φ(x,y)$. I conclude with a personal recollection of Yoichiro Nambu.

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arXiv2023

Revisiting Yukawa's Bilocal Field Theory for Composite Scalar Bosons

Yukawa's old bilocal field theory, with modernization in the treatment of "relative time," can describe a relativistic bound state of chiral fermions. This connects to bosonized effective chiral Lagrangians and the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model, providing a description of the internal dynamics of the bound states. It features a static internal wave-function, $ϕ(\vec{r})$, in the center-of-mass frame that satisfies a Schrödinger-Klein-Gordon equation with eigenvalues $m^2$. We analyze the "coloron" model (single perturbative massive gluon exchange) which yields a UV completion of the NJL model. This has a BCS-like enhancement of its interaction, $\propto N_c$, the number of colors. It is classically critical, with $g_{critical}$ remarkably close to the NJL quantum critical coupling. Negative eigenvalues for $m^2$ lead to spontaneous symmetry breaking, and the Yukawa coupling of the bound state to constituent fermions is emergent.

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arXiv2022

Renormalization Group for Non-minimal $ϕ^2 R$ Couplings and Gravitational Contact Interactions

Theories of scalars and gravity, with an Einstein-Hilbert term and non-minimal interactions, $M^2R/2 -αϕ^2R/12 $, have graviton exchange induced contact interactions. These modify the renormalization group, leading to a discrepancy between the conventional calculations in the Jordan frame that ignore this effect (and are found to be incorrect), and the Einstein frame in which $α$ does not exist. Thus, the calculation of quantum effects in the Jordan and Einstein frames does not generally commute with the transition from the Jordan to the Einstein frame. In the Einstein frame, though $α$ is absent, for small steps in scale $δμ/μ$ infinitesimal contact terms $\sim δα$ are induced, that are then absorbed back into other couplings by the contact terms. This modifies the $β$-functions in the Einstein frame. We show how correct results can be obtained in a simple model by including this effect.

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arXiv2022

Gravitational Contact Interactions -- Does the Jordan Frame Exist?

Scalar--tensor theories, with Einstein Hilbert and non-minimal interactions, $\sim M^2R/2 -αϕ^2R/12 $, have graviton exchange induced contact interactions. These always pull the theory back into a formal Einstein frame in which $α$ does not exist. In the Einstein frame, contact terms are induced, that are then absorbed back into other couplings to define the effective potential (or equivalently, the renormalization group). We show how these effects manifest themselves in a simple model by computing the effective potential in both frames displaying the discrepancy.

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arXiv2022

Naturally Self-Tuned Low Mass Composite Scalars

Scalar bosons composed of a pair of chiral fermions in a non-confining potential have an effective Yukawa coupling, $g$, to free external chiral fermions. At large distance a Feynman loop of external fermions generates a scale invariant potential, $V_{loop}\propto -g^2/{r^{2}}$, which acts on valence fermions for separation $ρ=2r$. This generally forces the $s$-wave ground state to deform to a static, zero mass, configuration, and for slowly running, perturbative $g$, a large external "shroud" wave-function forms. This is related to old results of Landau and Lifshitz in quantum mechanics. The massless composite scalar boson ground state is then an extended object. Infra-red effects can generate a small mass for the system. This points to a perturbative BEH-boson composed of top and anti-top quarks and a novel dynamical mechanism for spontaneous electroweak symmetry breaking.

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arXiv2021

$R^2$/Higgs inflation and the hierarchy problem

We analyse Starobinsky inflation in the presence of the Brout Englert Higgs (BEH) boson with a non-minimal coupling to the Ricci scalar, $R$. The latter induces a coupling of the massive scaleron associated with the $R^2$ term to the BEH boson and this leads to a radiative correction to the BEH mass that must be fine tuned to keep the scalar light. For the case of $R^2$ driven inflation this requires a high level of fine tuning of order 1 part in $10^{8}$; for the case of Higgs inflation it is very much greater. We consider a scale invariant extension of the $R^2$/Higgs model and find that for $R^2$ driven inflation but not for Higgs inflation the required fine tuning is significantly reduced to one part in $10^{3-4}$. We consider the vacuum stability of the fine tuned model and its reheating and dilaton abundance after inflation. We also discuss possible gravitational wave signals associated with the model and the constraint on the mass of scalar or fermion dark matter candidates if they are produced by the gravitational couplings of the scalaron.

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arXiv2021

Starobinksy Inflation, Gravitational Contact Terms and the Induced BEH Boson Mass

The Starobinsky model of inflation remains consistent with observation, forty years after its introduction. It provides a well motivated origin for the scalar inflaton, the "scaleron" with a mass of $O(10^{13})$ GeV, emerging as a graviton degree of freedom from $R^2$ corrections to Einstein-Hilbert gravity. However the coupling of such a heavy state to the BEH ("Higgs") scalar is problematic as its quantum loop corrections can induce an unacceptably large contribution to the radiatively induced BEH scalar mass. The calculation of these corrections is normally done by Weyl transforming to the Einstein frame, yet at the quantum level Weyl transformations are fraught with ambiguities. However the recent realization that there exist "gravitational contact interactions" largely sidesteps these ambiguities. Such contact terms are necessarily present, coming from t-channel graviton exchange interactions, and they show that the theory defined in the "Jordan Frame" is identical to the theory in the Einstein frame, with additional Planck-scale suppressed interactions that take on the form of a Weyl transformation. This avoids ambiguous nonlinear field redefinitions, and reliable loop calculations are possible leading to a consistent low energy theory in an expansion in $1/M^2$. Taking account of the contact terms we study the radiative corrections to the BEH mass in the mixed Higgs/$R^2$ model with explicit scale breaking, and in an extension of the model in which exact scale symmetry is spontaneously broken.

