Running gauge coupling in three dimensions and the electroweak phase transition

We present a method which allows to deal with the strong infrared effects in three-dimensional gauge theories. In particular, we compute the three-dimensional running of the gauge coupling. Applying these results to the electroweak phase transition in the standard model, we conclude that the transition cannot be of second order. It is either a first-order transition or a smooth cross-over. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RA 2999(93-006) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman