  In this paper we propose a refinement of the heat kernel/zeta function
treatment of kink quantum fluctuations in scalar field theory, further
analyzing the existence and implications of a zero energy fluctuation mode.
Improved understanding of the interplay between zero modes and the kink heat
kernel expansion delivers asymptotic estimations of one-loop kink mass shifts
with remarkably higher precision than previously obtained by means of the
standard Gilkey-DeWitt heat kernel expansion.
