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# Transverse spin effects in proton-proton scattering and 𝑄𝑄̄ production

## Abstract

We discuss transverse spin effects caused by the spin-flip part of the Pomeron coupling with the proton. The predicted spin asymmetries in proton-proton scattering and QQ production in proton-proton and lepton-proton reactions are not small and can be studied in future polarized experiments.

In this report, we discuss what future facilities can be used to ascertain the existence of the spin spin-flip part of the Pomeron coupling. The spin structure of the Pomeron was analysed by different authors (see gol\_mod ; gol\_kr  and reference therein). Its manifestation can be investigated in the elastic pp scattering at low $`t`$ kopel . We shall analyze here the single spin asymmetries in the elastic $`pp`$ scattering near the diffraction minimum and of the $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production in the $`pp`$ reaction. The double spin asymmetries of $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production in lepton-proton reactions for a longitudinally polarized lepton and a transversely polarized proton will be studied too. It will be shown that these asymmetries are sensitive to the spin-flip part of the Pomeron coupling and predicted asymmetries are not small, about 10%. They can be used to obtain information about the spin structure of the Pomeron coupling. To study spin effects in diffractive reactions, we use the two- gluon exchange model , which is directly connected with the Pomeron. On the other hand, diffractive processes can be expressed in terms of the generalized or skewed parton distribution (GPD) in the nucleon $`F_\zeta (x)`$, $`K_\zeta (x)`$ rad-j . The connection of the two-gluon model with GPD will be shown.

The two-gluon coupling with the proton can be parametrized in the form golostr

$`V_{pgg}^{\alpha \beta }(p,t,x_P,l_{})`$ $`=`$ $`B(t,x_P,l_{})(\gamma ^\alpha p^\beta +\gamma ^\beta p^\alpha )`$ (1)
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{iK(t,x_P,l_{})}{2m}}(p^\alpha \sigma ^{\beta \gamma }r_\gamma +p^\beta \sigma ^{\alpha \gamma }r_\gamma )+\mathrm{}.`$
Here $`m`$ is the proton mass. In the matrix structure (1) we wrote only the terms with the maximal powers of a large proton momentum $`p`$ which are symmetric in the gluon indices $`\alpha ,\beta `$. The structure proportional to $`B(t,\mathrm{})`$ determines the spin-non-flip contribution. The term $`K(t,\mathrm{})`$ leads to the transverse spin-flip at the vertex.

The spin-dependent cross section of diffractive processes are expressed in terms of the soft gluon coupling (1), which in the case of hadron production is convoluted with the hard hadron production amplitude. The spin asymmetries are expressed in terms of the functions $`B(t,\mathrm{})`$ and $`K(t,\mathrm{})`$ integrated over the gluon transverse momentum $`l_{}`$.

The helicity-non-flip and helicity-flip amplitudes of the polarized proton off the spinless particle (a meson or unpolarized proton) can be written in terms of the invariant functions $`\stackrel{~}{B}`$ and $`\stackrel{~}{K}`$

$$F_{++}(s,t)=is[\stackrel{~}{B}(t)]f(t);F_+(s,t)=is\frac{\sqrt{|t|}}{m}\stackrel{~}{K}(t)f(t),$$
(2)
where f(t) is determined by the Pomeron coupling with the other hadron. The functions $`\stackrel{~}{B}`$ and $`\stackrel{~}{K}`$ are defined by the integrated over $`l_{}`$ structures from (1).

There are some models that provide spin-flip effects which do not vanish at high energies. In the model gol\_mod , the amplitudes $`K`$ and $`B`$ have a phase shift caused by the soft Pomeron rescattering effect. The vector diquarks in the diquark model gol\_kr  generate the $`K`$ amplitude which is out of phase with the Pomeron contribution to the amplitude $`B`$. The value $`|\stackrel{~}{K}|/|\stackrel{~}{B}|0.1`$ found in gol\_mod ; gol\_kr  will be used in our estimations of the asymmetry in diffractive hadron production.

The single spin asymmetry is determined by

$$A_N2\frac{\sqrt{|t|}}{m}\frac{\text{Im}(BK^{})}{|B|^2}.$$
(3)
The models gol\_mod ; gol\_kr  describe the experimental data on single spin transverse asymmetry $`A_N`$ krish  quite well. Thus, the weak energy dependence of spin asymmetries in exclusive reactions is now not in contradiction with the experiment gol\_mod ; akch .

In the diffraction minimum the imaginary part of the amplitude $`B`$ is equal to zero and the asymmetry is determined by the product $`(\text{Re}B\text{Im}K)`$. Thus, the asymmetry near the diffraction minimum is sensitive to the imaginary part of the spin–flip $`K`$, amplitude and study of the $`A_N`$ asymmetry in the PP2PP experiment at RHIC can give a direct information about the energy dependence of the amplitude $`K`$. There are model predictions for $`A_N`$ in this region. The model gol\_mod  predicts a large negative value of $`A_N`$ asymmetry near the diffraction minimum which weakly depends on $`s`$ at the RHIC energy range akch  and $`A_N`$ is of about 10% for $`|t|3\text{GeV}^2`$ (Fig.1). Other model predictions for single-spin asymmetry at small momentum transfer was discussed in predazzi .

The single spin asymmetry of diffractive $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production in polarized pp reaction was estimated in golos96 . It was found that $`A_N`$ is determined by Eq. (3) which is modified by the amplitude of hard $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production. The expected value of the single spin asymmetry in this case is about 5% in the RHIC energy range.

Let us study now diffractive double spin asymmetries of $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production in lepton-proton reactions for a longitudinally polarized lepton and a transversely polarized proton within the two-gluon model. This model should describe the cross sections of hard and light quark production at small $`x<0.1`$ as well. The spin-dependent cross section can be written in the form

$$\frac{d^5\sigma (\pm )}{dQ^2dydx_pdtdk_{}^2}=({}_{(2y)}{}^{(22y+y^2)})\frac{C(x_P,Q^2)N(\pm )}{\sqrt{14(k_{}^2+m_q^2)/M_X^2}}.$$
(4)
Here $`C(x_P,Q^2)`$ is a normalization function which is common for the spin average and spin dependent cross section; $`N(\pm )`$ is determined by a sum of graphs integrated over the gluon momenta $`l`$ and $`l^{}`$. The function $`N(+)`$ determines the spin-average cross section. It has the form

$$N(+)=\left(|\stackrel{~}{B}|^2+|t|/m^2|\stackrel{~}{K}|^2\right)\mathrm{\Pi }^{(+)}(t,k_{}^2,Q^2),$$
(5)
with

$`\stackrel{~}{B}{\displaystyle _0^{l_{}^2<k_0^2}}{\displaystyle \frac{d^2l_{}(l_{}^2+\stackrel{}{l}_{}\stackrel{}{r}_{})}{(l_{}^2+\lambda ^2)((\stackrel{}{l}_{}+\stackrel{}{r}_{})^2+\lambda ^2)}}B(t,l_{}^2,x_P,\mathrm{})=F_{x_P}^g(x_P,t,k_0^2)`$
$`\stackrel{~}{K}{\displaystyle _0^{l_{}^2<k_0^2}}{\displaystyle \frac{d^2l_{}(l_{}^2+\stackrel{}{l}_{}\stackrel{}{r}_{})}{(l_{}^2+\lambda ^2)((\stackrel{}{l}_{}+\stackrel{}{r}_{})^2+\lambda ^2)}}K(t,l_{}^2,x_P,\mathrm{})=K_{x_P}^g(x_P,t,k_0^2),`$ (6)
where $`k_0^2(k_{}^2+m_q^2)/(1\beta )`$. The connection of the two-gluon structure functions from (1) with GPD $`F_{x_P}^g(x_P,t,k_0^2)`$ and $`K_{x_P}^g(x_P,t,k_0^2)`$ is written. This connection is general and is shown for a vector meson and $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production in golostr .

The function $`N()`$ which determines the spin-dependent cross sections looks like

$`N()=\sqrt{{\displaystyle \frac{|t|}{m^2}}}(\stackrel{~}{B}\stackrel{~}{K}^{}+\stackrel{~}{B}^{}\stackrel{~}{K})[{\displaystyle \frac{(\stackrel{}{Q}\stackrel{}{S}_{})}{m}}\mathrm{\Pi }_Q^{()}(t,k_{}^2,Q^2)`$
$`+{\displaystyle \frac{(\stackrel{}{k}_{}\stackrel{}{S}_{})}{m}}\mathrm{\Pi }_k^{()}(t,k_{}^2,Q^2)].`$ (7)
The other form of interference between $`B`$ and $`K`$ with respect to (3) appears in (Transverse spin effects in proton-proton scattering and $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production) because we consider here the double spin effects. The large value of asymmetry will appear for a small phase shift between the amplitudes.

