Comments on the electroweak phase transition

Abstract We report on an investigation of various problems related to the theory of the electroweak phase transition. This includes a determination of the nature of the phase transition, a discussion of the possible role of higher order radiative corrections and the theory of the formation and evolution of the bubbles of the new phase. We find in particular that no dangerous linear terms appear in the effective potential. However, the strength of the first-order phase transition is 2 3 times less than what follows from the one-l oop approximation. This rules out baryogenesis in the minimal version of the electroweak theory with light Higgs bosons.