Scalar decay to one-loop in Yukawa interaction

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Discussion Overview

The discussion focuses on calculating the amplitude for the decay process ##\phi \to e^+e^-## under a Yukawa interaction, specifically at one-loop order with massless fermions. The participants explore the implications of renormalization conditions and the contributions of various diagrams to the amplitude.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant outlines the calculation of the amplitude and identifies four contributing diagrams, including self-energy corrections and a vertex correction.
  • The same participant expresses uncertainty regarding the correctness of their renormalization conditions, particularly in relation to the scalar and fermion propagators and the vertex function.
  • Another participant questions whether the application of the renormalization conditions effectively sets the coupling constant ##g## to zero.
  • A different participant clarifies a misunderstanding regarding the context of the Yukawa interaction, indicating that their focus is on a theoretical exercise rather than a direct application to the Standard Model.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of the renormalization conditions, with some questioning the validity of the initial analysis while others seek clarification on the relationship between the coupling constant and fermion mass. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the correctness of the renormalization approach.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved aspects concerning the assumptions made in the renormalization process and the specific conditions applied to the propagators and vertex function. The discussion does not reach a consensus on these points.

Gaussian97
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TL;DR
One-loop correction for $\phi \to e^+e^-$ under a Yukawa interaction seems to vanish trivially.
I am trying to calculate the amplitude for a decay ##\phi \to e^+e^-## under a Yukawa interaction ##\mathcal{L}_I = -g\phi \bar{\psi}\psi## to one-loop order (with massless fermions for simplicity).

If I'm not wrong, there are 4 diagrams that contribute to 1 loop, three diagrams involving self-energy corrections (i.e. inserting a loop into the external lines) and an extra diagram with vertex correction (a ##\phi## field exchanged by ##e^+## and ##e^-##).

I have no problem calculating the integrals and using counterterms to cancel the infinities that arise, but I'm not sure if the conditions I use for renormalization are correct. Following the example of QED, to apply on-shell renormalization I used the following conditions;

The scalar propagator in the limit ##p^2 \to M^2## should be ##\frac{i}{p^2-M^2}##

The fermion propagator in the limit ##\not{\!p} \to 0## should be ##\frac{i}{\not{p}}##

The vertex function in the limit ##p^2 \to M^2## should be ##-ig##. (##p## is the momentum of the scalar particle.)

Now, because the self-energy diagrams are all in external legs, the first two corrections mean that those diagrams vanish.
But the third condition tells that the vertex correction must also vanish when the scalar particle is on-shell (as in my diagram). Therefore all the diagrams here vanish trivially due to renormalization conditions.

Is this analysis correct? Or did I make some mistake in the renormalization part?
 
Last edited:
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Gaussian97 said:
Yukawa interaction,,,with massless fermions
By doing so, didn't you just set the coupling to zero?
 
Vanadium 50 said:
By doing so, didn't you just set the coupling to zero?
Mmm... Not sure I follow you, maybe I'm saying something stupid. But how is the coupling constant ##g## in ##\mathcal{L}_I = -g\phi \bar{\psi}\psi## related to the mass of the fermions?
 
I'm sorry. I saw "Yukawa" and my brain immediately jumped to "Higgs Yukawa".
 
Oh, okay I understand now the confusion.
I'm doing this simply to practice (most textbooks deal with $\phi^4$ and QED), so I thought that Yukawa was a simple enough example to try to do it by myself.
There is no intention of this being applicable in the Standard Model or anything like that, just to have fun.
 

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