The asymmetry is approximately proportional to the ratio of polarized and spin–average gluon distribution functions

$$A_{LT}^{Q\overline{Q}}C^{Q\overline{Q}}\frac{K_\zeta ^g(\zeta )}{F_\zeta ^g(\zeta )}\text{with}\zeta =x_P\text{and}|\stackrel{~}{K}|/|\stackrel{~}{B}|0.1$$
(8)
The spin-dependent contribution to the asymmetry which is proportional to $`\stackrel{}{k}_{}\stackrel{}{S}_{}`$ in (Transverse spin effects in proton-proton scattering and $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production) will be analyzed for the case when the transverse jet momentum $`\stackrel{}{k}_{}`$ is parallel to the target polarization $`\stackrel{}{S}_{}`$. The asymmetry is maximal in this case. To observe this contribution to asymmetry, it is necessary to distinguish experimentally the quark and antiquark jets. If we do not separate events with $`\stackrel{}{k}_{}`$ for the quark jet, e.g., the resulting asymmetry will be equal to zero because the transverse momentum of the quark and antiquark are equal and opposite in sign.
.    aa
FIGURE 2. The $`A_{lT}^k`$ asymmetry in diffractive heavy $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production at $`\sqrt{s}=20\text{GeV}`$ for $`x_P=0.1`$, $`y=0.5`$, $`|t|=0.3\text{GeV}^2`$: dotted line-for $`Q^2=0.5\text{GeV}^2`$; solid line-for $`Q^2=1\text{GeV}^2`$; dot-dashed line-for $`Q^2=5\text{GeV}^2`$; dashed line-for $`Q^2=10\text{GeV}^2`$.   aa   FIGURE 3. The $`A_{lT}^k`$ asymmetry in diffractive light $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production for $`Q^2=5\text{GeV}^2`$, $`x_P=0.1`$, $`y=0.5`$, $`|t|=0.3(GeV)^2`$ at $`\sqrt{s}=7\text{GeV}`$.

The predicted asymmetry for heavy $`c\overline{c}`$ production at the COMPASS energies is shown in Fig.2. The asymmetry for light quark production is approximately of the same order of magnitude. The expected $`A_{lT}`$ asymmetry for light quark production at HERMES is shown in Fig.3. The function $`C_k^{Q\overline{Q}}`$ in (8) is quite large, about 1.5 at the HERMES energy for $`k_{}^2=1.3\text{GeV}^2`$, $`Q^2=5\text{GeV}^2`$, $`x_P=0.1`$, $`y=0.5`$, and $`|t|=0.3\text{GeV}^2`$. The spin–dependent cross section vanishes for $`Q^20`$, while the spin–average cross section is constant in this limit. As a result, the asymmetry can be estimated as $`A_{lT}Q^2/(Q^2+Q_0^2)`$ with $`Q_0^21\text{GeV}^2`$. This shows a possibility of studying the polarized gluon distribution $`K_\zeta ^g(x)`$ in the COMPASS and HERMES experiment at $`Q^20.5\text{GeV}^2`$.

The contribution to asymmetry $`\stackrel{}{Q}\stackrel{}{S}_{}`$ in (Transverse spin effects in proton-proton scattering and $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production) is simpler to study experimentally. The expected asymmetry in this case is not small too, about 5% or a little bit smaller. The predicted $`C_Q^{Q\overline{Q}}`$ in (8) in this case is about 0.3. In contrast to the $`A_{lT}^k`$ term, the $`A_{lT}^Q`$ asymmetry has a strong mass dependence golostr .

Similar analyses have been carried out for diffractive $`J/\mathrm{\Psi }`$ production which is described by the same two-gluon exchange. Unfortunately, the double spin $`A_{lT}`$ asymmetry in this case is proportional to $`x_P`$ which is fixed here by $`x_P(m_V^2+Q^2+|t|)/(sy)`$. As a result the expected asymmetry is small and $`C_g(J/\mathrm{\Psi })0.007`$ for vector meson production in the HERMES energy range. It is difficult to expect experimental study of such small asymmetry.

I this report we have studied the transverse asymmetries caused by the spin structure of the Pomeron coupling with the proton. Similar to the low energy experiments krish  we predict the large negative asymmetry in the vicinity of the diffractive minimum in elastic $`pp`$ scattering at the RHIC energies. If the weak energy dependence of the asymmetry in this region is found in the PP2PP experiment at the RHIC, it will give a definite indication of the spin-dependent Pomeron coupling. Another possibility is to study the single-spin asymmetry of diffractive $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production at RHIC which is predicted to be about 5%.

The diffractive hadron leptoproduction for a longitudinally polarized lepton and a transversely polarized proton at high energies has been studied. The $`A_{lT}`$ asymmetry is found to be proportional to the ratio of structure functions $`A_{lT}=CK^g/F^g`$. If the Pomeron has a spin structure, the ratio $`K^g/F^g`$ should have a weak $`x`$ dependence at low $`x<0.1`$. The $`A_{lT}`$ asymmetry can be used to get information on the transverse distribution $`K_{x_P}^g(x_P,t)`$ from experiment if the function $`C`$ in (8) is not small. We predict that $`C_k^{Q\overline{Q}}1`$ for the term $`\stackrel{}{k}_{}\stackrel{}{S}_{}`$ and $`C_Q^{Q\overline{Q}}0.3`$ for the contribution $`\stackrel{}{Q}\stackrel{}{S}_{}`$ in the asymmetry (Transverse spin effects in proton-proton scattering and $`Q\overline{Q}`$ production). We can see that the expected values of $`C`$ are quite large and such asymmetries might be excellent objects to study transverse spin effects in the proton– gluon coupling.

The results presented here should be applicable to the reactions with heavy quarks. For processes with light quarks, our predictions can be used in the small $`x`$ region ($`x0.1`$ e.g.) where the contribution of quark GPD is expected to be small. In the case of light quark production the polarized $`u`$ and $`d`$ quark GPD might be studied together with the gluon distribution in the region of not small $`x0.1`$. Such experiments can be conducted at the HERMES and COMPASS spectrometers for a transversely polarized target and future eRHIC. We conclude that important information on the spin–dependent GPD $`K_\zeta (x)`$ at small $`x`$ can be obtained from the asymmetries in diffractive $`pp`$ and $`lp`$ reactions for longitudinally polarized lepton and transversely polarized hadron targets.

The author is grateful to the Organizing Committee of SPIN2002 for the local financial support. These report was supported in part by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Grants 00-02-16696 and 02-02-27409.


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# The mass gap and vacuum energy of the Gross-Neveu model via the 2𝑃𝑃𝐼 expansion

## I Introduction

The Gross-Neveu (GN) model Gross  is plagued by infrared renormalons. The origin of this problem lies in the fact that we perturb around an instable (zero) vacuum. A remedy would be the mass generation of the particles, connected to a non-perturbative, lower value of the vacuum energy. Such a dynamical mass must be of a non-perturbative nature, since the GN Lagrangian possesses a discrete chiral symmetry. A dynamical mass is closely related to a nonzero vacuum expectation value (VEV) for a local composite operator $`\left(\text{i.e. }\overline{\psi }\psi \right)`$. This condensate introduces a mass scale into the model. We consider GN because the exact mass gap Forgacs  and vacuum energy Zamo  are known. This allows a test for the reliability of approximative frameworks before attention is paid to dynamical mass generation in more complex theories like SU($`N`$) Yang-Mills Verschelde1 . The last few years, several methods have been proposed to solve this problem and get non-perturbative information out of the model Arvanitis ; Verschelde3 ; Karel .
In this paper, we address another approach, the so-called $`2PPI`$ expansion. Its first appearance and use for analytical finite temperature research can be found in Verschelde4 ; Verschelde5 ; Verschelde6 ; Verschelde7 ; Baacke . In Sec.II, we give a new derivation of the expansion. Sec.III is devoted to the renormalization of the $`2PPI`$ technique. Preliminary numerical results, using the $`\overline{MS}`$ scheme, are presented in Sec.IV. We recover the $`N\mathrm{}`$ approximation, but we encounter the problem that the coupling is infinite. In Sec.V we optimize the $`2PPI`$ technique. We rewrite the expansion in terms of a scheme and scale independent mass parameter $`M`$. The freedom in coupling constant renormalization is reduced to a single parameter $`b_0`$ by a reorganization of the series. We discuss how to fix $`b_0`$. Numerical results can be found in Sec.VI. We also give some evidence to motivate why results are acceptable. We end with conclusions in Sec.VII.

## II The $`2PPI`$ expansion

We start from the (unrenormalized) GN Lagrangian in two-dimensional Euclidean space time.

$$=\overline{\psi }/\psi \frac{1}{2}g^2\left(\overline{\psi }\psi \right)^2$$
(1)
This Lagrangian has a global $`U(N)`$ invariance and a discrete chiral symmetry $`\psi \gamma _5\psi `$ which imposes $`\overline{\psi }\psi =0`$ perturbatively. This model is asymptotically free and has spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking. As such, it is a toy model which mimics QCD in some ways.
First of all, we focus on the topology of vacuum diagrams. We can divide them in 2 disjoint classes:

* Those diagrams falling apart in 2 separate pieces when 2 lines meeting at the same point $`x`$ are cut. We call those 2-point-particle-reducible or $`2PPR`$. $`x`$ is named the $`2PPR`$ insertion point. FIG.1 depicts the most simple $`2PPR`$ vacuum bubble.
* The other type is the complement of the $`2PPR`$ class, we baptize such diagrams 2-point-particle-irreducible ($`2PPI`$) diagrams. FIG.2 shows a $`2PPI`$ bubble.

