Scale Invariance and Conformal Invariance in Quantum Field Theory
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Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Scale Invariance and Conformal Invariance in Quantum Field Theory Jean-Fran¸coisFortin D´epartement de Physique, de G´eniePhysique et d'Optique Universit´eLaval, Qu´ebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada June 15-June 19, 2015 2015 CAP Congress mostly based on arXiv:1208.3674 [hep-th] with Benjam´ınGrinstein and Andreas Stergiou Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion The big picture Theory space Renormalization group (RG) flow Quantum field theory (QFT) Scale field theory (SFT) fixed point limit cycle Conformal field theory (CFT) Weyl consistency conditions fixed point c-theorem gradient flow fixed point Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Why is it interesting ? QFT phases Infrared (IR) free - With mass gap ) Exponentially-decaying correlation functions (e.g. Higgs phase) - Without mass gap ) Trivial power-law correlation functions (e.g. Abelian Coulomb phase) IR interacting - CFTs ) Power-law correlation functions (e.g. non-Abelian Coulomb phase) - SFTs ) ? Possible types of RG flows Strong coupling Weak coupling - Fixed points (e.g. Banks-Zaks fixed point Banks, Zaks (1982)) - Recurrent behaviors (e.g. limit cycles or ergodic behaviors) Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Outline 1 Motivations 2 Scale and conformal invariance Preliminaries Scale invariance and recurrent behaviors 3 Weyl consistency conditions c-theorem Scale invariance implies conformal invariance 4 Discussion and conclusion Features and future work Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Preliminaries (d > 2) Dilatation current Wess (1960) µ ν µ µ - D (x) = x Tν (x) − V (x) µ - Tν (x) any symmetric EM tensor following from spacetime nature of scale transformations - V µ(x) local operator (virial current) contributing to scale dimensions of fields µ - Freedom in choice of Tν (x) compensated by freedom in choice of V µ(x) µ µ Scale invariance ) Tµ (x) = @µV (x) Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Conformal current Wess (1960) µ λ µ λ 0µ λ ρµ - Cν (x) = vν (x)Tλ (x)−(@λvν )(x)V (x)+(@ρ@λvν )(x)L (x) µ - Tλ (x) any symmetric EM tensor following from spacetime nature of conformal transformations - V 0µ(x) local operator corresponding to ambiguity in choice of dilatation current - Lρµ(x) local symmetric operator correcting position dependence of scale factor λ -( @λvν )(x) scale factor (general linear function of xν) µ - Freedom in choice of Tλ (x) compensated by freedom in choice of V 0µ(x) and Lρµ(x) µ 0µ νµ Conformal invariance ) Tµ (x) = @µV (x) = @µ@νL (x) Conformal invariance ) Existence of symmetric traceless energy-momentum tensor Polchinski (1988) Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Scale without conformal invariance Non-conformal scale-invariant QFTs Polchinski (1988) µ µ Scale invariance ) Tµ (x) = @µV (x) µ νµ Conformal invariance ) Tµ (x) = @µ@νL (x) Scale without conformal invariance µ µ µ µ νµ ) Tµ (x) = @µV (x) where V (x) 6= J (x) + @ν L (x) with µ @µJ (x) = 0 Constraints on possible virial current candidates - Gauge invariant (spatial integral) - Fixed d − 1 scale dimension in d spacetime dimensions No suitable virial current ) Scale invariance implies conformal invariance (examples: φp in d = n − for (p; n) = (6; 3); (4; 4) and (3; 6)) Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Virial current candidates (d = 4) Most general classically scale-invariant renormalizable theory in d = 4 − spacetime dimensions Jack, Osborn (1985) 1 1 − 1 A Aµν 1 2 2 µ L = − µ ZA 2 FµνF + 2 ZabZac DµφbD φc 4gA 1 ∗ 1 1 ∗ 1 1 2 2 ¯ µ 1 2 2 ¯ µ + 2 Zij Zik j iσ¯ Dµ k − 2 Zij Zik Dµ j iσ¯ k 1 λ − 4! µ (λZ )abcd φaφbφc φd 1 2 y 1 2 y ∗ ¯ ¯ − 2 µ (yZ )ajij φa i j − 2 µ (yZ )ajij φa i j φa(x) real scalar fields α i (x) Weyl fermions A Aµ (x) gauge fields Dimensional regularization with minimal subtraction Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Virial current candidates and new improved EM tensor µ µ µ Virial current V (x) = QabφaD φb − Pij ¯i iσ¯ j - Qba = −Qab ∗ - Pji = −Pij µ New improved energy-momentum tensor [Θν (x)] Callan, Coleman, Jackiw (1970) - Finite and not renormalized (vanishing anomalous dimension) - Anomalous trace Osborn (1989,1991) & Jack, Osborn (1990) µ BA A Aµν 1 [Θµ (x)] = 3 [FµνF ] − 4! Babcd [φaφbφc φd ] 2gA δ − 1 B [φ ] + h.c. − ((δ + Γ)f ) · A 2 