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Fermion fractionization and boundary effects in (1 + 1) dimensions

University of British Columbia

Fermion number fractionization in quantum field theory on a finite interval is studied for a (1 + 1) dimensional fermion-soliton system with explicit charge conjugation symmetry breaking. The effects of boundary conditions on the fractional fermion number and the connection with the corresponding open space problem are investigated. It is argued that the open space fractional charges can be correctly reproduced from the finite interval results only through a careful definition of what is meant by the soliton charge. This definition of the charge distinguishes between the fermionic and boundary induced charges in the system, and isolates the soliton from possibly other charged topological objects in the system. It therefore gives a true measure of the localized fractional fermion number induced on the soliton of interest. It is then rigorously proven that the corresponding charge fluctuations vanish, and hence that the induced fractional charge on the soliton is a quantum observable.

Text

2010-12-13

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/30381

Physics

University of British Columbia

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