We could now remove all $`2PPR`$ bubbles from the diagrammatic sum building up the vacuum energy by summing them in an effective mass. To proceed, we must use a little trick. Let’s define

$$\mathrm{\Delta }=\overline{\psi }\psi =\overline{\psi }_i\psi _i$$
(2)
where the index $`i=1\mathrm{}2N`$ goes over space as well as internal values. Obviously, we have

$$\mathrm{\Delta }_{ij}\overline{\psi }_i\psi _j=\delta _{ij}\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }}{2N}$$
(3)
We now calculate $`\frac{dE}{dg^2}`$ where $`E`$ is the vacuum energy. The $`g^2`$ derivative can hit a $`2PPR`$ vertex or a $`2PPI`$ vertex. (see FIG.3 and FIG.4)

In the first case, we have diagrammatically the contribution

$$\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{\Delta }_{ij}\left(\delta _{ij}\delta _{kl}\delta _{il}\delta _{jk}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }_{kl}=\frac{1}{2}\left(1\frac{1}{2}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }^2$$
(4)
In the second case, we can unambiguously subdivide the vacuum diagram in one maximal $`2PPI`$ part, which contains the vertex hit by $`\frac{d}{dg^2}`$, and one or several $`2PPR`$ parts which can be deleted and replaced by an effective mass $`\overline{m}`$. A simple diagrammatical argument gives

$$\overline{m}\delta _{ij}=g^2\left(\delta _{ij}\delta _{kl}\delta _{il}\delta _{jk}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }_{kl}$$
(5)
or

$$\overline{m}=g^2\mathrm{\Delta }\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)$$
(6)
Summarizing, we have

$`{\displaystyle \frac{dE}{dg^2}}={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\mathrm{\Delta }^2\left(1{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2N}}\right)+{\displaystyle \frac{E_{2PPI}}{g^2}}(\overline{m},g^2)`$ (7)
The $`g^2`$ dependence in $`E_{2PPI}`$ comes from the $`2PPI`$ vertices. To integrate (7), we use the Anzatz

$$E\left(g^2\right)=E_{2PPI}(\overline{m},g^2)+cg^2\mathrm{\Delta }^2$$
(8)
with $`c`$ a constant to be determined. Using (6), we find from (8)

$`{\displaystyle \frac{dE}{dg^2}}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{E_{2PPI}}{g^2}}(\overline{m},g^2)+{\displaystyle \frac{E_{2PPI}}{\overline{m}}}(\mathrm{\Delta }(1{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2N}})`$ (9)
$``$ $`g^2{\displaystyle \frac{d\mathrm{\Delta }}{dg^2}}(1{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2N}}))+c\mathrm{\Delta }^2+2cg^2\mathrm{\Delta }{\displaystyle \frac{d\mathrm{\Delta }}{dg^2}}`$
A simple diagrammatical argument gives

$$\frac{E_{2PPI}}{\overline{m}}(\overline{m},g^2)=\mathrm{\Delta }$$
(10)
This is a (local) gap equation, summing the bubble graphs into $`\overline{m}`$. Using (10) and comparing (9) with (7), we find $`c=\frac{1}{2}\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)`$, so that we finally have that

$$E\left(g^2\right)=\frac{1}{2}g^2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }^2+E_{2PPI}(\overline{m},g^2)$$
(11)
It is easy to show that the following equivalence hold.

$$\frac{E_{2PPI}}{\overline{m}}=\mathrm{\Delta }\frac{E}{\overline{m}}=0$$
(12)
One shouldn’t confuse (12) with the usual procedure of minimizing an effective potential $`V(\phi )`$ with respect to the field variable $`\phi `$. First of all, $`\overline{m}`$ is not a field variable. Secondly, the expression for $`E`$ in terms of the $`2PPI`$ expansion is only correct if the gap equation is fulfilled.

## III Renormalization of the $`2PPI`$ expansion

Up to now, we haven’t paid any attention to divergences. We will now show that an equation such as (11) is valid for the vacuum energy $`E`$ with fully renormalized and finite quantities. Since in the original Lagrangian there is no mass counterterm, one could naively expect problems with the non-perturbative mass $`\overline{m}`$, which generates mass renormalization in $`E_{2PPI}`$. Another possible problem is vacuum energy renormalization. Perturbatively, the vacuum energy is zero and hence no vacuum energy renormalization is needed. Non-perturbatively, we expect logarithmic divergences proportional to $`\overline{m}^2`$ for $`E_{2PPI}`$. As we will show, both these problems are solved with coupling constant renormalization.
The trick is to separate the contribution of the coupling constant renormalization counterterm $`\frac{1}{2}\delta Z_4\left(\overline{\psi }\psi \right)^2`$ into $`2PPR`$ and $`2PPI`$ parts, corresponding with the topology of the original divergent subgraphs. Let $`i`$ and $`j`$ be the indices carried by the lines meeting at the $`2PPR`$ vertex, then we have

$$\delta Z_4\left(\delta _{ij}\delta _{kl}\delta _{il}\delta _{kj}\right)=\delta Z_{4;ij,kl}^{2PPI}+\delta Z_{4;ij,kl}^{2PPR}$$
(13)
Note that crossing will change a $`2PPR`$ part into a $`2PPI`$ part.

Because of the diagrammatical identity shown in FIG.5, with $`{}_{}{}^{m}\text{—x—}_{}^{n}`$ a $`\overline{\psi }_m\psi _n`$ insertion, we have a relation between the $`2PPR`$ part of coupling constant and mass renormalization.

$$\delta Z_{4;ij,kl}^{2PPR}=\left(\delta _{ij}\delta _{mn}\delta _{in}\delta _{mj}\right)\delta Z_{2;mn,kl}$$
(14)
This identity can be used to show that the divergent effective mass $`\overline{m}`$, given by (6), gets replaced by a finite renormalized mass $`\overline{m}_R=Z_2\overline{m}=g^2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }_R`$, where $`\mathrm{\Delta }_R=Z_2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ is the finite, renormalized expectation value of the composite operator $`\overline{\psi }\psi `$. Indeed, let us consider a generic $`2PPR`$ subgraph or bubble graph with a $`2PPR`$ vertex $`x`$. The divergent subgraphs of this bubble graph, which do not contain $`x`$, can be made finite by the usual counterterms for wavefunction and coupling constant renormalization. The resulting effective mass will be given by (6), but now with $`\mathrm{\Delta }=\overline{\psi }\psi `$ evaluated with the full Lagrangian, i.e. including counterterms. We still have to consider the subgraphs of the bubble graph which do contain the $`2PPR`$ vertex $`x`$. They can be made finite by coupling constant renormalization, but because the subgraph is $`2PPR`$ at $`x`$, only the $`2PPR`$ part of the counterterm has to be inserted and we get the contribution (see FIG.6)

$$g^2\delta Z_{4;ij,kl}^{2PPR}\mathrm{\Delta }_{kl}=g^2\left(\delta _{ij}\delta Z_{2;mm,kk}\delta Z_{2;ij,kk}\right)\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }}{2N}$$
(15)
where use was made of (3) and (14).

Since for a diagonal mass matrix, we can define $`\delta Z_2`$ by

$$\delta Z_2\delta _{kl}=\delta Z_{2;mm,kl}$$
(16)
we have

$$2N\delta Z_2=\delta Z_{2;mm,kk}$$
(17)
and

$$\delta Z_{2;ij,kk}=\delta Z_2\delta _{ij}$$
(18)
After substition of (17) and (18) into (15), we find that the contribution of the $`2PPR`$ counterterm insertion gives

$$\delta _{ij}g^2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)\delta Z_2\mathrm{\Delta }$$
(19)
and hence a mass renormalization

$$\delta \overline{m}=g^2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)\delta Z_2\mathrm{\Delta }$$
(20)
so that we obtain a finite, effective renormalized mass

$$\overline{m}_R=Z_2\overline{m}=g^2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }_R$$
(21)
with $`\mathrm{\Delta }_R=Z_2\mathrm{\Delta }=Z_2\overline{\psi }\psi `$ the finite, renormalized VEV of the composite operator $`\overline{\psi }\psi `$.
To obtain a finite, renormalized expression for the vacuum energy as a function of $`\mathrm{\Delta }_R`$ or $`\overline{m}_R`$, we have to use the same trick as in the unrenormalized case and consider the renormalization of $`\frac{dE}{dg^2}`$. Let us first consider the case when the vertex $`x`$ hit by $`\frac{d}{dg^2}`$ is a $`2PPR`$ vertex and restrict ourselves to divergent subgraphs which contain $`x`$ (the ones not containing $`x`$ pose no problem and simply replace the original $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$ evaluated without counterterms by $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$ with counterterms included). The divergent subgraph can just end at $`x`$ from the left or the right (FIG.7$`a`$ and 7$`b`$) or the $`2PPR`$ vertex $`x`$ can be embedded in it (FIG.7$`c`$).