ajij a i j δf Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Anomalous trace δ [Θ µ(x)] = BI [O (x)] − ((δ + Γ)f ) · A µ I δf µ Conserved dilatation current @µD (x) = 0 (up to EOMs) BI = QI ≡ −(gQ)I µ Conserved conformal current @µCν (x) = 0 (up to EOMs) BI = 0 ) Both SFT (Q 6= 0) and CFT (Q = 0) can be treated simultaneously Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Virial current and unitarity bounds New improved energy-momentum tensor ) Finite and not renormalized Callan, Coleman, Jackiw (1970) Operators related to EOMs ) Finite and not renormalized Politzer (1980) & Robertson (1991) Virial current ) Finite and not renormalized - Unconserved current with scale dimension exactly 3 Unitarity bounds for conformal versus scale-invariant QFTs Grinstein, Intriligator, Rothstein (2008) Non-trivial virial current ) Non-conformal scale-invariant QFTs Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion RG flows along scale-invariant trajectories Scale-invariant solution (λabcd ; yajij ; gA) ) RG trajectory ¯ λabcd (t) = Zba0a(t)Zbb0b(t)Zbc0c (t)Zbd0d (t)λa0b0c0d0 y¯ajij (t) = Zba0a(t)Zbi 0i (t)Zbj0j (t)ya0ji 0j0 g¯A(t) = gA Qt ) Zba0a(t) = e 0 a a t = ln(µ /µ) (RG time) Pt 0 0 Zbi i (t) = e i 0i ¯ (λabcd (t; g; λ, y); y¯ajij (t; g; λ, y); g¯A(t; g; λ, y)) also scale-invariant solution Qab and Pij constant along RG trajectory Zbab(t) orthogonal and Zbij (t) unitary ) Always non-vanishing beta-functions along scale-invariant trajectory Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Scale invariance and recurrent behaviors RG flows along scale-invariant trajectories ) Recurrent behaviors ! Lorenz (1963,1964), Wilson (1971) & Kogut, Wilson (1974) Virial current ) Transformation in symmetry group of kinetic terms (SO(NS ) × U(NF )) - Zbab(t) and Zbij (t) in SO(NS ) × U(NF ) - Qab antisymmetric and Pij antihermitian ) Purely imaginary eigenvalues ) Periodic (limit cycle) or quasi-periodic (ergodicity) scale-invariant trajectories Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Recurrent behaviors µ ν µ µ Intuition from D (x) = x Tν (x) − V (x) ν µ RG flow ) Generated by scale transformation (x Tν (x)) RG flow ) Related to virial current through conservation of dilatation current Virial current ) Generates internal transformation of the fields - Internal transformation in compact group SO(NS ) × U(NF ) ) Rotate back to or close to identity RG flow return back to or close to identity ) Recurrent behavior Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Why dilatation generators generate dilatations Dilatation generators do not generate dilatations in non-scale-invariant QFTs Coleman, Jackiw (1971) Quantum anomalies at low orders - Anomalous dimensions ) Possible to absorb into redefinition of scale dimensions of fields " Preserve scale invariance Quantum anomalies at high orders - Beta-functions ) Not possible to absorb % Break scale invariance Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Why dilatation generators generate dilatations in scale-invariant QFTs ? Beta-functions on scale-invariant trajectories - Both vertex correction and wavefunction renormalization contributions - Very specific form for vertex correction contribution - Equivalent in form to wavefunction renormalization contribution (redundant operators) ) Also possible to absorb into redefinition of scale dimensions of fields " Preserve scale invariance ! Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Beta-functions from vertex corrections and wavefunction renormalizations (d = 4 spacetime dimensions) dλ B = − abcd abcd dt λ = −(λγ )abcd + λa0bcd Γa0a + λab0cd Γb0b + λabc0d Γc0c + λabcd 0 Γd 0d dyajij y B = − = −(yγ ) + y 0 Γ 0 + y 0 Γ 0 + y 0 Γ 0 ajij dt ajij a jij a a aji j i i ajij j j dg B = − A = γ g (no sum) A dt A A Beta-functions on scale-invariant trajectories Babcd = −λa0bcd Qa0a − λab0cd Qb0b − λabc0d Qc0c − λabcd 0 Qd 0d Bajij = −ya0jij Qa0a − yaji 0j Pi 0i − yajij0 Pj0j BA = 0 Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency conditions Discussion and conclusion Ward identity for scale invariance Callan-Symanzik equation for effective action Callan (1970) & Symanzik (1970) Z @ I @ I 4 δ M +B I +Γ J d x fI (x) Γ[f (x); g; M] = 0 @M @g δfJ (x) In non-scale-invariant QFTs " Anomalous dimensions % Beta-functions Z @ I 4 δ M + (Γ + Q)J d x fI (x) Γ[f (x); g; M] = 0 @M δfJ (x) In scale-invariant QFTs " Anomalous dimensions " Beta-functions (redundant operators) Motivations Scale and conformal invariance Weyl consistency