Scale and conformal invariance in higher derivative shift symmetric theories

Abstract The critical behavior of infinite families of shift symmetric interacting theories with higher derivative kinetic terms (non unitary) is considered. Single scalar theories with shift symmetry are classified according to their upper critical dimensions and studied at the leading non trivial...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mahmoud Safari, Andreas Stergiou, Gian Paolo Vacca, Omar Zanusso
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2022-02-01
Series:Journal of High Energy Physics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP02(2022)034
Description
Summary:Abstract The critical behavior of infinite families of shift symmetric interacting theories with higher derivative kinetic terms (non unitary) is considered. Single scalar theories with shift symmetry are classified according to their upper critical dimensions and studied at the leading non trivial order in perturbation theory. For two infinite families, one with quartic and one with cubic interactions, beta functions, criticality conditions and universal anomalous dimensions are computed. At the order considered, the cubic theories enjoy a one loop non renormalization of the vertex, so that the beta function depends non trivially only on the anomalous dimension. The trace of the energy momentum tensor is also investigated and it is shown that these two families of QFTs are conformally invariant at the fixed point of the RG flow.
ISSN:1029-8479