Graphs 7$`a`$ en 7$`b`$ can be made finite by the $`2PPR`$ part of the coupling constant counterterm and making use of (14), their renormalization contributes

$`(7a)+(7b)`$ $`=`$ $`2\left({\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }_{kl}\delta Z_{2;ij,kl}\left(\delta _{ij}\delta _{pq}\delta _{iq}\delta _{pj}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }_{pq}`$ (22)
$`=`$ $`\left(1{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2N}}\right)\delta Z_2\mathrm{\Delta }^2`$
where we have used (3), (14) and (17). Graph 7$`c`$ can be made finite with that part of coupling constant renormalization that factorizes at the $`2PPR`$ vertex $`x`$. Its renormalization therefore contributes

$`(7c)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\mathrm{\Delta }_{kl}\left(\delta Z_{2;ii,kl}\delta Z_{2;jj,pq}\delta Z_{2;ij,kl}\delta Z_{2;ij,pq}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }_{pq}`$ (23)
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\left(1{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2N}}\right)\delta Z_2^2\mathrm{\Delta }^2`$
where we made use of (17) and (18). Adding the counterterm contributions (22) and (23) to the original unrenormalized expression (4), we obtain $`\frac{1}{2}\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)\left(Z_2\mathrm{\Delta }\right)^2=\frac{1}{2}\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }_R^2`$, which is finite. When $`\frac{d}{dg^2}`$ hits a $`2PPI`$ vertex, we can unambiguously subdivide the vacuum diagrams in a maximal $`2PPI`$ part, which contains the vertex hit by $`\frac{d}{dg^2}`$, and one or more $`2PPR`$ bubble insertions which, after renormalization, can be replaced by the effective renormalized mass $`\overline{m}_R`$. We therefore have

$$\frac{dE}{dg^2}=\frac{1}{2}\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }_R^2+\frac{E_{2PPI}}{g^2}(\overline{m}_R,g^2)$$
(24)
We still have to show that the usual counterterms make $`\frac{E_{2PPI}}{g^2}(\overline{m}_R,g^2)`$ finite. The non-perturbative mass $`\overline{m}_R`$, running in the propagatorlines, will now generate selfenergies which require mass renormalization, which is not present in the original Lagrangian. Again coupling constant renormalization will solve the problem. Let us consider a generic selfenergy subgraph which needs mass renormalization. Since the divergence is linear in $`\overline{m}_R`$, we can restrict ourselves to $`2PPI`$ diagrams with only one $`2PPR`$ bubble insertion (FIG.8).

The divergent part of this subgraph, that one wants to renormalize, can end at the $`2PPR`$ vertex (FIG.8$`a`$) or can continue throughout the $`2PPR`$ bubble (FIG.8$`b`$). In the first case, one needs the $`2PPR`$ part of coupling constant renormalization which contains only one $`2PPR`$ vertex (because the divergent part considered belongs to the $`2PPI`$ part of the diagram). We obviously have

$$\delta Z_{4;ij,kl}^{2PPR,1}=\left(\delta _{ij}\delta _{mn}\delta _{in}\delta _{mj}\right)\delta Z_{2;mn,kl}^{2PPI}$$
(25)
so that the counterterm contribution is

$`(8a)`$ $`=`$ $`g^2\mathrm{\Delta }_{kl}\delta Z_{4;kl,ij}^{2PPR,1}`$ (26)
$`=`$ $`g^2\mathrm{\Delta }\left(1{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2N}}\right)\delta Z_2^{2PPI}\delta _{ij}`$
where use was made of (16) and (25).
In the second case, the divergence factorizes into a $`2PPR`$ coupling constant renormalization part (the bubble graph part) and a $`2PPI`$ mass renormalization part, so that the counterterm contribution is

$`(8b)`$ $`=`$ $`g^2\mathrm{\Delta }_{kl}\delta Z_{4;mn,kl}^{2PPR}\delta Z_{2;mn,ij}^{2PPI}`$ (27)
$`=`$ $`g^2\mathrm{\Delta }\left(1{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2N}}\right)\delta Z_2\delta Z_2^{2PPI}\delta _{ij}`$
Adding both contributions, the relevant parts of the coupling constant counterterms give

$`(8a)+(8b)`$ $`=`$ $`g^2Z_2\mathrm{\Delta }\left(1{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2N}}\right)\delta Z_2^{2PPI}\delta _{ij}`$ (28)
$`=`$ $`\overline{m}_R\delta Z_2^{2PPI}\delta _{ij}`$
which is exactly what we need for mass renormalization in $`E_{2PPI}`$.
In an analoguous way, we can consider the logarithmic overall divergences of the vacuum diagrams which are quadratic in $`\overline{m}_R`$. We now consider $`2PPI`$ vacuum diagrams with two bubble insertions. One type of coupling constant renormalization subgraphs end at both $`2PPR`$ vertices (FIG.9).

They can be renormalized by the corresponding $`2PPR`$ part of the coupling constant renormalization counterterm.

$$\delta Z_{4;ij,kl}^{2PPR,2}=g^2\left(\delta _{ij}\delta _{mn}\delta _{in}\delta _{mj}\right)\delta \zeta _{mn,rs}^{2PPI}\left(\delta _{rs}\delta _{kl}\delta _{rl}\delta _{ks}\right)$$
(29)
where $`\delta \zeta _{mn,rs}`$ is the overal divergent part of $`\overline{\psi }_m\psi _n\overline{\psi }_r\psi _s`$. Adding the contributions from coupling constant renormalization graphs which also go through the bubble parts, we find

$$\delta E_{2PPI}=\frac{1}{2}\delta Z_{4;ij,kl}^{2PPR,2}\mathrm{\Delta }_{ij}^R\mathrm{\Delta }_{kl}^R=\frac{1}{2}\overline{m}_R^2\delta \zeta ^{2PPI}$$
(30)
with

$$\delta \zeta ^{2PPI}=\delta \zeta _{mm,nn}^{2PPI}$$
(31)
and use was made of (29).
Again coupling constant renormalization provides us with the necessary additive renormalization of the $`2PPI`$ vacuum energy. Furthermore, completely analogous arguments can be used to show that the unrenormalized gap equation (10) gets renormalized to

$$\frac{E_{2PPI}}{\overline{m}_R}(\overline{m}_R,g)=\mathrm{\Delta }_R$$
(32)
It is clear that the $`2PPI`$ coupling constant and wave function renormalization subgraphs can be renormalized with the original counterterms. We therefore conclude that $`\frac{E_{2PPI}}{g^2}(\overline{m}_R,g)`$ is finite and hence (24) is finite and can be integrated. Making use of the gap equation (32), we find

$$E\left(g^2\right)=\frac{1}{2}g^2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }_R^2+E_{2PPI}(\overline{m}_R,g^2)$$
(33)
Of course, we also have the equivalence (12) in the renormalized case.
For the rest of the paper, it is implicitly understood we’re working with renormalized quantities, so that we can drop the $`R`$-subscripts.

## IV Preliminary results for the mass gap and vacuum energy

FIG.10 shows the first terms in the loop expansion for $`E_{2PPI}`$.

Restricting ourselves to the 1 loop vacuum bubble, we have in dimensional regularization with $`d=2\epsilon `$,

$$E_{2PPI}=2N\overline{m}^2\frac{1}{2\epsilon }\mu ^\epsilon \frac{d^dp}{(2\pi )^d}\frac{1}{p^2+\overline{m}^2}$$
(34)
Using the $`\overline{MS}`$ scheme, we arrive at

$$E=\frac{1}{2}g^2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }^2+\frac{N}{4\pi }\overline{m}^2\left(\mathrm{ln}\frac{\overline{m}^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}1\right)$$
(35)
The gap equation (32) gives

$$\frac{N\overline{m}}{2\pi }\mathrm{ln}\frac{\overline{m}^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}=\overline{\mathrm{\Delta }}$$
(36)
Consequently, the vacuum energy is expressed by

$$E=\frac{N}{4\pi }\overline{m}^2$$
(37)
At 1 loop order, we have

$$\overline{g}^2(\overline{\mu })=\frac{1}{\beta _0\mathrm{ln}\frac{\overline{\mu }^2}{\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}^2}}$$
(38)
where $`\beta _0`$ is the leading order coefficient of the $`\overline{\beta }`$-function

$$\overline{\mu }\frac{\overline{g}^2}{\overline{\mu }}=\overline{\beta }(\overline{g}^2)=2\left(\beta _0\overline{g}^4+\beta _1\overline{g}^6+\overline{\beta }_2\overline{g}^8+\mathrm{}\right)$$
(39)
The values of the coefficients can be found in Gracey1 ; Gracey2 ; Gracey3 ; Luperini

$`\beta _0`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N1}{2\pi }}`$ (40)
$`\beta _1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N1}{4\pi ^2}}`$ (41)
$`\overline{\beta }_2`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{(N1)\left(N\frac{7}{2}\right)}{16\pi ^3}}`$ (42)
To get a numerical value for the mass gap 111At 1 loop $`2PPI`$ order, there is no mass renormalization, hence $`\overline{m}`$ is the physical mass., we have to choose the subtraction scale $`\overline{\mu }`$. The choice immediately coming to mind is setting $`\overline{\mu }=\overline{m}`$, which eliminates the potentially large logarithm present in (35). Doing so, we find, next to the perturbative solution $`\overline{m}=0`$,

$$m=\overline{m}=\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}$$
(43)
while

$$E=\frac{N}{4\pi }\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}^2$$
(44)
The exact mass gap is given by Forgacs

$$m_{exact}=(4e)^{\frac{1}{2N2}}\frac{1}{\mathrm{\Gamma }\left(1\frac{1}{2N2}\right)}\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}$$
(45)
while the exact vacuum energy is Zamo

$$E_{exact}=\frac{1}{8}m_{exact}^2\mathrm{cot}\left(\frac{\pi }{2(N1)}\right)$$
(46)
We expect that the error on $`E`$ consists of the error on the mass *squared* and the error on the function multiplying that mass squared. Therefore we will consider the quantity $`\sqrt{E}`$ to test the reliability of our results. We define the deviations in terms of percentage $`P`$ and $`Q`$, i.e.

