Why Does the Higgs Potential Resemble the Maxican-Hat Potential?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the similarities between the Higgs potential and the Mexican-hat potential, particularly in the context of tachyonic particles and electroweak symmetry breaking. Participants explore the implications of tachyonic behavior in the Higgs field and its role in particle physics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes the mathematical form of the Mexican-hat potential and questions why the Higgs potential resembles it despite the Higgs boson not being tachyonic.
  • Another participant explains that the Higgs field can become tachyonic at certain temperatures, leading to tachyonic condensation and electroweak symmetry breaking.
  • A later reply reiterates the idea that the Higgs boson can exhibit tachyonic behavior, expressing gratitude for the clarification.
  • Another participant adds that tachyons do not necessarily imply faster-than-light movement but indicate an unstable vacuum state that leads to tachyonic condensation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of tachyonic behavior in the Higgs field, with some agreeing on its role in symmetry breaking while others question the nature of tachyons in this context. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the broader implications of these concepts.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference specific conditions under which the Higgs field may behave tachyonically, but the discussion does not resolve the assumptions or definitions surrounding tachyonic particles and their implications for the Higgs potential.

Black Integra
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I know that Maxican-Hat potential is for tachyonic particle, says
V(\phi)=-\frac{\lambda}{2}|\phi|^2 + \frac{g}{4!}|\phi|^4

But why does Higgs' potential take the same form of this?? Even though higgs boson is not a tachyon??

Tell me if my question is not clear. Thanks in advance for the answer.
 
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When the Higgs field reaches its false vacuum at a certain temperature, it becomes tachyonic (e.g. negative mass squared). When this happens, tachyonic condensation allows the Higgs field to spontaneously break three out of the four generators of the SU(2)×U(1) gauge group. This is electroweak symmetry breaking.

After this symmetry breaking, three of the four degrees of freedom in the Higgs field (H+, H-, H0) 'mix' with the three W and Z bosons (W+, W− and Z), and become the their longitudal modes, so that they have the necessary degrees of freedom to become massive (3. Note that the photon has only two polarizations because it is massless). The last degree of freedom, h, becomes the scalar Higgs boson. The Higgs field is no longer tachyonic, and acquires a vacuum expectation value.
 
Last edited:
So higgs boson can be in a tachyonic mode. Really thanks for the answer! :)
 
Black Integra said:
So higgs boson can be in a tachyonic mode. Really thanks for the answer! :)

Well, the Higgs field, back when it had all four degrees of freedom. Also, remember that tachyons don't move FTL, they just represent a highly unstable vacuum (which causes tachyonic condensation).
 

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