arXiv subjects

Nikos Irges

Publications and source records attributed to Nikos Irges.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Five-Dimensional Gauge-Higgs Unification: A Standard Model-Like Spectrum

We study the viability of five-dimensional gauge theories as candidates for the origin of the Higgs field and its mechanism for spontaneous symmetry breaking. Within the framework of lattice field theory, we consider the simplest model of an $SU(2)$ gauge theory. We construct this theory on a five-dimensional orbifold which explicitly breaks the gauge symmetry to $U(1)$ at the fixed points of the orbifold. Using anisotropic gauge couplings, we find that this theory exhibits three distinct phases which we label as confined, Higgs and hybrid. Within the Higgs phase, close to the Higgs-hybrid phase transition, we find that the ratio of the Higgs to gauge boson masses takes Standard Model-like values. Precisely in this region of the phase diagram, we find dimensional reduction via localisation.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2015

On the holographic width of flux tubes

We investigate the width of the flux tube between heavy static quark charges. Using the gauge/gravity duality, we find the properties of the minimal connected surface related to the width of the bound state. We show that in the confining phase, the logarithmic broadening predicted by the effective string description and observed in lattice simulations is a generic property of all confining backgrounds. We also study the transverse fluctuations of the string connecting two static quarks in curved backgrounds. Our formalism is applied to AdS space where we compute the expectation value of the square of transverse deviations of the string, a quantity related to the width.

hep-th↗

arXiv2014

Gauge and Higgs Boson Masses from an Extra Dimension

We present novel calculations of the mass hierarchy of the $SU(2)$ pure gauge theory on a space-time lattice with an orbifolded fifth dimension. This theory has three parameters; the gauge coupling $β$, the anisotropy $γ$, which is a measure of the ratio of the lattice spacing in the four dimensions to that in the fifth dimension, and the extent of the extra dimension $N_{5}$. Using a large basis of scalar and vector operators we explore in detail the spectrum along the $γ= 1$ line, and for the first time we investigate the spectrum for $γ\neq 1$.

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arXiv2014

Progress in Gauge-Higgs Unification on the Lattice

We study a five-dimensional pure SU(2) gauge theory formulated on the orbifold and discretized on the lattice by means of Monte Carlo simulations. The gauge symmetry is explicitly broken to U(1) at the orbifold boundaries. The action is the Wilson plaquette action with a modified weight for the boundary U(1) plaquettes. We study the phase transition and present results for the spectrum and the shape of the static potential on the boundary. The latter is sensitive to the presence of a massive Z-boson, in good agreement with the directly measured Z-boson mass. The results may support an alternative view of the lattice orbifold (stemming from its mean-field study) as a 5d bosonic superconductor.

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arXiv2014

Non-perturbative Gauge-Higgs Unification: Symmetries and Order Parameters

We consider pure SU(N) gauge theories defined on an orbifold lattice, analogous to the S^1/Z_2 gauge theory orbifolds of the continuum, which according to the perturbative analysis do not have a Higgs phase. Non-perturbatively the conclusion for N even is the opposite, namely that spontaneous symmetry breaking does take place and some of the gauge bosons become massive. We interpret this new, non-perturbative phenomenon both mathematically and physically.

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arXiv2012

Higgs mechanism near the 5d bulk phase transition

We present a non-perturbative model of Gauge-Higgs Unification. We consider a five-dimensional pure SU(2) gauge theory with orbifold boundary conditions along the fifth dimension, such that the symmetry is reduced to U(1) at the fixed points of the orbifold action. The spectrum on the four-dimensional boundary hyperplanes includes, apart from the U(1) gauge boson, also a complex scalar, interpreted as a simplified version of the Standard Model Higgs field. The gauge theory is defined on a Euclidean lattice which is anisotropic in the extra dimension. Using the boundary Wilson Loop and the observable that represents the scalar and in the context of an expansion in fluctuations around a Mean-Field background, we show that a) near the bulk phase transition the model tends to reduce dimensionally to a four-dimensional gauge-scalar theory, b) the boundary U(1) gauge symmetry breaks spontaneously due to the broken translational invariance along the fifth dimension, c) it is possible to construct renormalized trajectories on the phase diagram along which the Higgs mass is constant as the lattice spacing is varied, d) by taking a continuum limit in the regime where the anisotropy parameter is small, it is possible to predict the existence of a Z' state with a mass around 1 TeV.