$`P`$ $`=`$ $`100{\displaystyle \frac{m_{eff}m_{exact}}{m_{exact}}}`$ (47)
$`Q`$ $`=`$ $`100{\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{E}\sqrt{E_{exact}}}{\sqrt{E_{exact}}}}`$ (48)
Looking at TABLE 1, we notice that our results 222$`Q(2)`$ is not defined since $`E_{exact}(2)=0`$. We have $`E(2)=0.16\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}^2`$. are quite acceptable.

We notice there is convergence ($`P0`$ and $`Q0`$) to the exact result in case of $`N\mathrm{}`$. In fact, we recovered the $`N\mathrm{}`$ approximation. For comparison, we also displayed the next to leading results 333$`E_{1/N}(2)=0.22\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}^2`$., given by expanding (45) and (46) in powers of $`1/N`$.

$`m_{1/N}`$ $`=`$ $`\left(1+{\displaystyle \frac{1\gamma _E+\mathrm{ln}4}{2N}}+𝒪\left({\displaystyle \frac{1}{N^2}}\right)\right)\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}`$ (49)
$`E_{1/N}`$ $`=`$ $`\left({\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}+{\displaystyle \frac{\gamma _E\mathrm{ln}4}{4\pi }}+𝒪\left({\displaystyle \frac{1}{N}}\right)\right)\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}^2`$ (50)
where $`\gamma _E0.577216`$ is the Euler-Mascheroni constant.
However, the choice $`\overline{\mu }=\overline{m}=\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}`$ cannot satisfy us, since we are expanding in $`\overline{g}^2(\overline{m})=\mathrm{}`$. We may have qualitatively good results, but for a field theory where the exact results are unknown, $`\overline{g}^2=\mathrm{}`$ gives by no means an indication about how trustworthy our approximations are. It is clear we must find a better method to achieve results with the $`2PPI`$ expansion.

## V Optimization and 2 loop corrections

### V.1 Renormalization group equation for $`E`$

A standard approach to get better results is the usage of the renormalization group equation (RGE). In our approach, we first solved the gap equation and then set $`\overline{\mu }=\overline{m}`$. Normally, when minimizing the effective potential $`V`$, one first sets $`\overline{\mu }=\overline{m}`$, and afterwards the RGE is used to sum leading logarithms, while all quantities are running according to their renormalization group equations at scale $`\overline{m}`$. We already mentioned $`E`$ cannot be treated on equal footing with an effective potential due to the demand that $`\frac{E}{\overline{m}}=0`$ must hold. We first point out why this also disturbs a standard RGE improvement of $`E`$.
Since $`E`$ is the vacuum energy, it is a physical quantity and therefore, it shouldn’t depend on the subtraction scale $`\overline{\mu }`$. This is expressed in a formal way by means of the RGE

$$\overline{\mu }\frac{dE}{d\overline{\mu }}=0$$
(51)
In a perturbative series expansion, this means the differential equation (51) must be fulfilled order by order, when all quantities obey their running w.r.t. $`\overline{\mu }`$. Out of (16), we extract the running of $`\overline{m}`$, namely

$$\overline{\mu }\frac{\overline{m}}{\overline{\mu }}=\left(\frac{\overline{\beta }(\overline{g}^2)}{\overline{g}^2}+\overline{\gamma }(\overline{g}^2)\right)\overline{m}\overline{\kappa }(\overline{g}^2)\overline{m}$$
(52)
where $`\overline{\gamma }(\overline{g}^2)`$ governs the scaling behaviour of $`\overline{\mathrm{\Delta }}`$

$$\overline{\mu }\frac{\overline{\mathrm{\Delta }}}{\overline{\mu }}=\overline{\gamma }(\overline{g}^2)\overline{\mathrm{\Delta }}$$
(53)
with

$$\overline{\gamma }(\overline{g}^2)=\gamma _0\overline{g}^2+\overline{\gamma }_1\overline{g}^4+\overline{\gamma }_2\overline{g}^6+\mathrm{}$$
(54)
The coefficients are given by Gracey1 ; Gracey2 ; Gracey3 ; Luperini

$`\gamma _0`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N\frac{1}{2}}{\pi }}`$ (55)
$`\overline{\gamma }_1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N\frac{1}{2}}{4\pi ^2}}`$ (56)
$`\overline{\gamma }_2`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\left(N\frac{1}{2}\right)\left(N\frac{3}{4}\right)}{4\pi ^3}}`$ (57)
After some calculation, we find

$`\overline{\mu }{\displaystyle \frac{dE}{d\overline{\mu }}}`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\overline{\mu }{\displaystyle \frac{}{\overline{\mu }}}+\overline{\beta }(\overline{g}^2){\displaystyle \frac{}{\overline{g}^2}}+\overline{\kappa }(\overline{g}^2)\overline{m}{\displaystyle \frac{}{\overline{m}}}\right)E`$ (58)
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4\pi }}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{m}^2}{1\frac{1}{2N}}}+𝒪(\overline{g}^2)`$
It seems that $`E`$ doesn’t obey its RGE. Perturbatively, it of course fullfills the RGE up to $`𝒪\left(g^2\right)`$ since $`\overline{m}=0`$ to all orders in perturbation theory. We must not be tempted to interpret this failure as the need to introduce some non-perturbative running coupling constant, as can be found in literature sometimes. The nature of the *apparent* problem lies in the fact that we forgot about the gap equation $`\frac{E}{\overline{m}}=0`$, because only then our $`2PPI`$ expression for $`E`$ is meaningful. (36) gives that

$$\mathrm{ln}\frac{\overline{m}^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}\frac{1}{\overline{g}^2}$$
(59)
It is easy to check that (59) means that all leading log terms in the expansion of $`E`$ are of the order unity. Consequently, we cannot simply show order by order that $`\overline{\mu }\frac{dE}{d\overline{\mu }}=0`$.
The problem extends to higher orders: when we would calculate $`E`$ up to a certain order $`n`$, we would need knowledge of *all* leading, subleading,…, $`n^{th}`$ leading log terms.
The above discussion reveals a possible strategy : we could do a (leading) log expansion for $`E_{2PPI}`$, with a source $`J`$ coupled to $`\overline{\psi }\psi `$. Then we could use the RGE for $`E`$ to sum all (leading) logs in $`E_{2PPI}`$. We leave this idea, because the RGE for $`E`$ itself is non-linear when $`J0`$ 444We must add a source term, otherwise $`E`$ cannot be treated as an effective potential in the usual sense.. This is accompanied with its own problems. A thorough discussion of this subject can be consulted in Verschelde3 .
We conclude that we cannot use the RGE for $`E`$ to optimize that what we did hitherto. The crucial point is that the gap equation must hold for consistency. We can only set $`\overline{\mu }=\overline{m}`$ in $`\frac{E}{\overline{m}}`$ *after* deriving $`E`$ w.r.t. $`\overline{m}`$ and solving this gap equation, *not before*.

