In this work, we use an extension of the quantization condition, given in Ref. [1], to numerically explore the finite-volume spectrum of three relativistic particles, in the case that two-particle subsets are either resonant or bound. The original form of the relativistic three-particle quantization condition was derived under a technical assumption on the two-particle K matrix that required the absence of two-particle bound states or narrow two-particle resonances. Here we describe how this restriction can be lifted in a simple way using the freedom in the definition of the K-matrix-like quantity that enters the quantization condition. With this in hand, we extend previous numerical studies of the quantization condition to explore the finite-volume signature for a variety of two- and three-particle interactions. We determine the spectrum for parameters such that the system contains both dimers (two-particle bound states) and one or more trimers (in which all three particles are bound), and also for cases where the two-particle subchannel is resonant. We also show how the quantization condition provides a tool for determining infinite-volume dimer-particle scattering amplitudes for energies below the dimer breakup. We illustrate this for a series of examples, including one that parallels physical deuteron-nucleon scattering. All calculations presented here are restricted to the case of three identical scalar particles.
At high temperatures or densities matter formed by strongly interacting elementary particles (hadronic matter) is expected to undergo a transition to a new form of matter - the quark gluon plasma - in which elementary particles (quarks and gluons) are no longer confined inside hadrons but are free to propagate in a thermal medium much larger in extent than the typical size of a hadron. The transition to this new form of matter as well as properties of the plasma phase are studied in large scale numerical calculations based on the theory of strong interactions - Quantum Chromo Dynamics (QCD). E…
We derive formalism for determining $\textbf{2} + \mathcal J \to \textbf{2}$ infinite-volume transition amplitudes from finite-volume matrix elements. Specifically, we present a relativistic, model-independent relation between finite-volume matrix elements of external currents and the physically observable infinite-volume matrix elements involving two-particle asymptotic states. The result presented holds for states composed of two scalar bosons. These can be identical or non-identical and, in the latter case, can be either degenerate or non-degenerate. We further accommodate any number of str…
Working in relativistic quantum field theory, we derive the quantization condition satisfied by coupled two- and three-particle systems of identical scalar particles confined to a cubic spatial volume with periodicity $L$. This gives the relation between the finite-volume spectrum and the infinite-volume $\textbf 2 \to \textbf 2$, $\textbf 2 \to \textbf 3$ and $\textbf 3 \to \textbf 3$ scattering amplitudes for such theories. The result holds for relativistic systems composed of scalar particles with nonzero mass $m$, whose center of mass energy lies below the four-particle threshold, and for …
We present a general method for deriving the energy shift of an interacting system of $N$ spinless particles in a finite volume. To this end, we use the nonrelativistic effective field theory (NREFT), and match the pertinent low-energy constants to the scattering amplitudes. Relativistic corrections are explicitly included up to a given order in the $1/L$ expansion. We apply this method to obtain the ground state of $N$ particles, and the first excited state of two and three particles to order $L^{-6}$ in terms of the threshold parameters of the two- and three-particle relativistic scattering …
We derive general results for the mass shift of bound states with angular momentum l >= 1 in a periodic cubic box in two and three spatial dimensions. Our results have applications to lattice simulations of hadronic molecules, halo nuclei, and Feshbach molecules. The sign of the mass shift can be related to the symmetry properties of the state under consideration. We verify our analytical results with explicit numerical calculations. Moreover, we comment on the relations connecting the effective range parameter, the binding momentum of a given state and the asymptotic normalization coefficient…
We investigate the relativistic scattering of three identical scalar bosons interacting via pair-wise interactions. Extending techniques from the non-relativistic three-body scattering theory, we provide a detailed and general prescription for solving and analytically continuing integral equations describing the three-body reactions. We use these techniques to study a system with zero angular momenta described by a single scattering length leading to a bound state in a two-body sub-channel. We obtain bound-state--particle and three-particle amplitudes in the previously unexplored kinematical r…
We show that a recently derived alternative form of the relativistic three-particle quantization condition for identical particles can be rewritten in terms of the R matrix introduced to give a unitary representation of the infinite-volume three-particle scattering amplitude. Combined with earlier work, this shows the equivalence of the relativistic effective field theory approach of Hansen and Sharpe (Refs.[1,2]) and the "finite-volume unitarity" approach of Mai and Döring (Refs.[3,4]). It also provides a generalization of the latter approach to arbitrary angular momenta of two-particle subsy…
We present a generalization of Luescher's relation between the finite-volume spectrum and scattering amplitudes to the case of three particles. We consider a relativistic scalar field theory in which the couplings are arbitrary aside from a Z2 symmetry that removes vertices with an odd number of particles. The theory is assumed to have two-particle phase shifts that are bounded by π/2 in the regime of elastic scattering. We determine the spectrum of the finite-volume theory from the poles in the odd-particle-number finite-volume correlator, which we analyze to all orders in perturbation theory…
Two methodologies have been presented in the literature which connect relativistic three-particle scattering amplitudes with lattice QCD spectra -- the ``relativistic effective field theory'' approach and the ``finite-volume unitarity'' method. While both methods have been shown to be equivalent in various works, it has not been shown how to arrive at the relativistic effective field theory results directly from $S$ matrix unitarity. In this work, we provide a simple proof of the relativistic effective field theory form of the scattering equations directly from unitarity. Motivated by the fini…
Scattering and transition amplitudes with three-hadron final states play an important role in nuclear and particle physics. However, predicting such quantities using numerical Lattice QCD is very difficult, in part because of the effects of Euclidean time and finite volume. In this review we highlight recent formal developments that work towards overcoming these issues. We organize the presentation into three parts: large volume expansions, non-relativistic nonperturbative analyses, and nonperturbative studies based in relativistic field theory. In the first part we discuss results for ground …
Using the framework of non-relativistic effective field theory, the finite-volume ground-state energy shift is calculated up-to-and-including $O(L^{-6})$ for the system of three pions in the channel with the total isospin $I=1$. The relativistic corrections are included perturbatively, up to the same order in the inverse of the box size $L$. The obtained explicit expression, together with the known result for the system with maximal isospin $I=3$, can be used for the extraction of two independent effective three-body couplings from the measured ground-state spectrum of three pions.
