Quantum Corrections to Nucleation Rates
نویسندگان
چکیده
In this paper we show how to compute in a consistent way nucleation rates in field theory at finite temperatures, with metastable vacuum. Using the semiclassical approach in field theory at finite temperature we show that the prefactor term can be calculated explicitly (in the thin-wall approximation) and that the same provides exponential finite temperature quantum corrections to nucleation rates, when fluctuations around the bubble field configuration are considered. PACS number(s): 98.80.Cq, 64.60.Qb . ∗On leave from Instituto de F́ısica, Universidade de São Paulo, C.P. 20516, São Paulo, SP 01498, Brazil. 1
منابع مشابه
Evaluation of thermal corrections to false vacuum decay rates.
We examine the computation of the nucleation barrier used in the expression for false vacuum decay rates in finite temperature field theory. By a detailed analysis of the determinantal prefactor, we show that the correct bounce solution used in the computation of the nucleation barrier should not include loop corrections coming from the scalar field undergoing decay. Temperature corrections to ...
متن کاملVortex nucleation and flux front propagation in type II superconductors
We study flux penetration in a disordered type II superconductor by simulations of interacting vortices, using a Monte Carlo method for vortex nucleation. Our results show that a detailed description of the nucleation process yields a correction to the scaling laws usually associated with flux front invasion. We propose a simple model to account for these corrections.
متن کاملNonperturbative effects on nucleation.
A nonperturbative correction to the thermal nucleation rate of critical bubbles in a first-order phase transition is estimated. Using a simple model of a scalar field in a double-well potential, we obtain a corrected potential which incorporates the free-energy density available from large-amplitude fluctuations, which is not included in the usual perturbative calculation. As an application of ...
متن کاملQuantum-mechanical solution to fundamental problems of classical theory of water vapor nucleation.
The inconsistent temperature dependence of nucleation rates, disagreement of theoretical critical or onset supersaturations with experimental data, and insufficiently accurate predictions of nucleation rates are fundamental problems of the classical nucleation theory (CNT) of water vapors, which is a foundation of various multicomponent nucleation models widely used in the aerosol microphysics,...
متن کاملSystematic improvement of classical nucleation theory.
We reconsider the applicability of classical nucleation theory (CNT) to the calculation of the free energy of solid cluster formation in a liquid and its use to the evaluation of interface free energies from nucleation barriers. Using two different freezing transitions (hard spheres and NaCl) as test cases, we first observe that the interface-free-energy estimates based on CNT are generally in ...
متن کامل