Shortest scale of quantum field theory

Ram Brustein, David Eichler, Stefano Foffa, and David H. Oaknin
Phys. Rev. D 65, 105013 – Published 9 May 2002
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Abstract

It is suggested that the Minkowski vacuum of quantum field theories of a large number of fields N would be gravitationally unstable due to strong vacuum energy fluctuations unless an N dependent sub-Planckian ultraviolet momentum cutoff is introduced. We estimate this implied cutoff using an effective quantum theory of massless fields that couple to semiclassical gravity and find it (assuming that the cosmological constant vanishes) to be bounded by MPlanck/N1/4. Our bound can be made consistent with entropy bounds and holography, but does not seem to be equivalent to either, and it relaxes but does not eliminate the implied bound on N inherent in entropy bounds.

  • Received 8 September 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.65.105013

©2002 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Ram Brustein*, David Eichler, Stefano Foffa, and David H. Oaknin§

  • Department of Physics, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel

  • *Electronic address: ramyb@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
  • Electronic address: eichler@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
  • Electronic address: foffa@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
  • §Electronic address: doaknin@bgumail.bgu.ac.il

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Issue

Vol. 65, Iss. 10 — 15 May 2002

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