Related papers: Dynamical Theory of Phase Transitions and Topologi…
We study the nonequilibrium dynamics leading to the formation of topological defects in a symmetry-breaking phase transition of a quantum scalar field with \lambda\Phi^4 self-interaction in a spatially flat, radiation-dominated…
We study the formation of topological defects in nonequilibrium phase transitions of both classical and quantum field theory. We examine three model systems. 1). The phase transition of a quantum scalar field in a FRW universe is analyzed…
In this brief review we introduce the methods of quantum field theory out of equilibrium and study the non-equilibrium aspects of phase transitions. Specifically we critically study the picture of the ``slow-roll'' phase transition in the…
The dynamics of typical phase transitions is studied out of equilibrium in weakly coupled inflaton-type scalar field theories in Minkowski space. The shortcomings of the effective potential and equilibrium descriptions are pointed out. A…
Non-equilibrium phase transitions of a scalar field in an expanding spacetime are discussed. These transitions are shown to lead, for appropriate potential energy functions, to a biased choice of vacuum structure which can be analytically…
Current theories of particle physics lead to the unavoidable conclusion that there must have been several phase transitions in the early universe. Further, in the context of these theories, it is possible that cosmological phase transitions…
The investigation of the Hamiltonian dynamical counterpart of phase transitions, combined with the Riemannian geometrization of Hamiltonian dynamics, has led to a preliminary formulation of a differential-topological theory of phase…
We study the full out-of-thermal-equilibrium dynamics of a relativistic classical scalar field through a symmetry breaking phase transition. In these circumstances we determine the evolution of the ensemble averages of the correlation…
In the first one of these two lectures, I give an introductory review of phase transitions in finite temperature field theories. I highlight the differences between theories with global and local symmetries, and the similarities between…
The formation of topological defects in a second order phase transition in the early universe is an out-of-equilibrium process. Condensed matter experiments seem to support Zurek's mechanism, in which the freezing of thermal fluctuations…
We study non--equilibrium ensemble corrections to particle masses and the effective potential in the early universe, using a uniform momentum distribution as an example. The resulting thermalization temperature is computed assuming \sm…
We consider first-order phase transitions of the Universe in the radiation-dominated era. We argue that in general the velocity of interfaces is non-relativistic due to the interaction with the plasma and the release of latent heat. We…
We study various dynamical aspects of systems possessing a first order phase transition in their phase diagram. We isolate three qualitatively distinct types of theories depending on the structure of instabilities and the nature of the low…
Equilibrium phase transitions may be defined as nonanalytic points of thermodynamic functions, e.g., of the canonical free energy. Given a certain physical system, it is of interest to understand which properties of the system account for…
The nonequilibrium phase transition in a system of diffusing, coagulating particles in the presence of a steady input and evaporation of particles is studied. The system undergoes a transition from a phase in which the average number of…
Recently, zero-point length cosmology has shown some positive insights into some non-singular aspects of the early Universe. In addition, topological defects are known to play a significant role by its presence as a part of the total energy…
We study the dynamics of phase transitions out of equilibrium in weakly coupled scalar field theories. We consider the case in which there is a rapid supercooling from an initial symmetric phase in thermal equilibrium at temperature…
Topological defects are produced during phase transitions in the very early Universe. They arise in most unified theories of strong, weak and electromagnetic interactions. These lectures focus on the role of topological defects in…
Scalar fields in the early Universe are mostly discussed in two limits: either in equilibrium or completely decoupled. In this work we discuss scenarios where there are scalar fields that are not in equilibrium, but for which the coupling…
The evolution of the Universe is the ultimate laboratory to study fundamental physics across energy scales that span about 25 orders of magnitude: from the grand unification scale through particle and nuclear physics scales down to the…