Problem Set 4 - Solutions

Due: Sept. 28
PHY 342 Fall 2006

1 The Lorentz Group

Problem 3.1 in Peskin & Schroeder: The Lorentz commutation relations are
given by
[J µν , J ρσ ] = i (η νρ J µσ − η µρ J νσ − η νσ J µρ + η µσ J νρ ) , (1)
where η is the flat Minkowksi metric η = diag(1, −1, −1, −1).
(a) Define the generators of rotations and boosts as
1 ijk jk
Li =
 J , K i = J 0i . (2)
2
An infinitesimal Lorentz transformation can be written as
 
Φ → 1 − iθ~ · L ~·L
~ − iβ ~ Φ. (3)

Write the communtation relations of these vector operators explicitly.

Show that the combinations
1 ~ 
J~± = ~
L ± iK (4)
2
commute with one another and separately satisfy satisfy the commutation
relations of angular momentum.

 
1 ikl kl 1 jmn mn
[Li , Lj ] =  J ,  J
2 2
i ikl jmn lm kn
δ J − δ km J ln − δ ln J km + δ kn J lm


=−   (5)
4
= ikli knj J ln = i δ ln δ ij − δ lj δ ni J ln

= iJ ij = iijk Lk ,

where we have used J ij = ijkLk , which can easily be verified.

 
1 ikl kl 0j i
[Li , K j ] = = ikl −δ lj J k0 + δ kj J l0


 J ,J
2 2 (6)
= iijk J 0k = iijk K k

[K i , K j ] = J 0i , J 0j = −iJ ij = −iijk Lk .
 
(7)
Thus we find the component Lorentz algebra Lie bracket relations

[Li , Lj ] = iijk Lk , [Li , K j ] = iijk K k , [K i , K j ] = −iijk Lk . (8)

1
 Now we choose a different basis of generators of the Lorentz algebra:

i 1 i 1 i
L + iK i , J−

i
L − iK i


J+ = = (9)
2 2
with Lie bracket relations
! !
1 (1) (2) (2) (1)
i j i j
:
 i j:
 j i
:
 i j
:


[J+ , J− ] = [L
 ,L ] + i 
 [K, L ] + 
 [K, L ] + 
 [K, K ] = 0

4
i j 1
[Li , Lj ] + i [K i , Lj ] − [K j , Li ] − [K i , K j ]



[J+ , J+ ]= (10)
4
1
= iijk Lk + i(K k + K k ) + Lk = iijk J+ k


4
i j
[J− , J− ] = iijk J−
k
.

Thus we have found two separate commuting SO(3) ' SU (2) algebras.

(b) The finite-dimensional representations of the rotation group in three di-

mensions are labeled by integer or half-integers. The result of part (a)
implies that all finite-dimensional representations of the four-dimensional
Lorentz group can be labeled by pairs of integers or half-integers (j+ , j− ).
Using the fact that J~ = 12 ~σ in the spin- 21 representation of the SU(2),
write explicitly the transformation laws of the 2-component objects trans-
forming according to the ( 12 , 0) and (0, 12 ) representations of the Lorentz
group.

The 12 , 0 representation is a singlet under the transformations generated by J~− ,

while 0, 21 is a singlet under J~+ . Being a singlet means that these objects transform

in the trivial representation; i.e., the representation matrices of the generators act
as 0 on them. Using the transformation law in Eq.(3) given a representation of J, ~ K
~
1 1 ~ 1



and that for the 2 , 0 , 0, 2 representations we have J = 2 ~σ , we have
 
~ ~σ ~ ~σ
ψ( 1 ,0) → 1 − iθ · − β · ψ( 1 ,0)
2 2 2 2
 
~σ ~ ~σ (11)
ψ(0, 1 ) → 1 − iθ~ · + β · ψ(0, 1 )
2 2 2 2

⇒ ψL = ψ( 1 ,0) , ψR = ψ(0, 1 ) .
2 2

2
(c) The identity ~σ T = −σ 2~σ σ 2 allows us to rewrite the ψL transformation in
the unitarily equivalent form
 
~σ ~ ~σ
ψL σ → ψ 0 1 + iθ~ · + β
T 2
· T 2
ψL σ . (12)
2 2

Using this law, we can represent an object that transforms as ( 21 , 12 ) as a

2 × 2 matrix that has the ψR transformation law on the left and the ψL
transformation law on the right. Parametrize this matrix as
 0
V + V 3 V 1 − iV 2

. (13)
V 1 + iV 2 V 0 − V 3

Show that the object V µ transforms as a 4-vector.

