Recursive Graphical Construction of Feynman Diagrams in phi^4 Theory: Asymmetric Case and Effective Energy

Abstract

The free energy of a multi-component scalar field theory is considered as a functional W[G,J] of the free correlation function G and an external current J. It obeys non-linear functional differential equations which are turned into recursion relations for the connected Greens functions in a loop expansion. These relations amount to a simple proof that W[G,J] generates only connected graphs and can be used to find all such graphs with their combinatoric weights. A Legendre transformation with respect to the external current converts the functional differential equations for the free energy into those for the effective energy Gamma[G,Phi], which is considered as a functional of the free correlation function G and the field expectation Phi. These equations are turned into recursion relations for the one-particle irreducible Greens functions. These relations amount to a simple proof that Gamma[G,J] generates only one-particle irreducible graphs and can be used to find all such graphs with their combinatoric weights. The techniques used also allow for a systematic investigation into resummations of classes of graphs. Examples are given for resumming one-loop and multi-loop tadpoles, both through all orders of perturbation theory. Since the functional differential equations derived are non-perturbative, they constitute also a convenient starting point for other expansions than those in numbers of loops or powers of coupling constants. We work with general interactions through four powers in the field.