Role of zero modes in the canonical quantization of heavy-fermion QED in light-cone coordinates

Journal Article · Wed Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.48.5873· OSTI ID:5686727

Brown, R W; Jun, J W; Shvartsman, S M; Taylor, C C ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (United States)

Four-dimensional heavy-fermion QED is studied in light-cone coordinates with (anti)periodic field boundary conditions. We carry out a consistent light-cone canonical quantization of this model using the Dirac algorithm for a system with first- and second-class constraints. To examine the role of the zero modes, we consider the quantization procedure in the zero-mode and the nonzero-mode sectors separately. In both sectors we obtain the physical variables and their canonical commutation relations. The physical Hamiltonian is constructed via a step-by-step exclusion of the unphysical degrees of freedom. An example using this Hamiltonian in which the zero modes play a role is the verification of the correct Coulomb potential between two heavy fermions.

• OSTI ID: 5686727
• Journal Information: Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States) Vol. 48:12; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

662110* -- General Theory of Particles & Fields-- Theory of Fields & Strings-- (1992-)
662220 -- Quantum Electrodynamics-- (1992-)
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CANONICAL TRANSFORMATIONS
COMMUTATION RELATIONS
DEGREES OF FREEDOM
ELECTRODYNAMICS
FIELD THEORIES
HAMILTONIANS
LIGHT CONE
MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
QUANTIZATION
QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
QUANTUM OPERATORS
SPACE-TIME
TRANSFORMATIONS
WILSON LOOP