Taking σ 0 = diag(1, 1), the matrix in Eq.(13) is

 0
V + V 3 V 1 − iV 2

µ
V σ̄µ = , (14)
V 1 + iV 2 V 0 − V 3

i.e. we choose as a basis for 2 × 2 complex matrices the identity and the three Pauli
matrices (Note: σ̄ µ = (12×2 , −~σ ) → σ̄µ = (12×2 , ~σ )). Acting from the left and right
by matrix multiplication as described above, we find
  
0 ~ ~σ ~ ~σ ~ ~σ ~ ~σ
σ = 12×2 → 12×2 − iθ · + β · 12×2 + iθ · + θ ·
2 2 2 2
= 12×2 + β ~ · ~σ
   
i ~ ~σ ~ ~σ i ~ ~σ ~ ~σ (15)
σ → 12×2 − iθ · + β · σ 12×2 + iθ · + β ·
2 2 2 2
i 1 ~
= σ i − [θ~ · ~σ , σ i ] + {β · ~σ , σ i }
2 2
= σ i + β i − (θ~ × ~σ )i ,

where we have used the commutation and anticommutation properties of the Pauli
matrices.
Thus we have
β1 β2 β3
      
12×2 0 12×2
 σ1   1 θ3 −θ2   1 
 2  → 14×4 + β 2 0   σ 2 .

3 1   (16)
 σ   β −θ 0 θ σ 
σ3 β 3 θ2 −θ1 0 σ3

3
From this we find
 0 T   0 T
β1 β2 β3
     
V 12×2 V 0 12×2
V 1   σ 1  V 1  β 1 0 θ3 −θ2  1 
  σ 2 

 2 ·  2  ⇒  2 14×4 +  2
V   σ  V   β −θ3 0 θ 1  
σ 
3 3
V σ V3 β3 θ2 −θ1 0 σ3
= V 0µ σ̄µ
 00  (17)
β1 β2 β3
   0 
V 0 V
V 0 1   β 1 0 −θ3 θ2   V 1 
⇒
V 0 2  = 1 + β 2
     
θ3 0 −θ1  V 2 
V0
3 β3 −θ2 θ1 0 V3
V 0µ = Λµν V ν

so V µ transforms as a four-vector.

4
2 Supersymmetry
Problem 3.5 in Peskin & Schroeder, with (c) for extra credit: It is possible to
write field theories with continuous symmetries linking bosons and fermions -
supersymmetries.

(a) The simplest example of a supersymmetric field theory is the theory of a

free complex boson and a free Weyl fermion, written in the form

L = ∂µ φ∗ ∂ µ φ + iχ† σ̄ µ ∂µ χ + F ∗ F. (18)

Here F is an auxiliary (non-dynamical) complex scalar field whose equa-

tion of motion is F = 0. Show that this Lagrangian is invariant (up to a
total divergence) under the infinitesimal transformation

δ φ = −iT σ 2 χ
δ χ = F + σ µ ∂µ φσ 2 ∗ (19)
† µ
δ F = −i σ̄ ∂µ χ,

where  is a 2-component spinor of Grassmann numbers.

Note that for two Grassmann valued numbers , χ, complex conjugation is defined
as
(χ)∗ = χ∗ ∗ . (20)
In spinor components it is fairly easy to show that

χ† σ 2 ∗ = † σ 2 χ∗ (21)

Now we have

δ L =∂µ φ∗ ∂ µ (−iT σ 2 χ) + (
F ∗
† + T σ 2 σ · ∂φ∗ )iσ̄ · ∂χ


F ∗( † ( (
(22)
(
+( (−i
(( σ̄ · ∂χ) + (c.c. + total divergence)
=∂µ φ ∂ (−iT σ 2 χ) + T σ 2 σ · ∂φ∗ · iσ̄ · ∂χ + (c.c. + total divergence)
∗ µ

Simplify one part as follows:

(σ · ∂φ∗ )(σ̄ · ∂χ) = −φ∗ (σ · ∂)(σ̄ · ∂)χ + (total divergence)

= −φ∗ ∂ 2 χ + (total divergence) (23)
∗ µ
= ∂µ φ ∂ χ + (total divergence)

and replace this into δ L:

δ L = −iT σ 2 ∂µ φ∗ ∂ µ χ + iT σ 2 ∂µ φ∗ ∂ µ χ + (c.c. + total divergence)

(24)
= 0 + (total divergence).

