Removing the gauge parameter dependence of the effective potential by a field redefinition

Abstract

The gauge parameter dependence of the effective potential is determined by partial differential equations involving also the Higgs boson field expectation value. Solving these equations by the method of characteristics leads to complete elimination of the gauge parameter dependence of the effective potential. The construction is carried out in the case of the standard model of electroweak unification for the renormalization group improved effective potential up to the next-leading logarithmic order.

Comments: 17 pages