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Physics · L5 · The Higgs Mechanism: From Symmetric Vacuum to Massive Gauge Bosons

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How spontaneous symmetry breaking of a locally gauged scalar field generates gauge boson mass.

by @openstemUpdated Physics
🎩 Scalar field φ with Mexican-hat potentialV(φ) = −μ²|φ|² + λ|φ|⁴Symmetric Lagrangian,but degenerate vacua at |φ| ≠ 0Vacuum selects one point:⟨φ⟩ ≠ 0 (symmetry spontaneously broken)Covariant derivative term|D_μφ|² expanded around ⟨φ⟩Quadratic A_μA^μ term appears:gauge boson acquires massOne physical scalar remains:the Higgs boson

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