MSci EXAMINATION

PHY-415 (MSci 4242) Relativistic Waves and Quantum Fields

Time Allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes

Date: 13/5/2009

Time: 14:30

Instructions: Answer THREE QUESTIONS only. Each Question carries 20

marks. An indicative marking-scheme is shown in square brackets
[ ] after each part of a question.
COMPLETE ALL ROUGH WORKINGS IN THE ANSWER BOOK
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TO AN INVIGILATOR NOW.
EXAM PAPERS CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE EXAM
ROOM.

Data: We use units where ~ = c = 1. A FORMULA SHEET is provided at the

end of the examination paper.

Examiners: Dr A Brandhuber (CO)

Dr S Ramgoolam (DCO)
YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO START READING THIS QUESTION PAPER
UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO BY AN INVIGILATOR

c Queen Mary, University of London 2009

 Question 1: The Dirac equation (set ~ = c = 1):

(a) Derive the continuity equations of the Klein-Gordon equation and of the Dirac equation.
Hence, derive the associated densities ρ and currents ~j for these two waveR equations.
Explain how the continuity equation implies conservation of the quantitiy d3 xρ. For
which of the two wave equations can ρ be interpreted as a probability density? Explain
which property of the wave equations is responsible for this. What is the correct field
theoretic interpretation of ρ for the other wave equation?

[7]

(b) Find all plane wave solutions of the Dirac equation using the Dirac matrices given on the
formula sheet for a Dirac particle at rest ~p = 0. State the physical properties and inter-
pretations of the different solutions. State two alternative methods to generate solutions
with arbitrary spatial momentum p~.

[5]

(c) Consider the covariant form of the Dirac equation. Assume that Ψ transforms under
a Lorentz transformation as Ψ(x) → Ψ′ (x′ ) = S(Λ)Ψ(x), with x′ = Λx and S(Λ) a
four-by-four matrix. Show that the Dirac equation is form invariant (i.e. covariant) if

S −1 (Λ)γ ν S(Λ) = Λν µ γ µ .

[5]

(d) Consider adding a term proportional to Fµν γ µ γ ν Ψ to the covariant form of the Dirac
equation, where Fµν is the electromagnetic field strength. Is such a term compatible with
the covariance and gauge invariance of the Dirac equation? Which physical property of
the electron would such a term change?

[3]

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 Question 2: Dirac equation in an electromagnetic field (set ~ = c = 1):

(a) In classical relativistic mechanics the interaction of a particle carrying charge q in an

external electromagnetic field is obtained by substituting the 4-momentum as pµ → pµ +
qAµ , where Aµ denotes the electromagnetic 4-vector potential. Hence, find the covariant
and the Hamiltonian form of the Dirac equation for a Dirac fermion with charge q in an
external electromagnetic field.

[4]

(b) Show that the electromagnetic field strength F µν = ∂ µ Aν − ∂ ν Aµ is invariant under

the gauge transformation Aµ → Aµ + ∂ µ Λ, with Λ an arbitrary, real function of the
space-time coordinates. How must the Dirac wavefunction Ψ transform under a gauge
transformation, in order that the combined transformation of Aµ and Ψ preserves the
form of the Dirac equation in the presence of an electromagnetic field derived in (a), up
to an overall phase factor? Use this result to show that the QED Lagrangian
LQED = − 41 F µν Fµν + Ψ(i∂/ + qA
/ − m)Ψ is gauge invariant.

[7]

(c) The non-relativistic limit of the Dirac equation in the presence of an external electromag-
netic field is given by the Pauli equation
!
∂φ b ~
(p~ + q A) 2
q
i = + ~ − qA0 φ ,
~σ · B
∂t 2m 2m

where φ is a two-component spinor wavefunction. Consider a weak and homogeneous

~ = 1B
magnetic field with vector potential A ~ × ~x where B
~ is constant. Neglecting terms
2
~ show that the Pauli equation can be written in the form
quadratic in B
!
∂φ (b
p~)2 q ~b b
~ ·B~ − qA0 φ .
i = + (L + 2S)
∂t 2m 2m

[9]

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 Question 3: Massless Dirac particles:
In the following use the chiral representation of the Dirac matrices
   i 
0 I i σ 0
β= , α = i = 1, 2, 3 ,
I 0 0 −σ i

where the σ i denote the Pauli matrices.

(a) Consider positive and negative energy, plane wave solutions of the Dirac equation (using
the above Dirac matrices) in the massless case (m = 0)
 
∓ip·x φ
Ψ=e ,
χ

where φ and χ denote two component column spinors. Derive equations for φ and χ.

[6]

(b) Define the helicity of a particle. What is the form of the helicity operator for a Dirac
particle? In part (a) of this question you derived equations for φ and χ. Find the helicities
of φ and χ for positive and negative energy.

[4]

(c) The transformation of a Dirac spinor under a Lorentz transformation is given by

Ψ → S(Λ)Ψ. For a rotation around the z-axis the transformation is given by the matrix
i  1 2
S = e−iθσ(Jz ) , where σ(Jz ) = γ ,γ .
4
Find the matrix S. [5]
Consider now two particular cases of the positive energy solutions considered in part (a)
of this question. In both cases set χ = 0 and solve the equation for φ derived in part (a)
for the particular 4-momenta pµ = (E, E, 0, 0) and pµ = (E, 0, E, 0). This corresponds to
massless Dirac particles moving in the x- and y-direction respectively. (Hint: set one of
the components of φ equal to one andsolve for the other). Show that, up to an overall
φ
constant, the four component spinors for the two cases are related by the matrix
χ
S derived above if you choose θ = π/2.