Within the non-relativistic potential scattering theory, we derive a generalized version of the Lüscher formula, which includes three-particle inelastic channels. Faddeev equations in a finite volume are discussed in detail. It is proved that, even in the presence of the three-particle intermediate states, the discrete spectrum in a finite box is determined by the infinite-volume elements of the scattering S-matrix up to corrections, exponentially suppressed at large volumes.
We calculate the energy of the state closest to threshold for two and three identical, spinless particles confined to a cubic spatial volume with periodic boundary conditions and with zero total momentum in the finite-volume frame. The calculation is performed in relativistic quantum field theory with particles coupled via a $λϕ^4$ interaction, and we work through order $λ^3$. The energy shifts begin at ${\cal O}(1/L^3)$, and we keep subleading terms proportional to $1/L^4$, $1/L^5$ and $1/L^6$. These terms allow a non-trivial check of the results obtained from quantization conditions that hol…
This is a combined write-up for two talks which were given consecutively and which described different aspects of the same topic. We present a generalization of Lüscher's relation between the finite-volume spectrum and S-matrix to three particles. Specifically, we consider a scalar field theory, which has a $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry that prevents even/odd coupling. The theory is assumed to have no two-particle bound states and to have two-particle phase shifts that are bounded by $π/2$ in the regime of elastic scattering. Considering center of mass energies between one and five particle masses, …
Using our recently developed relativistic three-particle quantization condition, we study the finite-volume energy shift of a spin-zero three-particle bound state. We reproduce the result obtained using non-relativistic quantum mechanics by Meissner, Rios and Rusetsky, and generalize the result to a moving frame.
We present numerical results showing how our recently proposed relativistic three-particle quantization condition can be used in practice. Using the isotropic (generalized $s$-wave) approximation, and keeping only the leading terms in the effective range expansion, we show how the quantization condition can be solved numerically in a straightforward manner. In addition, we show how the integral equations that relate the intermediate three-particle infinite-volume scattering quantity, $\mathcal K_{\text{df},3}$, to the physical scattering amplitude can be solved at and below threshold. We test …
We present a method to non-perturbatively determine the parameters of the on-shell, $O(a)$-improved relativistic heavy quark action. These three parameters, $m_0$, $ζ$, and $c_B=c_E$ are obtained by matching finite-volume, heavy-heavy and heavy-light meson masses to the exact relativistic spectrum through a finite-volume, step-scaling recursion procedure. We demonstrate that accuracy on the level of a few percent can be achieved by carrying out this matching on a pair of lattices with equal physical spatial volumes but quite different lattice spacings. A fine lattice with inverse lattice spaci…
The formalism relating the relativistic three-particle infinite-volume scattering amplitude to the finite-volume spectrum has been developed thus far only for identical or degenerate particles. We provide the generalization to the case of three nondegenerate scalar particles with arbitrary masses. A key quantity in this formalism is the quantization condition, which relates the spectrum to an intermediate K matrix. We derive three versions of this quantization condition, each a natural generalization of the corresponding results for identical particles. In each case we also determine the integ…
We explore variational approach to the finite-volume $N$-body problem. The general formalism for N non-relativistic spinless particles interacting with periodic pair-wise potentials yields N-body secular equations. The solutions depend on the infinite-volume N-body wave functions. Given that the infinite-volume N-body dynamics may be solved by the standard Faddeev approach, the variational N-body formalism can provide a convenient numerical framework for finding discrete energy spectra in periodic lattice structures.
We propose to determine the coefficients in the Fermilab heavy quark action by matching the finite-volume, off-shell, gauge-fixed propagator and vertex functions with those determined in the exact, relativistic theory. The matching relativistic amplitudes may be determined either from short-distance perturbation theory or from finite-volume step-scaling recursion. Tree-level matching and non-perturbative off-shell amplitudes are presented.
