Probs 4

Part III Maths Lent Term 2018
David Skinner [email protected]
Advanced Quantum Field Theory

Example Sheet 4
Please email me with any comments about these problems, particularly if you
spot an error. Questions marked with an asterisk may be more challenging.
1. Show that, when written in momentum space, the QED correlation function hj µ (x) j ν (y)i
is proportional to
Πµν (k) + Πµρ (k)∆ρσ (k)Πσν (k) + · · ·
where j µ = ψ̄γ µ ψ, Πµν is the photon self–energy and ∆ρσ is the exact photon propaga-
tor. Hence show that Πµν is transverse.
2. Let ta be the generators of a Lie algebra g acting in a representation R, with [ta , tb ] =

c t , and let ca be Grassmann variables. Show that
ifab c
1 a b c ∂
Q = ca ta − fbc c c
2 ∂ca
satisfies Q2 = 0. Suppose we are in the trivial representation and also that fabc = kcd fab
d
is completely antisymmetric, where kcd is the Killing form on g. If X = fabc ca cb cc show

that QX = 0 but that X 6= QY .
3. Consider a gauge-fixed action for a free (Abelian) gauge field Aµ of the form
Z
D 1 µν µ ξ 2 2
S = d x − F Fµν + h ∂ Aµ + h + c̄ ∂ c
4 2
where h is an auxiliary bosonic field and (c, c̄) are anticommuting ghost and antighost
fields.
(a) Verify that this action is invariant under the BRST transformations δAµ = ∂µ c, δc =
0, δc̄ = −h, δh = 0 and that δ is nilpotent.
(b) Show that the action can be written in the form
Z
D 1 T 2
S=− d x Φ ∆Φ + c̄(−∂ )c
2
!
Aµ
where Φ = , ΦT is its transpose and where
h
!
−∂ 2 δ µν + ∂ µ ∂ν ∂ν
∆= .
−∂ µ −ξ
1
(c) Obtain equations for the normalized correlation functions hΦ(x) Φ(0)T i and hc(x) c̄(0)i
and show that
p pν
!
i δµν − (1 − ξ) µp2 ipµ
Z
D −ip·x T
d xe hΦ(x) Φ(0) i = − 2
p −ipν 0
Z
i
dD x e−ip·x hc(x) c̄(0)i = − 2 .
p
(d) Assuming that hδY i = 0 for any Y , consider hδ (Φ(x) c̄(0))i and show that we must
have hh(x) h(0)i = 0. Obtain also a relation between hc(x) c̄(0)i and hAµ (x) h(0)i
which should be verified.
4. For a gauge theory coupled to scalars the single particle states are
|Aaµ (k)i , |φi (k)i , |ca (k)i , |c̄a (k)i ,
where a runs over a basis of the adjoint representation and i similarly indexes the R
representation. These states have non-zero scalar products
hAaµ (k)|Abν (k 0 )i = ηµν δ ab δkk0 hφi (k)|φj (k 0 )i = δij δkk0

hca (k)|c̄b (k 0 )i = hc̄a (k)|cb (k 0 )i = δ ab δkk0
where δkk0 = (2π)d−1 2k 0 δ (d−1)(k − k0 ). The non-zero action of the BRST charge Q is
given by X
Q|Aaµ (k)i = αkµ |ca (k)i , Q|φi (k)i = via |ca (k)i
a
X
a µ
Q|c̄ (k)i = βk |Aaµ (k)i + v̄ai |φi (k)i
i
while the ghost charge Qgh acts non-trivially as
Qgh |ca (k)i = i|ca (k)i , Qgh |c̄a (k)i = −i|c̄a (k)i .
Verify that this is compatible with Q and Qgh being Hermitian if α, β, via and v̄ai are
P
related appropriately. Assume a basis has been chosen so that i v̄ai vib = δab ρa and
so is diagonal. Find the conditions under which the BRST charge Q2 = 0. Use this to
determine the possible physical single particle states.
5. Consider a gauge invariant Lagrangian density of the form

1
L(A) = − tr F µν X(D2 )Fµν ,

4
where Dλ Fµν = ∂λ Fµν + [Aλ , Fµν ] and where X(D2 ) = 1 + (−D2 )r /Λ2r for some scale
Λ. The full quantum Lagrangian with gauge fixing and ghost fields is
1
tr ∂ µ Aµ X(∂ 2 ) ∂ ν Aν + tr c̄ X(∂ 2 ) ∂ µDµ c .

Lq (A, c, c̄) = L(A) −
2ξ
2
(a) Show that the Feynman rules require that the gauge and ghost propagators are
each proportional to p−2−2r .
(b) Show that there must be vertices with n gauge field legs n = 3, . . . , 2r + 4 and with
2r + 4 − n powers of momentum, but that there is just a single vertex involving
both ghost and gauge fields with 2r + 1 momentum factors.
(c) Hence show that in four dimensions, an `-loop Feynman graph with EA external
R∞
gauge field lines and Egh ghost field lines behaves as dκ κδ−1 in the region where
all loop momentum become large simultaneously, where δ = 4−EA −Egh −2r(`−1).

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Part III Maths Lent Term 2018

David Skinner [email protected]

Advanced Quantum Field Theory

2. Let ta be the generators of a Lie algebra g acting in a representation R, with [ta , tb ] =

is completely antisymmetric, where kcd is the Killing form on g. If X = fabc ca cb cc show

|Aaµ (k)i , |φi (k)i , |ca (k)i , |c̄a (k)i ,

hAaµ (k)|Abν (k 0 )i = ηµν δ ab δkk0 hφi (k)|φj (k 0 )i = δij δkk0

5. Consider a gauge invariant Lagrangian density of the form

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