Solution to the gauge-Higgs analyticity paradox

Abstract

The Fradkin-Shenker theorem proves analyticity in a region that connects Higgs to confinement regimes, precluding a phase transition. This conflicts with a simpler analyticity argument applicable to any symmetry-breaking phase transition that requires the phase diagram to be bifurcated. A flaw in the Fradkin-Shenker and related Osterwalder-Seiler proofs is found which removes this paradox. Higgs and Confinement regions are everywhere separated by a phase boundary. A new order parameter allowing this transition to be traced with Monte-Carlo simulations without gauge fixing is introduced.