### V.2 Optimization

We have seen that the $`\overline{MS}`$ scheme is not optimal for the $`2PPI`$ expansion used on GN. We could have renormalized the coupling constant in another way and hope that this gives better results. It is easily verified that going to a scheme with coupling $`g^2`$, determined at lowest order by $`\overline{g}^2=g^2\left(1+b_0g^2\right)`$, gives the same results as in (43) and (44), but now with $`g^2=b_0^1`$. This means results are as good as before, but for a sufficiently large $`b_0`$, $`g^2`$ is small. Again, we put $`\overline{\mu }=\overline{m}`$ to cancel logarithms.
Till now, we kept $`\overline{m}`$ as the mass parameter, however we should go to another scheme for this quantity too. The results are then no longer independent of the renormalization prescriptions, i.e. if $`\overline{m}=m\left(1+a_0g^2\right)`$ at lowest order, then $`a_0`$ enters the final results, and $`a_0`$ is completely free to choose. We tackle the problem of freedom of renormalization of the coupling constant and mass parameter in 4 consecutive steps.
Step 1
First of all, we remove the freedom how the mass parameter is renormalized. We can replace $`\overline{m}`$ by an unique 555Up to an irrelevant (integration) constant that can be dropped. $`M`$ such that $`M`$ is renormalization scale and scheme independent (RSSI) Karel . Out of (52), we immediately deduce that

$$M=\overline{f}(\overline{g}^2)\overline{m}$$
(60)
where $`\overline{f}(\overline{g}^2)`$ is the solution of

$$\overline{\mu }\frac{\overline{f}}{\overline{\mu }}=\overline{\kappa }(\overline{g}^2)\overline{f}$$
(61)
When we change our MRS, we have relations of the form

$`\overline{g}^2`$ $`=`$ $`g^2\left(1+b_0g^2+b_1g^4+\mathrm{}\right)`$ (62)
$`\overline{m}`$ $`=`$ $`m\left(1+m_0g^2+m_1g^4+\mathrm{}\right)`$ (63)
$`\overline{f}(\overline{g}^2)`$ $`=`$ $`f(g^2)\left(1+f_0g^2+f_1g^4+\mathrm{}\right)`$ (64)
Whenever a quantity is barred, it’s understood we’re considering $`\overline{MS}`$, otherwise we’re considering an arbitrary MRS 666We notice that $`\beta _0`$, $`\beta _1`$ and $`\gamma _0`$ are the same for each MRS.. Using the foregoing relations, it is easy to show the scheme independence of $`M`$.
The explicit solution, up to the order we will need it, is given by

$`\overline{f}(\overline{g}^2)`$ $`=`$ $`(\overline{g}^2)^{1+\frac{\gamma _0}{2\beta _0}}\{1+{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{g}^2}{2}}({\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1\gamma _0}{\beta _0^2}}+{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{\gamma }_1}{\beta _0}})`$ (65)
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{g}^4}{4}}[{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}({\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1\gamma _0}{\beta _0^2}}+{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{\gamma }_1}{\beta _0}})^2`$
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\gamma _0\left(\frac{\beta _1^2}{\beta _0^2}\frac{\overline{\beta }_2}{\beta _0}\right)}{\beta _0}}{\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1\overline{\gamma }_1}{\beta _0^2}}+{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{\gamma }_2}{\beta _0}}]\}`$
Next, we rewrite $`\overline{m}`$ in terms of $`M`$ by inverting (60)

$$\overline{m}=M(\overline{g}^2)^{1\frac{\gamma _0}{2\beta _0}}\left(1+c_1\overline{g}^2+c_2\overline{g}^4\right)$$
(66)
where

$`c_1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1\gamma _0}{\beta _0^2}}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{\gamma }_1}{\beta _0}}\right)`$ (67)
$`c_2`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{8}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1\gamma _0}{\beta _0^2}}+{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{\gamma }_1}{\beta _0}}\right)^2{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{\gamma _0\left(\frac{\beta _1^2}{\beta _0^2}\frac{\overline{\beta }_2}{\beta _0}\right)}{\beta _0}}\right)`$ (68)
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1\overline{\gamma }_1}{\beta _0^2}}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{\gamma }_2}{\beta _0}}\right)`$
Step 2
Transformation (66) allows to rewrite $`E`$ in terms of $`M`$. Since the next contribution to (35) is proportional to $`\overline{g}^4\overline{m}^2`$ (see FIG.10), we can rewrite $`E`$ up to order $`\overline{g}^2`$ when (66) is applied. Explicitly,

$`E`$ $`=`$ $`M^2(\overline{g}^2)^{2\frac{\gamma _0}{\beta _0}}[{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}(1+2c_1\overline{g}^2)`$ (69)
$`\times `$ $`\left(\mathrm{ln}{\displaystyle \frac{M^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}}+\left(2{\displaystyle \frac{\gamma _0}{\beta _0}}\right)\mathrm{ln}\overline{g}^2\right){\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}`$
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}({\displaystyle \frac{1}{\overline{g}^2}}+2c_1+(2c_2+c_1^2)\overline{g}^2)]`$
It is important to notice that the demand $`\frac{E}{\overline{m}}=0`$ is translated into $`\frac{E}{M}=0`$, because $`M`$ and $`\overline{m}`$ differ only by an overall factor $`\overline{f}`$ which depends solely on $`\overline{g}^2(\overline{\mu })`$.
Step 3
(69) is still written in terms of $`\overline{g}^2`$. Using (62), we exchange $`\overline{g}^2`$ for $`g^2`$, where the $`b_i`$ parametrize the coupling constant renormalization. We find

$`E`$ $`=`$ $`M^2(g^2)^{2\frac{\gamma _0}{\beta _0}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{e_1}{g^2}}+e_0+e_1g^2\right)`$ (70)
with

$`e_1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}`$ (71)
$`e_0`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0+2c_1}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0U}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}V`$ (72)
$`e_1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{b_0^2b_1+c_1^2+2c_2}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}`$ (73)
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}\left(b_1U+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0^2}{2}}U(U1)\right)`$
$`+`$ $`b_0U\left({\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0+2c_1}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}V\right)`$
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}\left(b_0U+2c_1V\right)`$
$`U`$ $`=`$ $`2{\displaystyle \frac{\gamma _0}{\beta _0}}`$ (74)
$`V`$ $`=`$ $`\mathrm{ln}{\displaystyle \frac{M^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}}+\left(2{\displaystyle \frac{\gamma _0}{\beta _0}}\right)\mathrm{ln}g^2`$ (75)
Step 4
Consider (70). We notice that the degrees of freedom, concerning the scheme, are settled in the $`b_i`$. When we rewrite the expansion in terms of $`g_{1loop}^2`$ instead of $`g^2`$, all scheme dependence is reduced to *one* parameter, namely $`b_0`$. This was also recognized in Karel . It is in a way more ”natural” to rewrite a perturbative series in terms of $`g_{1loop}^2`$, because $`g^2`$ itself is changed whenever we include the next loop order, while $`g_{1loop}^2`$ of course remains the same.
The necessary formulas are given by

$`g^2(\overline{\mu })`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{x}}{\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1}{\beta _0}}{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{ln}\frac{x}{\beta _0}}{x^2}}`$ (76)
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\left(\frac{\beta _1}{\beta _0}\right)^2\left(\left(\mathrm{ln}\frac{x}{\beta _0}\right)^2\mathrm{ln}\frac{x}{\beta _0}\right)+\left(\frac{\beta _2}{\beta _0}\left(\frac{\beta _1}{\beta _0}\right)^2\right)}{x^3}}`$
$`+`$ $`𝒪\left({\displaystyle \frac{1}{x^4}}\right)`$
where

$$x=\frac{1}{g_{1loop}^2}=\beta _0\mathrm{ln}\frac{\overline{\mu }^2}{\mathrm{\Lambda }^2}$$
(77)
$`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ is the scale parameter of the corresponding MRS. In Celmaster , it was shown that

$$\mathrm{\Lambda }=\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}e^{\frac{b_0}{2\beta _0}}$$
(78)
For $`\beta _2`$, we have Grunberg

$$\beta _2=(b_0^2b_1)\beta _0+\beta _1b_0+\overline{\beta }_2$$
(79)
Since (70) is correct up to order $`g^2M^2`$, we can expand up to order $`x^1M^2`$. Using (76), (78) and (79), the vacuum energy becomes

$`E`$ $`=`$ $`M^2\left({\displaystyle \frac{1}{x}}\right)^{2\frac{\gamma _0}{\beta _0}}\left(E_1x+E_0+{\displaystyle \frac{E_1}{x}}\right)`$ (80)
with

$`E_1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}`$ (81)
$`E_0`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0+2c_1}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0U}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}`$ (82)
$``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1(U1)L}{2\beta _0\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}W`$
$`E_1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{c_1^2+2c_2}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{\frac{\beta _1^2}{\beta _0^2}(1+L)\frac{b_0\beta _1+\overline{\beta }_2}{\beta _0}}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}`$ (83)
$``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}{\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1}{\beta _0}}UL+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0^2U(U1)}{4\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}`$
$`\times `$ $`[({\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1^2}{\beta _0^2}}(1+LL^2)+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0^2\beta _0+b_0\beta _1+\overline{\beta }_2}{\beta _0}})U`$
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1^2L^2U(U1)}{2\beta _0^2}}]+b_0U[{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}(W1)`$
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{2c_1b_0}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}]{\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1}{\beta _0}}LU[{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}(W1)`$
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{2c_1b_0}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1L}{2\beta _0\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0U}{2\left(1\frac{1}{2N}\right)}}]`$
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N}{4\pi }}\left(b_0U+2c_1W\right)`$
$`L`$ $`=`$ $`\mathrm{ln}{\displaystyle \frac{x}{\beta _0}}`$ (84)
$`U`$ $`=`$ $`2{\displaystyle \frac{\gamma _0}{\beta _0}}`$ (85)
$`W`$ $`=`$ $`\mathrm{ln}{\displaystyle \frac{M^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}}+\left(2{\displaystyle \frac{\gamma _0}{\beta _0}}\right)\mathrm{ln}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{x}}`$ (86)
### V.3 2 loop corrections

The next order corrections are 2 loop for the mass (the setting sun diagram of FIG.11) and 3 loop for the vacuum energy (the basket ball diagram of FIG.2). We will restrict ourselves to 2 loop corrections. The diagram displayed in FIG.11 gives a mass renormalization. The double line is the full propagator $`S_{full}(p)`$. We first employ the $`\overline{MS}`$ scheme again for the calculation.

