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Induced fermion number and quantum mechanical stability of solitonic objects"

U A Yajnik, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, currently McGill University
Abstract: 

It is known that topological solutions in gauge field theories can carry fermionic zero energy modes. In this case the presence of the zero-energy modes induces a fermionic charge on the background solution. This induced charge can have non-integer values. We have explored semi-classical solutions which are only metastable but can nevertheless carry fermionic zero-energy modes. These modes in turn can induce fractional fermion number. We show that as a result, a meta-stable configuration of bosonic fields in fact becomes stable. The result is shown to hold even when the coupled fermions are majorana and do not themselves carry a conserved fermion number.

Date: 
Thursday, 18 March, 2010 - 15:30
Seminar Location: 
Pavillon Roger Gaudry, V-221
Refreshments Time and Location: 
café et biscuits à 15h00, au V-221

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