Fate of the false vacuum. II. First quantum corrections

Curtis Gove Callan, Sidney Coleman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1676 Scopus citations

Abstract

It is possible for a classical field theory to have two homogeneous stable equilibrium states with different energy densities. In the quantum version of the theory, the state of higher energy density becomes unstable through barrier penetration. In the first paper in this series, it was argued that the relevant quantity to study was a decay probability per unit time per unit volume, V = Ae-B[1+O()], and the theory of the coefficient B was given. This paper gives the theory of the coefficient A.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1762-1768
Number of pages7
JournalPhysical Review D
Volume16
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 1977

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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