Let $`𝒫`$ be the value of the (amputated) setting sun diagram. Since

$$S(p)=\frac{1}{ip/+\overline{m}}$$
(87)
we have

$$S_{2loop}(p)=\frac{1}{ip/+\overline{m}𝒫}$$
(88)
The effective mass $`m_{eff}`$ is the pole of $`S_{2loop}`$(p). From Verschelde3 , we obtain

$`𝒫`$ $`=`$ $`(N{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}})\overline{g}^4(\overline{m}I^2+ip/{\displaystyle \frac{\epsilon }{2\epsilon }}I^2`$ (89)
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{16\pi ^2}}(\overline{m}F_1+ip/F_2))`$
where

$`I`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4\pi }}[{\displaystyle \frac{2}{\epsilon }}\mathrm{ln}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{m}^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}}`$ (90)
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\epsilon }{4}}({\displaystyle \frac{\pi ^2}{6}}+\mathrm{ln}^2{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{m}^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}})+𝒪(\epsilon ^2)]`$
$`F_1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{2\pi ^2}{9}}+12q_124q_2`$ (91)
$`F_2`$ $`=`$ $`2{\displaystyle \frac{2\pi ^2}{3}}`$ (92)
$`q_1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _0^1}𝑑t{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{ln}t}{t^2t+1}}1.17195`$ (93)
$`q_2`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _0^1}𝑑t{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{ln}t}{t^3+1}}0.951518`$ (94)
Working up to order $`\overline{g}^4`$, we find for the inverse propagator

$`S_{2loop}^1=ip/\left[1{\displaystyle \frac{\left(N\frac{1}{2}\right)\overline{g}^4}{16\pi ^2}}\left(12\mathrm{ln}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{m}^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}}+F_2\right)\right]`$ (95)
$`+`$ $`\overline{m}\left[1+{\displaystyle \frac{\left(N\frac{1}{2}\right)\overline{g}^4}{16\pi ^2}}\left(2\mathrm{ln}^2{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{m}^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}}+{\displaystyle \frac{\pi ^2}{6}}F_1\right)\right]`$
Solving for the pole gives

$`m_{eff}`$ $`=`$ $`\overline{m}[1+{\displaystyle \frac{\left(N\frac{1}{2}\right)\overline{g}^4}{16\pi ^2}}(2\mathrm{ln}^2{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{m}^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}}`$ (96)
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\pi ^2}{6}}F_1+12\mathrm{ln}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{m}^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}}+F_2)]`$
With $`\overline{\mu }=\overline{m}=\mathrm{\Lambda }_{\overline{MS}}`$, the above equation has no sense.
Next, we follow the same steps as executed for $`E`$ to reexpress $`m_{eff}`$ in terms of $`M`$ and $`x`$. A little algebra results in

$`m_{eff}`$ $`=`$ $`M\left({\displaystyle \frac{1}{x}}\right)^{1\frac{\gamma _0}{2\beta _0}}\{1+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{x}}[c_1+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0U}{2}}{\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1UL}{2\beta _0}}]`$
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{x^2}}[b_0c_1(1+{\displaystyle \frac{U}{2}})+c_2+{\displaystyle \frac{U}{2}}\times `$
$`\left({\displaystyle \frac{\beta _1^2}{\beta _0^2}}\left(L^2L1\right)+{\displaystyle \frac{b_0^2\beta _0+b_0\beta _1+\overline{\beta }_2}{\beta _0}}\right)`$
$``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{b_0^2\gamma _0U}{8\beta _0}}{\displaystyle \frac{L^2\beta _1^2\gamma _0U}{8\beta _0^3}}{\displaystyle \frac{L\beta _1\left(1+\frac{U}{2}\right)\left(c_1+b_0\frac{U}{2}\right)}{\beta _0}}`$
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N\frac{1}{2}}{16\pi ^2}}({\displaystyle \frac{\pi ^2}{6}}+1F_1+F_22W+2W^2)]\}`$
The quantities $`c_1`$, $`c_2`$, $`U`$, $`W`$ and $`L`$ are the same as defined before. Again, only $`b_0`$ is left over as scheme parameter.

## VI Second numerical results for the mass gap and vacuum energy

We first discuss how we can fix the parameter $`b_0`$ in a reasonable, *self-consistent* way. A frequently used method is the *principle of minimal sensitivity*(PMS)Stevenson . This is based on the concept that *physical* quantities should not depend on the renormalization prescriptions. In our case, the vacuum energy $`E`$ as well as the mass gap $`m_{eff}`$ are physical, so we could apply PMS. However, PMS doesn’t always work out. Sometimes there is no minimum, then an alternative is picking that $`b_0`$ for which the derivative of the considered quantity is minimal ($``$ as near as possible to a minimum). Also *fastest apparent convergence criteria* (FACC) can be practiced.
But maybe the biggest barrier to a fruitful use of PMS (or FACC) arises from the same origin why $`E`$ didn’t seem to obey its RGE. Just as the scale dependence of $`E`$ is not cancelled order by order, the scheme dependence of $`E`$ won’t cancel order by order, so we may find no optimal $`b_0`$, and even if we would have such $`b_0`$, it wouldn’t be certain that the corresponding $`E`$ really is a good approximation to $`E_{exact}`$. The same obstacle will arise for the mass gap $`m_{eff}`$.
Apparently, we haven’t got any further. We may have a way out through. $`M`$, as defined in (60), is RSSI, independent of the fact that it satisfies its gap equation or not. The $`2PPI`$ formalism provides us with an equation to calculate $`M`$ approximately. This equation, $`\frac{E}{M}=0`$, is correct up to a certain order and $`M`$ is RSSI up to that order by construction. Hence, we can ask that the (non-zero) solution $`M`$ has minimal dependence on $`b_0`$. This also gives a value for $`b_0`$ to calculate the vacuum energy, because the $`b_0`$ for $`E`$ and $`M`$ must be equal, again because $`E`$ is only correct when the gap equation is fulfilled. Also the mass gap $`m_{eff}`$ can be calculated with this $`b_0`$.

### VI.1 First order results

We start from the expression (80), but we first restrict ourselves to the lowest order correction.

$`E`$ $`=`$ $`M^2\left({\displaystyle \frac{1}{x}}\right)^{2\frac{\gamma _0}{\beta _0}}\left(E_1x+E_0\right)`$ (98)
Until now, we haven’t said anything about the freedom in scale $`\overline{\mu }`$. Analogously as we fixed $`b_0`$, we can ask $`\frac{M}{\overline{\mu }}=0`$ due to the scale independence of $`M`$. For the sake of simplicity, we will however make a reasonable *choice* for $`\overline{\mu }`$. In order to cancel logarithms, we could set $`\overline{\mu }=M`$. We refer to this as Choice I. We observe that $`\mathrm{ln}\frac{M^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}`$ always appears in the form $`W\mathrm{ln}\frac{M^2}{\overline{\mu }^2}+\left(2\frac{\gamma _0}{\beta _0}\right)\mathrm{ln}\frac{1}{x}`$; we could determine $`\overline{\mu }`$ such that $`W=0`$, then the danger of exploding logarithms is also averted. We refer to this as Choice II.
TABLE 2 and TABLE 3 summarize the corresponding results.

Some remarks must be made.
1) We have determined the parameter $`b_0`$ by requiring that $`\left|\frac{M}{b_0}\right|`$ is minimal 777No $`b_0`$ satisfying $`\frac{M}{b_0}=0`$ was found.. In FIG.12, $`M(b_0)`$ is plotted for the case $`N=5`$ and Choice I. FIG.13 shows $`\frac{M}{b_0}`$, again for $`N=5`$ and Choice I. The plots for Choice II are completely similar.
Notice that $`\left|\frac{M}{b_0}\right|`$ is relatively small. For both choices, it tended to zero for growing $`N`$, f.i. $`\left|\frac{M}{b_0}\right|0.045`$ for $`N=10`$, Choice I.

Results for the mass gap agree very well with the exact values for Choice II, this is quite remarkable since we used a lowest order approximation. Choice I gives almost the same results as the $`N\mathrm{}`$ approximation.
For the vacuum energy, the results are somewhat less good than those obtained with a straightforward $`\overline{MS}`$ calculation.
Nevertheless, the mass gap as well as the vacuum energy are converging, and we retrieve the correct $`N\mathrm{}`$ limit. Moreover, the relevant expansion parameter $`\frac{N}{4\pi x}`$ is relatively small, and behaves more or less as a constant.
2) For $`N=2`$ we didn’t find an optimal $`b_0`$. In the light of the exact results (45) and (46), it isn’t unexpected that $`N=2`$ causes trouble. $`N=2`$ is a maximum of $`m_{exact}`$, and close to $`N=\frac{3}{2}`$, which is a root of $`m_{exact}`$. There is a sharp drop between 2 and $`\frac{3}{2}`$, and somewhat lower than $`\frac{3}{2}`$, oscillating behaviour begins. What’s more, $`N=2`$ and $`N=\frac{3}{2}`$ are both roots of $`E_{exact}`$, while $`E_{exact}>0`$ between them. Again there is a sharp drop at $`\frac{3}{2}`$ with oscillation somewhat before $`\frac{3}{2}`$. Problems with $`N=2`$ persist at second order too, as will be seen shortly.

