Quantum Field Theory: Example Sheet 2

Dr David Tong, October 2007

1. A string has classical Hamiltonian given by
H =

n=1
_
1
2
p
2
n
+
1
2

2
n
q
2
n
_
(1)
where
n
is the frequency of the nth mode. (Compare this Hamiltonian to the La-
grangian (3) in Example Sheet 1. We have set the mass per unit length in that ques-
tion to = 1 to simplify some of the formulae a little). After quantization, q
n
and p
n
become operators satisfying
[q
n
, q
m
] = [p
n
, p
m
] = 0 and [q
n
, p
m
] = i
nm
(2)
Introduce creation and annihilation operators a
n
and a

n
,
a
n
=
_

n
2
q
n
+
i

2
n
p
n
and a

n
=
_

n
2
q
n

i

2
n
p
n
(3)
Show that they satisfy the commutation relations
[a
n
, a
m
] = [a

n
, a

m
] = 0 and [a
n
, a

m
] =
nm
(4)
Show that the Hamiltonian of the system can be written in the form
H =

n=1
1
2

n
_
a
n
a

n
+ a

n
a
n
_
(5)
Given the existence of a ground state |0 such that a
n
|0 = 0, explain how, after
removing the vacuum energy, the Hamiltonian can be expressed as
H =

n=1

n
a

n
a
n
(6)
Show further that [H, a

n
] =
n
a

n
and hence calculate the energy of the state
|l
1
, l
2
, . . . , l
N
=
_
a

1
_
l
1
_
a

2
_
l
2
. . .
_
a

N
_
l
N
|0 (7)
1
2. The Fourier decomposition of a real scalar eld and its conjugate momentum in the
Schrodinger picture is given by
(x) =
_
d
3
p
(2)
3
1
_
2E
p
_
a
p
e
i px
+ a

p
e
i px
_
(8)
(x) =
_
d
3
p
(2)
3
(i)
_
E
p
2
_
a
p
e
i px
a

p
e
i px
_
(9)
Show that the commutation relations
[(x), (y)] = [(x), (y)] = 0 and [(x), (y)] = i
(3)
(x y) (10)
imply that
[a
p
, a
q
] = [a

p
, a

q
] = 0 and [a
p
, a

q
] = (2)
3

(3)
( p q) (11)
3. Consider a real scalar eld with the Lagrangian
L =
1
2

1
2
m
2

2
(12)
Show that, after normal ordering, the conserved four-momentum P

=
_
d
3
xT
0
takes
the operator form
P

=
_
d
3
p
(2)
3
p

p
a
p
(13)
where p
0
= E
p
in this expression. From this expression for P

verify that if (x) is

now in the Heisenberg picture, then
[P

, (x)] = i

(x) (14)
4. Show that in the Heisenberg picture,

(x) = i[H, (x)] = (x) and (x) = i[H, (x)] =

2
(x) m
2
(x) (15)
Hence show that the operator (x) satises the Klein-Gordon equation.
5. Let (x) be a real scalar eld in the Heisenberg picture. Show that the rela-
tivistically normalized one-particle states |p =
_
2E
p
a

p
|0 satisfy
0| (x) |p = e
ipx
(16)
2
6. In Example Sheet 1, you showed that the classical angular momentum of eld is
given by
Q
i
=
ijk
_
d
3
x (x
j
T
0k
x
k
T
0j
) (17)
Write down the explicit form of the angular momentum for a free real scalar eld with
Lagrangian (12). Show that, after normal ordering, the quantum operator Q
i
can be
written as
Q
i
= i
ijk
_
d
3
p
(2)
3
a

p
_
p
j

p
k
p
k

p
j
_
a
p
(18)
Hence conrm that the quanta of the scalar eld have spin zero (i.e. a stationary
one-particle state |p = 0 has zero angular momentum).
7. The purpose of this question is to introduce you to non-relativistic quantum eld
theory. This is the only place you will encounter such a thing in this course. Consider
the Lagrangian for a complex scalar eld given by
L = +i

0

1
2m

(19)
Determine the equation of motion, the energy-momentum tensor and the conserved
current arising from the symmetry e
i
. Show that the momentum conjugate to
is i

and compute the classical Hamiltonian.

We now wish to quantize this theory. We will work in the Schrodinger picture.
Explain why the correct commutation relations are
[(x), (y)] = [

(x),

(y)] = 0 and [(x),

(y)] =
(3)
(x y) (20)
Expand the elds in a Fourier decomposition as
(x) =
_
d
3
p
(2)
3
a
p
e
i px

(x) =
_
d
3
p
(2)
3
a

p
e
i px
(21)
Determine the commutation relations obeyed by a
p
and a

p
. Why do we have only
a single set of creation and annihilation operators a
p
, a

p
even though is complex?
What is the physical signicance of this fact? Show that one particle states have the
energy appropriate to a free non-relativistic particle of mass m.
3
8. Show that the time ordered product T((x
1
)(x
2
)) and the normal ordered product
: (x
1
)(x
2
) : are both symmetric under the interchange of x
1
and x
2
. Deduce that
the Feynman propagator
F
(x
1
x
2
) has the same symmetry property.
9. Verify Wicks theorem for the case of three scalar elds:
T ((x
1
)(x
2
)(x
3
)) = : (x
1
)(x
2
)(x
3
) : +(x
1
)
F
(x
2
x
3
)
+(x
2
)
F
(x
3
x
1
) + (x
3
)
F
(x
1
x
2
) (22)
10. Consider the scalar Yukawa theory given by the Lagrangian
L =

+
1
2

M
2

1
2
m
2

2
g

(23)
Compute the amplitude for
Nucleon-Anti-Nucleon annihilation +

at order g
Nucleon-Meson scattering + + at order g
2
4