Linearization of thick K-branes

Abstract

We study the linearization of a class of thick K-branes, namely, four-dimensional domain walls generated by a scalar field with particular nonstandard kinetic terms. The master equations for linear perturbations are derived from the point of view of both dynamical equations and quadratic action. The spectra of the canonical normal modes are studied using supersymmetric quantum mechanics. Our results indicate that the scalar perturbation is nonlocalizable in general. Conditions for stable $K$-branes are also found.