[5]

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 Question 4: The Klein-Gordon field

(a) The free, complex Klein-Gordon field φ has Lagrangian density

1
L = (∂µ φ† ∂ µ φ − m2 φ† φ) .
2
Obtain the field equation for φ and φ† and the Hamiltonian density H in terms of φ, φ†
and their derivatives.

[4]

State without proof Noether’s theorem for internal symmetries. Show that the trans-
formation φ → eiα φ, with α constant, is a symmetry of the Lagrangian and derive the
associated conserved current jµ . Use the field equations to verify that ∂µ j µ = 0.

[4]

In the following questions you may assume the commutation relations

h i h i h i
a(~k), a† (~k ′ ) = (2π)3 2E~k δ (3) (~k − ~k ′ ) , and a(~k), a(~k ′ ) = a† (~k), a† (~k ′ ) = 0 .

(b) The free, neutral Klein Gordon field φ = φ† may be expanded in the form
Z h i
d3 k ~ −ik·x † ~ ik·x
φ= a(k) e + a (k) e ,
2E~k (2π)3
p
with E~k = + ~k 2 + m2 and k · x = E~k t − ~k · ~x. Calculate the commutator of two field
operators at general space-time points x and y

i∆(x − y) = [φ(x), φ(y)] .

Note that you do not have to perform the final three-momentum integral explicitly. Show
that the result is Lorentz invariant and vanishes for space like separations (x − y)2 < 0.
Discuss the implication of the latter property of [φ(x), φ(y)] for causality.

[6]

(c) Calculate the expectation value of the product of two field operators iD(x − y) =
h0|φ(x)φ(y)|0i. You do not have to perform the final three-momentum integral explic-
itly. Does iD(x − y) vanish for (x − y)2 < 0? Show that iD(x − y) is a solution of the
Klein-Gordon equation.

[6]

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 Question 5: The S-matrix

(a) Assume that the Hamiltonian operator H is split up into a free and interacting part as
H = H0 + Hint . The interaction Hamiltonian in the interaction picture is given as

HI ≡ eiH0 t (Hint )S e−iH0 t

Show that a state |ψ(t)iI in the interaction picture obeys the Schrödinger equation

d|ψ(t)iI
i = HI (t)|ψ(t)iI .
dt

(Note that states and operators in the Schrödinger picture (subscript S) and in the interac-
tion picture (subscript I) are related as: |ψ(t)iI = eiH0 t |ψ(t)iS and OI (t) = eiH0 t OS e−iH0 t .)

[5]

(b) Write the solution of the Schrödinger equation in Question 5(a) as

|ψ(t)iI = U(t, t0 ) |ψ(t0 )iI ,

where U(t, t0 ) is the unitary time evolution operator with U(t1 , t2 )U(t2 , t3 ) = U(t1 , t3 ).
Hence, find a differential equation for U(t, t0 ) and from that the integral representation
of this equation imposing the condition U(t, t) = 1. The solution to this equation is given
by Dyson’s formula  Z 
t
U(t, t0 ) = T exp −i HI (t′ )dt′
t0

where T is the time ordering operator. Show that Dyson’s formula is a solution to the
differential equation you derived for U(t, t0 ) with the boundary condition U(t, t) = 1.

[10]

(c) State how the S-matrix (operator) S is related to the operator U(t, t0 ). Give a definition
of initial and final states in a scattering process and write S-matrix elements or scattering
amplitudes in terms of S, initial states and final states. Give a qualitative description
of how physical cross sections are obtained from a given S-matrix element or scattering
amplitude.

[5]

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 Formula Sheet (in units ~ = c = 1)

4-vector notation:
 
1 0 0 0
 0 −1 0 0 
a · b = aµ bµ = aµ bµ = aµ bν gµν = aµ bν g µν with gµν = g µν =
 0 0 −1 0 


0 0 0 −1
xµ = (t, ~x) , xµ = (t, −~x)
   
µ ∂ ∂ ~ ∂ ∂ ~
∂ = = , −∇ , ∂µ = µ = , ∇ , pbµ = i∂ µ , pbµ = i∂µ
∂xµ ∂t ∂x ∂t

p · pb + m2 )ψ = (∂µ ∂ µ + m2 )ψ = ( + m2 )ψ = 0
Klein-Gordon equation: (−b

∂
Free Dirac equation in Hamiltonian form: i ∂t α·b
Ψ = (~ p~ + βm)Ψ, or in covariant form:

(i∂/ − m)Ψ = (iγ µ ∂µ − m)Ψ = (b

/p − m)Ψ = (γ · pb − m)Ψ = (γ µ pbµ − m)Ψ = 0

Dirac and Gamma matrices:

(αi )2 = I , i = 1, 2, 3; β 2 = I; αiαj + αj αi = 0 , i 6= j; αi β + βαi = 0 , i 6= j;

γ 0 = β, γ i = βαi , {γ µ , γ ν } = 2g µν I ,
γ5 = iγ 0 γ 1 γ 2 γ 3

Dirac representation:
   
i 0 σi I 0
α = , i = 1, 2, 3 , β = ,
σi 0 0 −I

where the Pauli matrices are

     
1 0 1 2 0 −i 3 1 0
σ = , σ = , σ = .
1 0 i 0 0 −1

Note that αi, β and γ 0 are Hermitian, wheras the γ i are anti-Hermitian.

End of Examination Paper

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