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L. Martinovic

Publications and source records attributed to L. Martinovic.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Spontaneous symmetry breaking in light front field theory

A semiclassical picture of spontaneous symmetry breaking in light front field theory is formulated. It is based on a finite-volume quantization of self-interacting scalar fields obeying antiperiodic boundary conditions. This choice avoids a necessity to solve the zero mode constraint and enables one to define unitary operators which shift scalar field by a constant. The operators simultaneously transform the light-front vacuum to coherent states with lower energy than the Fock vacuum and with non-zero expectation value of the scalar field. The new vacuum states are non-invariant under the discrete or continuous symmetry of the Hamiltonian. Spontaneous symmetry breaking is described in this way in the two-dimensional λϕ^4 theory and in the three-dimensional O(2)-symmetric sigma model. A qualitative treatment of topological kink solutions in the first model and a derivation of the Goldstone theorem in the second one is given. Symmetry breaking in the case of periodic boundary conditions is also briefly discussed.

hep-th

Light-Front Aspects of Chiral Symmetry

Spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking and axial anomaly are studied in the light-front formulation. The existence of multiple vacua and a Nambu-Goldstone boson, both related to dynamical fermion zero modes, are demonstrated within a simple sigma model with fermions. The Weyl gauge formulation and a consistent gauge invariant point-splitting regularization, which includes the light front time, are crucial for obtaining the anomaly in the massive Schwinger model and QED(3+1).

hep-th

Fermionic Zero Modes and Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking on the Light Front

Spontaneous symmetry breaking is studied within a simple version of the light-front sigma model with fermions. Its vacuum structure is derived by an implementation of global symmetries in terms of unitary operators in a finite volume with periodic fermi field. Due to the dynamical fermion zero mode, the vector and axial U(1) charges do not annihilate the light-front vacuum. The latter is transformed into a continuous set of degenerate vacuum states, leading to to the spontaneous breakdown of the axial symmetry. The existence of associated massless Nambu-Goldstone boson is demonstrated.

hep-th

Compactification near and on the light front

We address problems associated with compactification near and on the light front. In perturbative scalar field theory we illustrate and clarify the relationships among three approaches: (1) quantization on a space-like surface close to a light front; (2) infinite momentum frame calculations; and (3) quantization on the light front. Our examples emphasize the difference between zero modes in space-like quantization and those in light front quantization. In particular, in perturbative calculations of scalar field theory using discretized light cone quantization there are well-known ``zero-mode induced'' interaction terms. However, we show that they decouple in the continuum limit and covariant answers are reproduced. Thus compactification of a light-like surface is feasible and defines a consistent field theory.

hep-th

Large Gauge Transformations and the Light-Front Vacuum Structure

A residual gauge symmetry, exhibited by light-front gauge theories quantized in a finite volume, is analyzed at the quantum level. Unitary operators, which implement the symmetry, transform the trivial Fock vacuum into an infinite set of degenerate coherent-state vacua. A fermionic component of the vacuum emerges naturally without the need to introduce a Dirac sea. The vacuum degeneracy along with the derivation of the theta-vacuum is discussed within the massive Schwinger model. A possible generalization of the approach to more realistic gauge theories is suggested.

hep-th