Bound States in Scalar Theory with Fourth-order Derivative Term

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1. Verfasser: Oda, Ichiro
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2026
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author Oda, Ichiro
author_facet Oda, Ichiro
contents We consider a problem whether bound states are made in a scalar theory with a fourth-order derivative term or not. After rewriting the theory to a standard scalar theory with second-order derivative terms, we calculate a correlation function of the composite operators made out of massive ghosts with negative norm and massive normal fields with positive norm in the ladder approximation. It is shown that there appears a pole of the bound state in the correlation function of the both fields by attraction due to scalar field when the coupling constant is large whereas there does not so in the correlation function of almost massless normal particles corresponding to the graviton. We also point out the relationship between the scalar theory with a fourth-order derivative term and quadratic gravity. Our model may shed some light on the confinement of massive ghost in quadratic gravity, thereby enabling us to solve the problem of unitarity violation associated with the massive ghost.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_19478
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Bound States in Scalar Theory with Fourth-order Derivative Term
Oda, Ichiro
High Energy Physics - Theory
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
We consider a problem whether bound states are made in a scalar theory with a fourth-order derivative term or not. After rewriting the theory to a standard scalar theory with second-order derivative terms, we calculate a correlation function of the composite operators made out of massive ghosts with negative norm and massive normal fields with positive norm in the ladder approximation. It is shown that there appears a pole of the bound state in the correlation function of the both fields by attraction due to scalar field when the coupling constant is large whereas there does not so in the correlation function of almost massless normal particles corresponding to the graviton. We also point out the relationship between the scalar theory with a fourth-order derivative term and quadratic gravity. Our model may shed some light on the confinement of massive ghost in quadratic gravity, thereby enabling us to solve the problem of unitarity violation associated with the massive ghost.
title Bound States in Scalar Theory with Fourth-order Derivative Term
topic High Energy Physics - Theory
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.19478