  Many quantum field theoretical models possess non-trivial solutions which are
stable for topological reasons. We construct a self-consistent example for a
self-interacting scalar field--the quantum (or dressed) kink--using a two
particle irreducible effective action in the Hartree approximation. This new
solution includes quantum fluctuations determined self-consistently and
nonperturbatively at the 1-loop resummed level and allowed to backreact on the
classical mean-field profile. This dressed kink is static under the familiar
Hartree equations for the time evolution of quantum fields. Because the quantum
fluctuation spectrum is lower lying in the presence of the defect, the quantum
kink has a lower rest energy than its classical counterpart. However its energy
is higher than well-known strict 1-loop results, where backreaction and
fluctuation self-interactions are omitted. We also show that the quantum kink
exists at finite temperature and that its profile broadens as temperature is
increased until it eventually disappears.