### VI.2 Second order results

In TABLE 4, we present second order results for Choice I, while TABLE 5 displays those for Choice II. Just as for the first order approximation, we plotted $`M(b_0)`$ in FIG.14, and $`\left|\frac{M}{b_0}\right|`$ in FIG.15 for the case $`N=5`$, Choice I. Notice that $`\left|\frac{M}{b_0}\right|`$ is smaller at second order. For $`N=10`$, $`\left|\frac{M}{b_0}\right|0.022`$ . Again it reaches zero for infinite $`N`$. Again, we weren’t able to extract a value for $`m_{eff}`$ or $`E`$ for $`N=2`$.

### VI.3 Interpretation of the results

When we compare the second with the first order results, a strange feature immediately catches our eyes. For Choice I, the mass gap results are better at second order, while the energy results are worse. For Choice II, the energy results are better, while the mass gap performs worse (except for $`N=3`$). To make the comparison more transparent, we plotted the different mass gap results in FIG.16 and energy results in FIG.17. One shouldn’t be alarmed that second order results are ”worse”. We see that the difference between the Choice I and II results at first order are relatively large, for $`m_{eff}`$ as well as for $`E`$. But at second order, the results are almost the same for both choices, whereas $`\frac{N}{4\pi x}`$ is the same. This pleases us, because these results indicate that the choice of $`\overline{\mu }`$ is getting less relevant in the final results at second order. The fact that both (reasonable) choices for the scale $`\overline{\mu }`$ give results that are close to each other and are converging to the same $`N\mathrm{}`$ limit, convinces us that our method is consistent and should give trustable results.

Yet, there is another way to check reliability. We already said FACC could be used as an alternative to PMS to fix $`b_0`$. More precisely, we could use a FACC on both the energy $`E`$ as the mass gap equation $`\frac{E}{M}=0`$. Explicitly, define

$$\delta _E=\left|\frac{E_1x^1E_0}{E_0}\right|$$
(99)
measuring the relative correction of the second order on the first order contribution. The closer $`\delta _E`$ is to 1, the better it is, as an indication that the series expansion is under control. The quantity $`\delta _M`$ is defined in a similar fashion. Unfortunately, no $`b_0`$ exists such that $`\left|\frac{\delta _E}{b_0}\right|`$ or $`\left|\frac{\delta _M}{b_0}\right|`$ are zero or minimal. However, we can substitute our PMS results in $`\delta _E`$ and $`\delta _M`$ and find out what these give.
Consulting FIG.18 and FIG.19, we are able to understand why we should have ended up with qualitatively good results, since $`\delta _E`$ as well as $`\delta _M`$ are close to 1, even for small $`N`$. We also see that both choices for $`\overline{\mu }`$ should give comparable results, since $`\delta _E`$ and $`\delta _M`$ fit with each other.
We also fixed $`b_0`$ by demanding that $`\left|\frac{E}{b_0}\right|`$ was minimal 888Again, no solution for $`\frac{E}{b_0}=0`$., and we found that results were less good than those obtained by fixing $`b_0`$ by means of $`M`$, except for small $`N`$ values 999To be more precise, $`Q(3)=2.1\%`$ and $`Q(4)=14.4\%`$. The fact that the error grows fast between $`N=3`$ and $`N=4`$, and goes slowly to $`0`$ for $`N>5`$, makes us believe it is a rather lucky shot that the energy values are better for small $`N`$.. However, the convergence to the exact results for growing $`N`$ was very slow. For example with Choice I, $`Q(5)=19.4\%`$, $`Q(10)=19.1\%`$, $`Q(20)=14.1\%`$.
An analogous story held true for $`m_{eff}`$, where $`b_0`$ was determined by demanding that $`\left|\frac{m_{eff}}{b_0}\right|`$ was minimal. There, the deviation from the exact results was always bigger 101010Also for $`m_{eff}`$, the error grows between $`N=3`$ and $`N=5`$ ($`P(3)=16.8\%`$, $`P(4)=27.8\%`$), and drops slowly to 0 for $`N>5`$., and the convergence was again rather slow. For example, with Choice I, $`P(5)=30.1\%`$, $`P(10)=25.7\%`$, $`P(20)=18.5\%`$.

All this corroborates our conjecture that $`M`$ is indeed the best quantity to fix $`b_0`$.
Before we formulate our conclusions, we just like to mention that also in case of $`N=2`$ there exist a mass gap and a non-perturbative vacuum energy. We already pointed out why we probably didn’t find an optimal $`b_0`$ with our method. The best we can do with this special $`N`$ value, is just choosing a (physical) renormalization scheme, but we must realize we can easily obtain highly over- or underestimated values in this case and that this is not a self-consistent way to obtain results.

## VII Conclusion

This paper, which had the purpose to investigate the dynamical mass generation and non-perturbative vacuum energy of the two-dimensional Gross-Neveu field theory, consisted of two main parts. In the first part, we proved how all bubble Feynman diagrams can be consistently resummed up to all orders in an effective mass $`\overline{m}`$. We showed that this $`\overline{m}`$ can be calculated from the gap equation $`\frac{E}{\overline{m}}=0`$, whereby $`E`$ is the vacuum energy. $`E`$ is given by the sum of the $`2PPI`$ vacuum bubbles, calculated with the $`2PPI`$ massive propagator (i.e. with mass $`\overline{m}`$), plus an extra term, accounting for a double counting ambiguity.
We showed that the $`2PPI`$ expansion can be renormalized with the original counterterms of the model.
A very important fact is that the $`2PPI`$ expansion for $`E`$ is only correct if the gap equation $`\frac{E}{\overline{m}}=0`$ is fulfilled. In this context, we discussed the renormalization group equation for $`E`$, and showed why $`E`$ doesn’t obey its RGE *order by order*, because the requirement of the gap equation turns terms of different orders into the same order. We stress that this does not mean $`E`$ doesn’t obey its RGE, or ask for the introduction of a ”non-perturbative” $`\beta `$-function.
To get actual values for $`m_{eff}`$ and $`E`$, we employed the $`\overline{MS}`$ scheme, and after the classical choice $`\overline{\mu }=\overline{m}`$ to cancel logarithms, we recovered the $`N\mathrm{}`$ results. However, the corresponding coupling constant was infinite, so we couldn’t say anything about validity of the results, without the foreknowledge of exact values. This, combined with the uselessness of the RGE for $`E`$ to improve calculations, compelled us to search for a more sophisticated way to improve the $`2PPI`$ technique.
In the second part, we first eliminated the freedom in the renormalization of the $`2PPI`$ mass parameter, by transforming $`\overline{m}`$ to a renormalization scheme and scale independent $`M`$. The consistency relation $`\frac{E}{\overline{m}}=0`$ was completely equivalent to $`\frac{E}{M}=0`$. Secondly, we parametrized the coupling constant renormalization. After a reorganization of the series, all scheme dependence was reduced to a single parameter $`b_0`$, equivalent to the choice of a certain scale parameter $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$.
We fixed this $`b_0`$ by means of the principe of minimal sensitivity (PMS). Originally, PMS was founded on the logical requirement that observable physics cannot depend on how one chooses to renormalize. Translated to our case, $`E`$ and $`m_{eff}`$ shouldn’t depend on the arbitrary parameter $`b_0`$. But we showed on theoretical grounds why applying PMS on neither $`m_{eff}`$ nor $`E`$ would be valid, because analogously as $`E`$ ($`m_{eff}`$) doesn’t lose its scale dependence order by order, it doesn’t lose its scheme dependence order by order.
Nevertheless, we gave an outcome to the problem of PMS. By construction, $`M`$ is scheme and scale independent, so we can apply PMS on this mass parameter. This provides us with an optimal $`b_0`$ to calculate $`M`$, and consequently $`E`$ and $`m_{eff}`$. For the scale $`\overline{\mu }`$, we made 2 reasonable choices. These 2 choices gave acceptable results at first order, yet there was quite a big difference between them. The second order results were comparable and qualitatively good, converging to the exact values for growing $`N`$.
The relevant expansion parameter was relatively small. We gave extra evidence why results were good, by using a fastest apparent convergence argument.
We explicitly checked that using PMS on $`E`$ and $`m_{eff}`$ to fix $`b_0`$ gave worse results, and the convergence was very slow.
Summarizing, we have constructed a self consistent method to calculate the mass gap and non-perturbative vacuum energy. The $`2PPI`$ expansion, as well as the optimization procedure, are immediately generalizable to other field theories.