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Phase transitions of boson stars in scalar-tensor theories

Hyat Huang1,*, Burkhard Kleihaus2,†, Jutta Kunz2,‡, Meng-Yun Lai1,§, Eugen Radu3,∥, and De-Cheng Zou1,¶

  • 1College of Physics and Communication Electronics, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
  • 2Institut für Physik, Universität Oldenburg, Postfach 2503, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
  • 3Departamento de Matemática da Universidade de Aveiro and Centre for Research and Development in Mathematics and Applications (CIDMA), Campus de Santiago, 3810-183 Aveiro, Portugal

  • *Contact author: hyat@mail.bnu.edu.cn
  • †Contact author: b.kleihaus@uni-oldenburg.de
  • ‡Contact author: jutta.kunz@uni-oldenburg.de
  • §Contact author: mengyunlai@jxnu.edu.cn
  • ∥Contact author: eugen.radu@ua.pt
  • Contact author: dczou@jxnu.edu.cn
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Phys. Rev. D 112, 124086 – Published 30 December, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/8l73-dxxd

Abstract

In scalar-tensor theories, compact objects may experience spontaneous scalarization. Recently, it was shown that matter-induced spontaneous scalarization of neutron stars is predominantly associated with a first-order phase transition. Here we consider matter-induced spontaneous scalarization of boson stars. Employing a repulsive quartic potential for the bosonic matter, we find only first-order phase transitions.

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Phys. Rev. D 112, 124086– Published 30 December, 2025
  • Received 16 September 2025
  • Accepted 10 December 2025
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