Scalar decay to one-loop in Yukawa interaction

In summary, the author is 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). The author has no problem calculating the integrals and using counterterms to cancel the infinities that arise, but is not sure if the conditions they use for renormalization are correct.
  • #1
Gaussian97
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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?
 
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  • #2
Gaussian97 said:
Yukawa interaction,,,with massless fermions
By doing so, didn't you just set the coupling to zero?
 
  • #3
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?
 
  • #4
I'm sorry. I saw "Yukawa" and my brain immediately jumped to "Higgs Yukawa".
 
  • #5
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.
 

FAQ: Scalar decay to one-loop in Yukawa interaction

What is scalar decay in the context of particle physics?

Scalar decay refers to the process by which a scalar particle, such as a Higgs boson or a scalar meson, transforms into other particles. In particle physics, this decay can occur through various interactions, including Yukawa interactions, which involve the coupling of scalar particles to fermions.

What is a Yukawa interaction?

A Yukawa interaction is a type of coupling in quantum field theory that describes the interaction between scalar fields and fermionic fields. It is named after Hideki Yukawa, who proposed it to explain the strong nuclear force. In this context, the scalar field typically represents a particle like the Higgs boson, while the fermionic fields represent matter particles such as quarks and leptons.

What is one-loop correction in quantum field theory?

One-loop correction refers to the first order of quantum corrections to a process in perturbation theory, where virtual particles are exchanged in a loop diagram. In the context of scalar decay, one-loop corrections can modify the decay rate and branching ratios, providing more accurate predictions compared to tree-level calculations.

How does one-loop scalar decay affect the decay rate?

One-loop corrections can enhance or suppress the decay rate of a scalar particle. These corrections arise from additional Feynman diagrams that include virtual particles, which can contribute to the overall amplitude of the decay process. The net effect is usually calculated by integrating over the momenta of the virtual particles, leading to modifications in the decay width and potentially observable consequences in experiments.

Why is the study of scalar decay important in particle physics?

The study of scalar decay is crucial for understanding the properties of fundamental particles, such as the Higgs boson, and for testing the predictions of the Standard Model of particle physics. Analyzing scalar decay processes can provide insights into the mechanism of mass generation, the nature of interactions at high energies, and potential new physics beyond the Standard Model.

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