Past exam of the theoretical physics major option course of the University of Oxford / 2016 / 8 / a / Solution

Let ${\Delta }_M$ be the free real-scalar Feynman propagator and $D_m(x-y)=⟨0|T\phi (x){\phi }^{†}(y)|0{⟩}_0$ the free complex-scalar one. Expanding the interaction exponential once and applying Wick's theorem gives the connected decay Green's functionThere is one allowed contraction of each external field with the appropriate vertex field, so no factorial remains. Fourier transformation gives the momentum-conserving delta factor times $(-ig){\tilde{\Delta }}_M(p){\tilde{D}}_m(q_1){\tilde{D}}_m(q_2)$, and amputation of external propagators gives the decay vertex $-ig$. An on-shell physical decay additionally requires $M>2m$.

If one literally asks for the full three-point correlation function without a connected restriction or a tadpole condition, it also containsthe product of the induced heavy-field one-point function and the free light-field two-point function. This disconnected tadpole diagram does not describe a three-particle decay and drops out of its connected amputated amplitude.

For two equally charged daughters the corresponding Green's function vanishes to every perturbative order:Every interaction contains equal numbers of $\phi$ and ${\phi }^{†}$, so the two excess conjugate fields can never be paired. Equivalently the exact global U(1) symmetry $\phi \mapsto e^{i\alpha }\phi$, ${\phi }^{†}\mapsto e^{-i\alpha }{\phi }^{†}$ leaves the vacuum and action invariant, whereas this insertion has charge $-2$. Charge conservation forbids the decay of a neutral particle into two particles of the same nonzero charge.