First order phase transitions in cosmology

Author: luka makharadze
Keywords: phase transition, cosmology, gravity
Annotation:

Phase transitions are expected to have taken place in the early universe when fundamental quantum fields of the universe obtain non-zero expectation values. The decay of the false vacuum could proceed by means of the first order phase transition, new phase (true vacuum) bubble nucleation in interiors of the old phase (false vacuum). The problem of phase transitions consists of two parts: calculation of the probability of bubble nucleation and subsequent evolution of newly formed bubbles. In the thesis decay of false vacuum and bubble nucleation processes are reviewed. Calculating details of a bubble nucleation radius and rate in the thin wall approximation are revealed. Then dynamics of the gravitated bubbles is discussed. Solutions of Einstein equations for bubbles in the thin wall approximation are shown.