Alexandre G. M. Schmidt

Probing negative-dimensional integration: Two-loop covariant vertex and one-loop light-cone integrals

Abstract The negative-dimensional integration method (NDIM) seems to be a very promising technique for evaluating massless and/or massive Feynman diagrams. It is unique in the sense that the method gives solutions in different regions of external momenta simultaneously. Moreover, it is a technique whereby the difficulties associated with performing parametric integrals in the standard approach are transferred to a simpler solving of a system of linear algebraic equations, thanks to the polynomial character of the relevant integrands. We employ this method to evaluate a scalar integral for a massless two-loop three-point vertex with all the external legs off-shell, and consider several special cases for it, yielding results, even for distinct simpler diagrams. We also consider the possibility of NDIM in non-covariant gauges such as the light-cone gauge and do some illustrative calculations, showing that for one-degree violation of covariance (i.e. one external, gauge-breaking, light-like vector nμ) the ensuing results are concordant with the ones obtained via either the usual dimensional regularization technique, or the use of the principal value prescription for the gauge-dependent pole, while for two-degree violation of covariance—i.e. two external, light-like vectors nμ, the gauge-breaking one, and (its dual) n μ ∗ —the ensuing results are concordant with the ones obtained via causal constraints or the use of the so-called generalized Mandelstam-Leibbrandt prescription.

Negative dimensional integration revisited

Feynman diagrams are the best tool we have to study perturbative quantum field theory. For this very reason the development of any new technique that allows us to compute Feynman integrals is welcome. By the middle of the 1980s, Halliday and Ricotta suggested the possibility of using negative-dimensional integrals to tackle the problem. The aim of this work is to revisit the technique as such and check on its possibilities. For this purpose, we take a box diagram integral contributing to the photon-photon scattering amplitude in quantum electrodynamics using the negative-dimensional integration method. Our approach enables us to quickly reproduce the known results as well as six other solutions as yet unknown in the literature. These six new solutions arise quite naturally in the context of negative-dimensional integration method, revealing a promising technique to handle Feynman integrals.

The Light-Cone Gauge without Prescriptions

Feynman integrals in the physical light-cone gauge are more difficult to solve than their covariant counterparts. The difficulty is associated with the presence of unphysical singularities due to the inherent residual gauge freedom in the intermediate boson propagators constrained within this gauge choice. In order to circumvent these non-physical singularities, the headlong approach has always been to call for mathematical devices — prescriptions — some successful and others not. A more elegant approach is to consider the propagator from its physical point of view, that is, an object obeying basic principles such as causality. Once this fact is realized and carefully taken into account, the crutch of prescriptions can be avoided altogether. An alternative, third approach, which for practical computations could dispense with prescriptions as well as avoiding the necessity of careful stepwise consideration of causality, would be of great advan tage. An d this third optionis realizable withinthe con text of negative dimensions, or as it has been coined, the negative dimensional integration method (NDIM).Feynman integrals in the physical light-cone gauge are harder to solve than their covariant counterparts. The difficulty is associated with the presence of unphysical singularities due to the inherent residual gauge freedom in the intermediate boson propagators constrained within this gauge choice. In order to circumvent these non-physical singularities, the headlong approach has always been to call for mathematical devices --- prescriptions --- some successful ones and others not so much so. A more elegant approach is to consider the propagator from its physical point of view, that is, an object obeying basic principles such as causality. Once this fact is realized and carefully taken into account, the crutch of prescriptions can be avoided altogether. An alternative third approach, which for practical computations could dispense with prescriptions as well as prescinding the necessity of careful stepwise watching out of causality would be of great advantage. And this third option is realizable within the context of negative dimensions, or as it has been coined, negative dimensional integration method, NDIM for short.

Massless and massive one-loop three-point functions in negative dimensional approach

In this article we present the complete massless and massive one-loop triangle diagram results using the negative dimensional integration method (NDIM). We consider the following cases: massless internal fields; one massive, two massive with the same mass m and three equal masses for the virtual particles. Our results are given in terms of hypergeometric and hypergeometric-type functions of external momenta (and masses for the massive cases) where the propagators in the Feynman integrals are raised to arbitrary exponents and the dimension of the space-time D. Our approach reproduces the known results as well as other solutions as yet unknown in the literature. These new solutions occur naturally in the context of NDIM revealing a promising technique to solve Feynman integrals in quantum field theories.

Negative dimensional approach for scalar two-loop three-point and three-loop two-point integrals

The well-known D-dimensional Feynman integrals were shown, by Halliday and Ricotta, to be capable of undergoing analytic continuation into the domain of negative values for the dimension of space-time. Furthermore, this could be identified with Grassmannian integration in positive dimensions. From this possibility follows the concept of negative-dimensional integration for loop integrals in field theories. Using this technique, we evaluate three two-loop three-point scalar integrals, with five and six massless propagators, with specific external kinematic configurations (two legs on-shell), and four three-loop two-point scalar integrals. These results are given for arbitrary exponents of propagators and dimension, in Euclidean space, and the particular cases compared to results published in the literature. PACS Nos.: 02.90+p, 11.15Bt, 12.38Bx

Easy way to solve two-loop vertex integrals

We consider four two-loop three-point vertex diagrams with arbitrary exponents of propagators and dimension, three of them with two legs on-shell and one with all legs off-shell. As far as we know there is no similar calculation in the literature, and our original results are neatly expressed in terms of products of gamma functions.

Negative dimensional integration

Inst. de Fis. Teorica Universidade Estadual Paulista, R. Pamplona, 145, Sao Paulo SP, CEP 01405-900

Feynman integrals with tensorial structure in the negative dimensional integration scheme

Abstract. The negative-dimensional integration method (NDIM) is revealing itself as a very useful technique for computing massless and/or massive Feynman integrals, covariant and noncovariant alike. Up until now, however, the illustrative calculations done using such method have been mostly covariant scalar integrals, without numerator factors. We show here how those integrals with tensorial structures also can be handled straightforwardly and easily. However, contrary to the absence of significant features in the usual approach, here the NDIM also allows us to come across surprising unsuspected bonuses. Toward this end, we present two alternative ways of working out the integrals and illustrate them by taking the easiest Feynman integrals in this category that emerge in the computation of a standard one-loop self-energy diagram. One of the novel and heretofore unsuspected bonuses is that there are degeneracies in the way one can express the final result for the referred Feynman integral.

Loop integrals in three outstanding gauges: Feynman, Light-Cone, and Coulomb

Abstract We apply the negative dimensional integration method (NDIM) to three outstanding gauges: Feynman, light-cone, and Coulomb gauges. Our aim is to show that NDIM is a very suitable technique to deal with loop integrals, regardless of which gauge choice that originated them. In the Feynman gauge we perform scalar two-loop four-point massless integrals; in the light-cone gauge we calculate scalar two-loop integrals contributing to two-point functions without any kind of prescriptions, since NDIM can abandon such devices—this calculation is the first test of our prescriptionless method beyond one-loop order; and finally, for the Coulomb gauge we consider a four-propagator massless loop integral, in the split-dimensional regularization context.

First results for the Coulomb gauge integrals using NDIM

Abstract. The Coulomb gauge has at least two advantages over other gauge choices in that bound states between quarks and studies of confinement are easier to understand in this gauge. However, perturbative calculations, namely Feynman loop integrations, are not well defined (there are the so-called energy integrals) even within the context of dimensional regularization. Leibbrandt and Williams proposed a possible cure to such a problem by splitting the space-time dimension into