The universe on a table top: engineering quantum decay of a relativistic scalar field from a metastable vacuum

The quantum decay of a relativistic scalar field from a metastable state ('false vacuum decay') is a fundamental idea in quantum field theory and cosmology. This occurs via local formation of bubbles of true vacuum with their subsequent rapid expansion. It can be considered as a relativistic analog of a first-order phase transition in condensed matter. Here we expand upon our recent proposal (Fialko O et al 2015 Europhys. Lett. 110 56001) for an experimental test of false vacuum decay using an ultra-cold spinor Bose gas. A false vacuum for the relative phase of two spin components, serving as the unstable scalar field, is generated by means of a modulated linear coupling of the spin components. We analyze the system theoretically using the functional integral approach and show that various microscopic degrees of freedom in the system, albeit leading to dissipation in the relative phase sector, will not hamper the observation of the false vacuum decay in the laboratory. This is well supported by numerical simulations demonstrating the spontaneous formation of true vacuum bubbles on millisecond time-scales in two-component Li-7 or K-41 bosonic condensates in one-dimensional traps of similar to 100 mu m size.