A scalar boson is a boson whose spin equals zero. Boson means that it has an integer-valued spin; the scalar fixes this value to 0.
The name scalar boson arises from quantum field theory. It refers to the particular transformation properties under Lorentz transformation.
Examples
- The only fundamental scalar boson in the Standard Model of particle physics is the Higgs boson, the existence of which was confirmed on 14 March 2013 at the Large Hadron Collider. As a result of this confirmation, the 2013 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to Peter Higgs and François Englert.
- Various known composite particles are scalar bosons, e.g. the alpha particle and the pion.
- Scalar mesons have invariant parity under Lorentz transformation, whereas pseudoscalar mesons reverse parity under Lorentz transformation.
- The φ⁴-theory, a popular quantum field theory, uses scalar bosonic fields as employed in many introductory books to quantum field theories,[1] serving as a toy model, introducing the basic concepts of the field.
See also
- Scalar meson
- Scalar field theory
- Vector boson
- Higgs Boson
References
- ^ Peskin, Michael E.; Schroeder, Daniel V. (1995). An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory. Westview Press. ISBN 978-0-201-50397-5.