Two- and three-point functions in Landau gauge Yang-Mills-Higgs theory

Abstract

Yang-Mills-Higgs theory offers a rich set of physics. In particular, in some region of its parameter space it has QCD-like behavior, while in some other range it is Higgs-like. Furthermore, for the choice of the gauge group SU(2) and an SU(2) Higgs flavor symmetry it is the Higgs sector of the standard model. Therefore, it is possible to study a plethora of phenomena within a single theory. Here the standard-model version is studied using lattice gauge theory. Choosing non-aligned minimal Landau gauge, its propagators and three-point vertices will be determined in both the QCD-like and Higgs-like domains. This permits to test various proposals for how confinement works, as well as how confinement and the Higgs effect differ. The correlations functions are found to exhibit a different behavior, depending on whether the lowest mass scalar flavor singlet is lighter than the vector triplet, heavier and stable, or unstable against decay into two vector triplets.