We outline a separable matrix ansatz for the potentials in effective field theories of nonrelativistic two-body systems with short-range interactions. We use this ansatz to construct new fixed points of the renormalisation-group equation for these potentials. New fixed points indicate a much richer structure than previously recognized in the RG flows of simple short-range potentials.
We apply renormalisation-group methods to two-body scattering by a combination of known long-range and unknown short-range potentials. We impose a cut-off in the basis of distorted waves of the long-range potential and identify possible fixed points of the short-range potential as this cut-off is lowered to zero. The expansions around these fixed points define the power countings for the corresponding effective field theories. Expansions around nontrivial fixed points are shown to correspond to distorted-wa
The Polchinski version of the exact renormalisation group equations is applied to multicritical fixed points, which are present for dimensions between two and four, for scalar theories using both the local potential approximation and its extension, the derivative expansion. The results are compared with the epsilon expansion by showing that the non linear differential equations may be linearised at each multicritical point and the epsilon expansion treated as a perturbative expansion. The results for critical exponents are compared with corresponding epsilon expansion results from standard perturbation theory. The results provide a test for the validity of the local potential approximation and also the derivative expansion. An alternative truncation of the exact RG equation leads to equations which are similar to those found in the derivative expansion but which gives correct results for critical exponents to order $epsilon$ and also for the field anomalous dimension to order $epsilon^2$. An exact marginal operator for the full RG equations is also constructed.
We apply the renormalisation-group to two-body scattering by a combination of known long-range and unknown short-range forces. A crucial feature is that the low-energy effective theory is regulated by applying a cut-off in the basis of distorted waves for the long range potential. We illustrate the method by applying it to scattering in the presence of a repulsive 1/r^2 potential. We find a trivial fixed point, describing systems with weak short-range interactions, and a unstable fixed point. The expansion around the latter corresponds to a distorted-wave effective-range expansion.
The two-body Coulomb scattering problem is solved using the standard complex scaling method. The explicit enforcement of the scattering boundary condition is avoided. Splitting of the scattering wave function based on the Coulomb modified plane wave is considered. This decomposition leads a three-dimensional Schrodinger equation with source term. Partial wave expansion is carried out and the asymptotic form of the solution is determined. This splitting does not lead to simplification of the scattering boundary condition if complex scaling is invoked. A new splitting carried out only on partial wave level is introduced and this method is proved to be very useful. The scattered part of the wave function tends to zero at large inter-particle distance. This property permits of easy numerical solution: the scattered part of the wave function can be expanded on bound-state type basis. The new method can be applied not only for pure Coulomb potential butin the presence of short range interaction too.
Nonthermal fixed points represent basic properties of quantum field theories, in addition to vacuum or thermal equilibrium fixed points. The functional renormalization group on a closed real-time path provides a common framework for their description. For the example of an O(N) symmetric scalar theory it reveals a hierarchy of fixed point solutions, with increasing complexity from vacuum and thermal equilibrium to nonequilibrium.