32 Chapter 2. The Klein-Gordon Field Particle Creation by a Classical Source There is one type of interaction, however, that we are already equipped to handle. Consider a Klein-Gordon field coupled to an external, classical source field j(x). That is, consider the field equation (& +m?)o(a) = j(2), (2.61) where j(x) is some fixed, known function of space and time that is nonzero only for a finite time interval. If we start in the vacuum state, what will we find after j(x) has been tumed on and off again? The field equation (2.61) follows from the Lagrangian L= 50nd)? — amd? + j(a) ola). (2.62) But if j(<) is turned on for only a finite time, it is easiest to solve the problem using the field equation directly. Before j(x) is turned on, ¢(x) has the form Bp 1 (Qn) 2B, If there were no source, this would be the solution for all time. With a source, the solution of the equation of motion can be constructed using the retarded Green’s function: = do(x) ify Dr(x ~ y)i(y) Bp 1 wm De om a — y) x (cP ED — PED) p(y). (2.63) go(z) = (ape-”* + abe"). = dole) +i fay If we wait until all of j is in the past, the theta function equals 1 in the whole domain of integration. Then ¢(z) involves only the Fourier transform of j, ato) = f yee, evaluated at 4-momenta p such that p? = m?. It is natural to group the positive-frequency terms together with ap and the negative-frequency terms with af; this yields the expression (a) a aE + pEin)e® ey he}. You can now guess (or compute) the form of the Hamiltonian after j(«) has acted: Just replace ap with (ap + ij(p)/\/2Ep) to obtain (2.64) = { Bas - FaETO) (+ TRIO),