On the metastability of the standard model vacuum

Apr, 2001
22 pages
Published in:
  • Nucl.Phys.B 609 (2001) 387-409
e-Print:
Report number:
  • CERN-TH-2001-092,
  • LNF-01-014-P,
  • GEF-TH-6-01,
  • IFUP-TH-2001-11

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Abstract:
If the Higgs mass m_H is as low as suggested by present experimental information, the Standard Model ground state might not be absolutely stable. We present a detailed analysis of the lower bounds on m_H imposed by the requirement that the electroweak vacuum be sufficiently long-lived. We perform a complete one-loop calculation of the tunnelling probability at zero temperature, and we improve it by means of two-loop renormalization-group equations. We find that, for m_H=115 GeV, the Higgs potential develops an instability below the Planck scale for m_t>(166\pm 2) GeV, but the electroweak vacuum is sufficiently long-lived for m_t < (175\pm 2) \GeV.
Note:
  • LaTex 23 pages, 4 eps figures. Misprint in the abstract corrected, reference added Report-no: CERN-TH/2001-092, IFUP-TH/2001-11
  • 12.15.-y
  • 12.15.Lk
  • 12.38.Lg
  • electroweak interaction
  • vacuum state: stability
  • Higgs particle: mass
  • lower limit
  • tunneling
  • tree approximation
  • correction: higher-order