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arXiv2012

Gauge-Higgs Unification on the Lattice

The simplest Gauge-Higgs Unification model is a five-dimensional SU(2) gauge theory compactified on the S^1/Z_2 orbifold, such that on the four-dimensional boundaries of space-time there is an unbroken U(1) symmetry and a complex scalar, the latter identified with the Higgs boson. Perturbatively the U(1) remains spontaneously unbroken. Earlier lattice Monte Carlo simulations revealed however that the spontaneous breaking of the U(1) does occur at the non-perturbative level. Here, we verify the Monte Carlo result via an analytical lattice Mean-Field expansion.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2012

On the large N limit of SU(N) lattice gauge theories in five dimensions

We develop the necessary tools for computing fluctuations around a mean-field background in the context of SU(N) lattice gauge theories in five dimensions. In particular, expressions for the scalar observable and the Wilson Loop are given. As an application, using these observables we compute a certain quantity k5 that can be viewed as Coulomb's constant in five dimensions. We show that this quantity becomes independent of N in the large N limit. Furthermore, the numerical value of k5 we find for SU(infinity) deviates by 17% from its value predicted by holography.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Mean-Field Gauge Interactions in Five Dimensions II. The Orbifold

We study Gauge-Higgs Unification in five dimensions on the lattice by means of the mean-field expansion. We formulate it for the case of an SU(2) pure gauge theory and orbifold boundary conditions along the extra dimension, which explicitly break the gauge symmetry to U(1) on the boundaries. Our main result is that the gauge boson mass computed from the static potential along four-dimensional hyperplanes is nonzero implying spontaneous symmetry breaking. This observation supports earlier data from Monte Carlo simulations [12].

hep-lat↗

arXiv2012

Dimensional Reduction of N=1, E_8 SYM over SU(3)/U(1) x U(1) x Z_3 and its four-dimensional effective action

We present an extension of the Standard Model inspired by the E_8 x E_8 Heterotic String. In order that a reasonable effective Lagrangian is presented we neglect everything else other than the ten-dimensional N=1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills sector associated with one of the gauge factors and certain couplings necessary for anomaly cancellation. We consider a compactified space-time M_4 x B_0 / Z_3, where B_0 is the nearly-Kaehler manifold SU(3)/U(1) x U(1) and Z_3 is a freely acting discrete group on B_0. Then we reduce dimensionally the E_8 on this manifold and we employ the Wilson flux mechanism leading in four dimensions to an SU(3)^3 gauge theory with the spectrum of a N=1 supersymmetric theory. We compute the effective four-dimensional Lagrangian and demonstrate that an extension of the Standard Model is obtained with interesting features including a conserved baryon number and fixed tree level Yukawa couplings and scalar potential. The spectrum contains new states such as right handed neutrinos and heavy vector-like quarks.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Lattice Gauge Theory - Gravity duality and Coulomb's constant in five dimensions

The purpose of this paper is to perform a quantitative check of gauge theory - gravity duality in a nonconformal, nonsupersymmetric context. In order to do so we define k5, an object extracted from the Wilson Loop, that plays the role of Coulomb's constant for SU(N) gauge theories in five dimensions and we argue that one of its virtues is that it could be minimally sensitive to N. This allows us to compute k5 on one hand from the gravitational backreation of a large number N of D4-branes, and on the other from a lattice mean-field expansion for N=2. We find a 2% numerical agreement between the two approaches.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

The Lattice Mean-Field Approximation of Gauge-Higgs Unification on the Orbifold

A possible extension of the Standard Model of elementary particles is Gauge-Higgs unification, where the Higgs field is identified with (some of) the extra dimensional components of a five-dimensional gauge field. In this scenario there is evidence for the potential and the mass of the Higgs field to be finite. Here we show the behavior of the static potential of a five-dimensional SU(2) lattice gauge theory with orbifold boundary conditions. The potentials are computed within the mean-field approximation including first order corrections.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2011