5
(b) Show that the term
1
∆L = [mφF + mχT σ 2 χ] + c.c. (25)
2
is also invariant under the transformations of part (a). Elimate F from
thr complete Lagrangian L + ∆L by solving its field equation, and show
that the fermion and boson fields φ and χ are given the same mass.

Here we have

T χF + φ · −i† σ̄ · ∂χ + i(

σ 2 T
+ † (−σ 2 )[∂φ · (σ T )]σ 2 χ)] + (c.c)

−i
δ ∆L = m[ F 
= m[−iφ† σ̄ · ∂χ + i(† (−σ 2 )[∂φ · (σ 2 σ̄σ 2 )]σ 2 χ) + (c.c)
= m[−iφ† σ̄ · ∂χ + i† φσ̄ · ∂χ) + (c.c + total divergence)
= 0 + (total divergence)
(26)

With a total Lagrangian L + ∆L the field equation for F becomes (by varying the
total Lagrangian with respect to F ∗ )

F + mφ∗ = 0 ⇒ F = −mφ∗ (27)

Substituting this into the Lagrangian we get

  
∗ µ † 2 ∗ 2 ∗ 1 T 2
Ltot = ∂µ φ ∂ φ + χ iσ̄ · ∂χ + m φ φ + −m φ φ + imχ σ χ + (c.c.)
2
  (28)
∗ µ † 2 ∗ 1 T 2
= ∂µ φ ∂ φ + χ iσ̄ · ∂χ − m φ φ + imχ σ χ + (c.c.)
2

which results in a Majorana fermion and a complex scalar boson, each with mass
m.
Note that from a functional integration point of view, F is an auxiliary integration
variable with (shifted) Gaussian weight. By solving the non-dynamical (i.e., no
time derivative) equation of motion for F and substituting back in the action, we
are really completing the square for F and subequently integrate it out.
It is actually quite instructive to observe that the supersymmetry algebra “squares”
to spacetime translations (in field space). When we integrate out the auxiliary field,
this is only true on-shell, i.e. by using the equations of motion.

6
(c) It is possible to write supersymmetric nonlinear field equations by adding
cubic and higher order terms to the Lagrangian. Show that the follow-
ing rather general field theory, containing the supersymmetry multiplet
(φi , χi ), i = 1, dots, n, is supersymmetric:

L =∂µ φ∗i ∂ µ φi + χ†i iσ̄ · ∂χi + Fi∗ Fi

i ∂ 2 W (φ) T 2 (29)
 
∂W (φ)
+ Fi + χ σ χj + (c.c.)
∂φi 2 ∂φi ∂φj i

We want to examine the variation of L as in Eq.(29) under a supersymmetry trans-

form, wherein all fields are varied in the same way as in part (a). The part outside
the parenthesis is guaranteed to be invariant (up to a total divergence), so we con-
sider the variation of the term in the parenthesis.

2 : (1)

∂W (φ) ∂ W (φ)
∆L = − i† σ̄ · ∂χi + Fi · −iT 2
σ χj

∂φi   ∂φi ∂φj
:0


i ∂ 3
W (φ)  
T 2
· −i σ χk χTi σ 2 χj

+  
2  ∂φi ∂φ  j∂φ
k

  
2 (1) (30)
∂ W (φ)  
Fi T + †i (−σ 2 )(σ 2 σ̄σ 2 ) · ∂φi  σ 2 χj 
*

+2
∂φi ∂φj


+ (c.c.)
∂W (φ) ∂ 2 W (φ)
= −i† σ̄ · ∂χi − i† σ̄ · ∂φi χj + (c.c.)
∂φi ∂φi ∂φj
 
∂W (φ)
= ∂µ −i† σ̄ µ χi + (c.c.)
∂φi

wherein we used the symmetry of partial derivatives a number of times. Thus the
new Lagrangian is invariant up to a total divergence, and thus is supersymmetric.
Note that the mass term of part (b) is nothing but a quadratic superpotential.