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3P1c Quantum Field Theory: Example Sheet 3 Michaelmas 2021

Corrections and suggestions should be emailed to N.Dorey@damtp.cam.ac.uk.

1. The chiral representation of the Clifford algebra is

0 σi
   
0 0 12 i
γ = , γ = .
12 0 −σ i 0
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Show that these indeed satisfy {γ µ , γ ν } = 2η µν 1. Find a unitary matrix U such that
(γ ′ )µ = U γ µ U † , where (γ ′ )µ form the Dirac representation of the Clifford algebra

0 σi
   
′ 0 12 0 ′ i
(γ ) = , (γ ) = .
0 −12 −σ i 0

2. Show that if {γ µ , γ ν } = 2η µν , then

[γ µ γ ν , γ ρ γ σ ] = 2η νρ γ µ γ σ − 2η µρ γ ν γ σ + 2η νσ γ ρ γ µ − 2η µσ γ ρ γ ν .

Show further that the matrices S µν := 14 [γ µ , γ ν ] = 21 (γ µ γ ν −η µν ) form a representation

of the Lie algebra of the Lorentz group.

3. Using just the Clifford algebra {γ µ , γ ν } = 2η µν (without reference to a particular

representation) and defining γ 5 = iγ 0 γ 1 γ 2 γ 3 , p/ = pµ γ µ and S µν = 41 [γ µ , γ ν ], prove
the following results:

(a) Trγ µ = 0
(b) Tr(γ µ γ ν ) = 4η µν
(c) Tr(γ µ γ ν γ ρ ) = 0
2
(d) (γ 5 ) = 1
(e) Trγ 5 = 0
(f) p/ q✁ = 2p · q − q✁ p/ = p · q + 2S µν pµ qν
(g) Tr( p/q)
✁ = 4p · q
(h) Tr( p/1 . . . p/n ) = 0 if n is odd
(i) Tr( p/1 p/2 p/3 p/4 ) = 4 [(p1 · p2 )(p3 · p4 ) + (p1 · p4 )(p2 · p3 ) − (p1 · p3 )(p2 · p4 )]
(j) Tr(γ 5 p/1 p/2 ) = 0
(k) γµ p/ γ µ = −2 p/
(l) γa p/1 p/2 γ a = 4p1 · p2
(m) γµ p/1 p/2 p/3 γ µ = −2 p/3 p/2 p/1
(n) Tr(γ 5 p/1 p/2 p/3 p/4 ) = 4i ǫµνρσ pµ1 pν2 pρ3 pσ4

4. The plane-wave solutions to the Dirac equation are

 √  √
p · σξ s p · σξ s
 
s s
u (~p) = √ and v (~p) = √ ,
p · σ̄ξ s − p · σ̄ξ s

Mathematical Tripos III: Quantum Field Theory 1 N.Dorey@damtp.cam.ac.uk, Michaelmas 2021

 Copies available at http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/examples/indexP3.html

where σ µ = (1, ~σ ) and σ̄ µ = (1, −~σ ) and ξ s , with s ∈ {1, 2}, is a basis of orthonormal
two-component spinors, satisfying (ξ r )† · ξ s = δ rs . Show that

ur (~p)† · us (~p) = 2p0 δ rs

ūr (~p) · us (~p) = 2mδ rs

and similarly,

v r (~p)† · v s (~p) = 2p0 δ rs

Copyright © 2021 University of Cambridge. Not to be quoted or reproduced without permission.

v̄ r (~p) · v s (~p) = −2mδ rs .

Show also that the orthogonality condition between u and v is

ūs (~p) · v r (~p) = 0,

†
while taking the inner product using requires an extra minus sign

us (~p)† · v r (−~p) = 0.

5. Using the same notation as Question 4, show that

2
X
us (~p)ūs (~p) = p/ + m,
s=1
2
X
v s (~p)v̄ s (~p) = p/ − m,
s=1

where, rather than being contracted, the two spinors on the left-hand side are placed
back to back to form a 4×4 matrix.

6. The Fourier decomposition of the Dirac field operator ψ(x) and the hermitian conju-
gate field ψ † (~x) is given by
2
d3 p 1 X s s
Z
i~
p·~
x s† s −i~p·~
x

ψ(~x) = b u (~
p )e + c v (~p )e ,
(2π)3 2Ep s=1 p~ p
~
p

2
d3 p 1 X h s † s † −i~p·~x
Z i
† s s † i~p·~
x
ψ (~x) = b u (~
p ) e + c v (~
p ) e .
(2π)3 2Ep s=1 p~ p
~
p

The creation and annihilation operators are taken to satisfy

{brp~ , bsq~† } = (2π)3 δ rs δ (3) (~p − ~q),

{crp~ , csq~† } = (2π)3 δ rs δ (3) (~p − ~q) ,

with all other anticommutators vanishing. Show that these imply that the field and
its conjugate field satisfy the anti-commutation relations

{ψα (~x), ψβ (~y )} = {ψα† (~x), ψβ† (~y )} = 0,

{ψα (~x), ψβ† (~y )} = δαβ δ (3) (~x − ~y ).

Mathematical Tripos III: Quantum Field Theory 2 N.Dorey@damtp.cam.ac.uk, Michaelmas 2021

 Copies available at http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/examples/indexP3.html

7. Using the results of Question 6, show that the quantum Hamiltonian

Z
H = d3 x ψ̄(−iγ i ∂i + m)ψ

can be written, after normal ordering, as

2
d3 p
Z X
r† r r† r

H= E p
~ b p
~ b p
~ + c p
~ c p
~ .
(2π)3
Copyright © 2021 University of Cambridge. Not to be quoted or reproduced without permission.

r=1

8. The Lagrangian density for a fermionic Yukawa theory is given by

L = 12 (∂φ)2 − 12 µ2 φ2 + ψ̄(i ∂
/ − m)ψ − λφψ̄ψ.

Consider ψ ψ̄ → ψ ψ̄ scattering, with initial and final states given by,

4Ep~ Eq~bsp~ † crq~† |0i

p
|ii =
p ′† ′†
|f i = 4Ep~ Eq~bps~′ crq~′ |0i .

Show that the amplitude is given by

!
[ūs (p~′ ) · us (~p)][v̄ r (~q) · v r (q~′ )] [v̄ r (~q) · us (~p)][ūs (p~′ ) · v r (q~′ )]
′ ′ ′ ′

A = −(−iλ)2 − .
t − µ2 s − µ2

where t = (p−p′ )2 and s = (p+q)2 . Draw the two Feynman diagrams that correspond
to these two terms.

Mathematical Tripos III: Quantum Field Theory 3 N.Dorey@damtp.cam.ac.uk, Michaelmas 2021