Regularization and the potential of effective field theory in nucleon-nucleon scattering

Abstract

This paper examines the role that regularization plays in the definition of the potential used in effective field theory (EFT) treatments of the nucleon-nucleon interaction. I consider $NN$ scattering in $S$-wave channels at momenta well below the pion mass. In these channels (quasi-)bound states are present at energies well below the scale $m_π^2/M$ expected from naturalness arguments. I ask whether, in the presence of such a shallow bound state, there is a regularization scheme which leads to an EFT potential that is both useful and systematic. In general, if a low-lying bound state is present then cutoff regularization leads to an EFT potential which is useful but not systematic, and dimensional regularization with minimal subtraction leads to one which is systematic but not useful. The recently-proposed technique of dimensional regularization with power-law divergence subtraction allows the definition of an EFT potential which is both useful and systematic.