Article: Higgs Boson in Superconductors

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SUMMARY

The article by Varma titled "Higgs Boson in Superconductors" provides a detailed comparison between the Gross-Pitaevskii equation and the Higgs Lagrangian, focusing on the calculation of elementary excitations. Varma concludes that while both equations exhibit symmetry breaking, Higgs-type excitations are absent in the Gross-Pitaevskii equation due to its first-order nature in time. He further explains the emergence of Higgs-type excitations in superconductors, which he and Littlewood identified in experimental spectra in 1982. This discussion highlights the complexities of quantum field theory (QFT) and its implications in superconductivity.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation
  • Familiarity with the Higgs Lagrangian
  • Knowledge of elementary excitations in quantum field theory
  • Basic principles of superconductivity
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation in condensed matter physics
  • Study the role of Higgs bosons in quantum field theory
  • Explore experimental techniques for identifying excitations in superconductors
  • Investigate the historical context of Varma and Littlewood's 1982 findings
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, researchers in condensed matter physics, and students studying quantum field theory and superconductivity will benefit from this discussion.

DrDu
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I ran into the following article by Varma, Higgs Boson in Superconductors
http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0109409

Varma compares the Gross-Pitaevskii equation with the Higgs Lagrangian and calculates the elementary excitations. He shows that although symmetry is broken in both cases, Higgs type excitations are absent in the G-P equation although it looks very similar to the Higgs equation, the main difference being that the former is only first order in t.
He then shows why in Superconductors one nevertheless obtains Higgs type excitations which he identified in experimental spectra together with Littlewood in 1982.
It is interesting how easily -at least my- intuition gets lost in QFT.
 

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