Quantum fate of broken‑vacuum oscillons in the complex φ⁶ theory

Determine the fate under quantization of the long‑lived, large‑amplitude oscillons that emerge in the broken vacuum of the complex φ⁶ model with potential V(|φ|) = (ν² + |φ|²)(|φ|² − 2)² / [8(1 + ν²)] (specifically for ν = 0), including whether such oscillons persist as quantum configurations and what their stability properties and lifetimes are.

Background

The paper studies vortex–antivortex collisions in the complex φ⁶ theory and finds a remarkably stable, long‑lived oscillon forming in the broken vacuum, despite the absence of a mass gap due to a flat direction with Goldstone modes. This result contrasts with the complex φ⁴ case, where such oscillons do not appear.

Given that classical oscillons are observed to form robustly in the broken vacuum of the complex φ⁶ model, the authors raise the question of what happens to these structures once quantum effects are included. Prior work has shown both challenges and recent evidence for quantum oscillons in other settings, motivating a precise determination of the quantum behavior, stability, and lifetime of these broken‑vacuum oscillons.