Flavor Corrections in the Static Potential in Holographic QCD

We examine the static potential in the presence of flavors in the perturbative backreacted D4/D8 system from localized D8 branes, focusing in particular on the Sakai-Sugimoto model. For the case of long strings we find the flavor corrections to the static potential which are of exponential form. We then investigate shorter Wilson loops and express their energy analytically in terms of the lengths of two neighboring Wilson loops. Moreover, we find that the static force for all the cases in the backreacted background is reduced compared to one in the probe limit, as expected due to screening effects. We also compare the string world-sheets in the two backgrounds and find how they get modified by the backreaction. Our results are supported by numerical computations as well. Finally we discuss our results in comparison with the lattice data and comment on the issue of physical scales which seem to lie at the heart of the reason that obstructs our model at this level to fully describe QCD.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Reduction of N=1, E_8 SYM over SU(3)/U(1) x U(1) x Z_3 and its four-dimensional effective action

We propose an extension of the Standard Model inspired by the E_8 x E_8 Heterotic String. In order that a reasonable effective Lagrangian is presented we neglect everything else other than the ten-dimensional N=1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills sector associated with one of the gauge factors and certain couplings necessary for anomaly cancellation. We consider a compactified space-time M_4 x B_0/Z_3, where B_0 is the nearly Kaehler manifold SU(3)/U(1) x U(1) and Z_3 is a freely acting discrete group on B_0. Then we reduce dimensionally the E_8 on this manifold and we employ the Wilson flux mechanism leading in four dimensions to an SU(3)^3 gauge theory with the spectrum of a N=1 supersymmetric theory. We compute the effective four-dimensional Lagrangian and demonstrate that an extension of the Standard Model is obtained with interesting features including a conserved baryon number and fixed tree level Yukawa couplings and scalar potential. The spectrum contains new states such as right handed neutrinos and heavy vector-like quarks.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Dimensional reduction and confinement from five dimensions

We study non-perturbatively five-dimensional SU(2) gauge theories by means of the mean-field expansion on the lattice. On the anisotropic torus we show that a continuum limit can be defined where the anisotropy is a relevant parameter. The analysis of the static force supports the fact that the four-dimensional hyperplanes decouple from each other in the continuum limit. Clear signs of confinement are found in the static potential along the hyperplanes. We present first results from Monte Carlo simulations on the phase diagram.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2010

Mean-Field Gauge Interactions in Five Dimensions I. The Torus

We consider the lattice regularization of a five dimensional SU(2) gauge theory with periodic boundary conditions. We determine a consistent mean-field background and perform computations of various observables originating from fluctuations around this background. Our aim is to extract the properties of the system in regimes of its phase diagram where it seems to be in a dimensionally reduced state. Within the mean-field theory we establish the existence of a second order phase transition at finite value of the gauge coupling for anisotropy parameter less than one, where there is evidence for dimensional reduction.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2010

A new model for confinement

We propose a new approach towards the understanding of confinement. Starting from an anisotropic five dimensional pure gauge theory, we approach a second order phase transition where the system reduces dimensionally. Dimensional reduction is realized via localization of the gauge and scalar degrees of freedom on four dimensional branes. The gauge coupling deriving from the brane Wilson loop observable runs like an asymptotically free coupling at short distance, while it exhibits clear signs of string formation at long distance. The regularization used is the lattice. We take the continuum limit by keeping the ratio of the lattice spacing in the brane over the lattice spacing along the extra dimension constant and smaller than one.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

Axion and Neutralinos from Supersymmetric Extensions of the Standard Model with anomalous U(1)'s

We analyze the conditions under which some supersymmetric generalizations of a class of models descending from string theory allow an axion in the physical spectrum, due to the presence of anomalous abelian gauge interactions. The gauge structure of these constructions involve the Stueckelberg supermultiplet and a supersymmetric version of the Wess-Zumino term for anomaly cancellation. While these conditions are not satisfied by the MSSM superpotential, we show that an axion-like particle appears in the spectrum if extra Standard Model singlets are present. We show that the minimal requirements are met by simple superpotentials in which the singlet superfield is charged under the anomalous U(1). The dark matter sector of these models include an axion and several neutralinos with an axino component.

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