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arXiv2020

Gravitational Contact Interactions and the Physical Equivalence of Weyl Transformations in Effective Field Theory

Theories of scalars and gravity, with non-minimal interactions, $\sim (M_P^2 +F(ϕ) )R +L(ϕ)$, have graviton exchange induced contact terms. These terms arise in single particle reducible diagrams with vertices $\propto q^2$ that cancel the Feynman propagator denominator $1/q^2$ and are familiar in various other physical contexts. In gravity these lead to additional terms in the action such as $\sim F(ϕ) T_μ^μ(ϕ)/M_P^2$ and $F(ϕ)\partial^2 F(ϕ)/M_P^2$. The contact terms are equivalent to induced operators obtained by a Weyl transformation that removes the non-minimal interactions, leaving a minimal Einstein-Hilbert gravitational action. This demonstrates explicitly the equivalence of different representations of the action under Weyl transformations, both classically and quantum mechanically. To avoid such "hidden contact terms" one is compelled to go to the minimal Einstein-Hilbert representation.

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arXiv2020

Composite Higgs Bosons and Mini Black Holes

Pairs of standard model fermions can annihilate to produce mini black holes with gauge quantum numbers of the Higgs boson at $M_{Planck}$. This leads to a Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model at the Planck scale with strong coupling which binds fermion pairs into Higgs fields. At critical coupling the renormalization group dresses these objects, which then descend in scale to emerge as OBSERVABLE boundstate Higgs bosons at low energies, and we obtain the multi-Higgs spectrum of a "scalar democracy." The observed Higgs boson is a gravitationally bound $\bar{t}t$ composite. Sequential states may be seen at the LHC, and/or its upgrades.

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arXiv2020

Sterile Neutrinos, Black Hole Vacuum and Holographic Principle

We construct an effective field theory (EFT) model that describes matter field interactions with Schwarzschild mini-black-holes (SBH's), treated as a scalar field, $B_0(x)$. Fermion interactions with SBH's require a random complex spurion field, $θ_{ij}$, which we interpret as the EFT description of "holographic information," which is correlated with the SBH as a composite system. We consider Hawking's virtual black hole vacuum (VBH) as a Higgs phase, $\langle B_0 \rangle =V$. Integrating sterile neutrino loops, the field $θ_{ij}$ is promoted to a dynamical field, necessarily developing a tachyonic instability and acquiring a VEV of order the Planck scale. For $N$ sterile neutrinos this breaks the vacuum to $SU(N)\times U(1)/SO(N)$ with $N$ degenerate Majorana masses, and $(1/2)N(N+1)$ Nambu-Goldstone neutrino-Majorons. The model suggests many scalars fields, corresponding to all fermion bilinears, may exist bound nonperturbatively by gravity.

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arXiv2020

Natural Top-Bottom Mass Hierarchy in Composite Higgs Models

We consider composite two-Higgs doublet models based on gauge-Yukawa theories with strongly interacting fermions generating the top-bottom mass hierarchy. The model features a single "universal" Higgs-Yukawa coupling, $ g $, which is identified with the top quark $ g\equiv g_t \sim \mathcal{O}(1) $. The top-bottom mass hierarchy arises by soft breaking of a $ \mathbb{Z}_2 $ symmetry by a condensate of strongly interacting fermions. A mass splitting between vector-like masses of the confined techni-fermions controls this top-bottom mass hierarchy. This mechanism can be present in a variety of models based on vacuum misalignment. For concreteness, we demonstrate it in a composite two-Higgs scheme.

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arXiv2020

Is the Higgs Boson Composed of Neutrinos?

We show that conventional Higgs compositeness conditions can be achieved by the running of large Higgs-Yukawa couplings involving right-handed neutrinos that become active at $\sim 10^{13}- 10^{14}$ GeV. Together with a somewhat enhanced quartic coupling, arising by a Higgs portal interaction to a dark matter sector, we can obtain a Higgs boson composed of neutrinos. This is a "next-to-minimal" dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking scheme.

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arXiv2019

The Next Higgs Boson(s) and a Higgs-Yukawa Universality

We consider multi-Higgs-doublet models which, for symmetry reasons, have a universal Higgs-Yukawa (HY) coupling, $g$. This is identified with the top quark $g=g_t\approx 1$. The models are concordant with the quasi-infrared fixed point, and the top quark mass is correctly predicted with a compositeness scale (Landau pole) at $M_{planck}$, with sensitivity to heavier Higgs states. The observed Higgs boson is a $\bar{t}t$ composite, and a first sequential Higgs doublet, $H_b$, with $g\approx g_t\approx 1$ coupled to $\bar{b}_R(t,b)_L$ is predicted at a mass $3.0 \lesssim M_b \lesssim 5.5$ TeV and accessible to LHC and its upgrades. This would explain the mass of the $b-$quark, and the tachyonic SM Higgs boson mass$^2$. The flavor texture problem is no longer associated with the HY couplings, but rather is determined by the inverted multi-Higgs boson mass spectrum, e.g., the lightest fermions are associated with heaviest Higgs bosons and vice versa. The theory is no less technically natural than the standard model. The discovery of $H_b$ at the LHC would confirm the general compositeness idea of Higgs bosons and anticipate additional states potentially accessible to the $100$ TeV $pp$ machine.

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