Hamiltonian in terms of creation/annihilation operators

In summary, the homework problem involves writing the Hamiltonian in terms of creation/annihilation operators for a free real scalar field satisfying the Klein-Gordon equation. The Hamiltonian is computed from the Lagrangian and the fields are rewritten in a more convenient form to simplify the calculations. The use of commutation relations and momentum integrations are necessary to obtain the final result.
  • #1
leo.
96
5

Homework Statement


Consider the free real scalar field [itex]\phi(x)[/itex] satisfying the Klein-Gordon equation, write the Hamiltonian in terms of the creation/annihilation operators.

Homework Equations


Possibly the definition of the free real scalar field in terms of creation/annihilation operators [tex]\phi(x)=\int \dfrac{d^3k}{(2\pi)^3} \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{2\omega_k}}(a(k) e^{-ik_\mu x^\mu}+a^\dagger(k)e^{ik_\mu x^\mu})[/tex] and also the commutation relations [tex][a(k),a^\dagger(k')]=(2\pi)^3\delta(k-k') \quad [a(k),a(k')]=[a^\dagger(k),a^\dagger(k')]=0.[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


First I've computed the Hamiltonian of the theory from the Lagrangian as
[tex]H=\int d^3x \left(\dfrac{1}{2}\pi^2+\dfrac{1}{2}(\nabla \phi)^2+\dfrac{1}{2}m^2\phi^2 \right)[/tex]
with this we know that we need [itex]\pi(x)=\partial_t \phi(x)[/itex] and [itex]\nabla \phi(x)[/itex]. I computed both of them from the definition of [itex]\phi(x)[/itex] and found
[tex]\pi(x)=-i\int \dfrac{d^3 k}{(2\pi)^3}\sqrt{\dfrac{\omega_k}{2}}(a(k)e^{-i k_\mu x^\mu} - a^\dagger(k)e^{i k_\mu x^\mu})[/tex]
and
[tex]\nabla \phi(x)=i \int \dfrac{d^3k}{(2\pi)^3}\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{\omega_k}}\mathbf{k}(a(k)e^{-ik_\mu x^\mu}+a^\dagger(k)e^{ik_\mu x^\mu}).[/tex]

Now I believe we just need to put everything into the formula and see what comes out, but it turns out this seems like a bad idea, as it didn't give much to work with. I found out (now I write [itex]kx = k_\mu x^\mu[/itex] for brevity)
[tex]H=\int d^3x \dfrac{1}{2} \int \dfrac{d^3 k d^3 k'}{(2\pi)^6}\left( \sqrt{\dfrac{\omega_k \omega_{k'}}{4}}(a(k)e^{-ikx}-a^\dagger(k) e^{ikx})(a(k')e^{-ik'x}-a^\dagger(k')e^{ik'x})+\dfrac{\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{k}'}{\sqrt{4\omega_k \omega_{k'}}}(a(k)e^{-ikx}-a^\dagger(k) e^{ikx})(a(k')e^{-ik'x}-a^\dagger(k')e^{ik'x})+\dfrac{m^2}{\sqrt{4\omega_k \omega_{k'}}}(a(k)e^{-ikx}+a^\dagger(k) e^{ikx})(a(k')e^{-ik'x}+a^\dagger(k')e^{ik'x}) \right)[/tex]

after that I'm stuck. I know somehow I must use the commutation relations. I also know that the integral over [itex]x[/itex] and over [itex]k'[/itex] should disappear, leaving just one integral over [itex]k[/itex]. But I don't have any idea how to do this.
 
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  • #2
You have to multiply out the different terms. Then, use that
##\frac{1}{(2\pi)^3}\int d^3 x e^{i(k-k')x}=\delta^{(3)}(k-k')##
 
  • #3
Actually some time after I've posted the thread I found out a simple way to do it. It was just a matter of rewriting the fields in a more convenient way:

[tex]\phi(x)=\int \dfrac{d^3k}{(2\pi)^3} \dfrac{1}{2\omega_k}(a_k+a_{-k}^\dagger)e^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{x}}[/tex]

where now the creation/annihilation operators carry the time dependency. Using this one can easily integrate over the exponentials to generate deltas and from the deltas perform one of the momentum integrations getting the result.
 

1. What is the Hamiltonian in terms of creation/annihilation operators?

The Hamiltonian in terms of creation/annihilation operators is a mathematical representation of the total energy of a quantum system. It is written in terms of operators, which are mathematical objects that act on quantum states, and specifically the creation and annihilation operators. These operators create or destroy particles in the quantum system and are used to describe the dynamics of the system over time.

2. How do creation/annihilation operators relate to the Hamiltonian?

The creation and annihilation operators are used to construct the Hamiltonian of a quantum system. The Hamiltonian is written as a sum of terms, each containing creation and annihilation operators, which represent the different energy levels and interactions within the system. The operators act on the quantum states to determine the energy of the system and how it evolves over time.

3. What are the properties of creation/annihilation operators?

Creation and annihilation operators have a number of important properties, including commutation relations, which describe how they interact with each other, and how they transform when acting on different quantum states. They also have specific eigenvalues, which represent the energy levels of the system, and can be used to calculate the probability of a particular state occurring.

4. How is the Hamiltonian used in quantum mechanics?

The Hamiltonian is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics and is used to describe the dynamics of a quantum system. It is used to calculate the energy of a system and how it changes over time. By solving the equations of motion derived from the Hamiltonian, we can determine the behavior and evolution of a quantum system, and make predictions about the future state of the system.

5. How does the Hamiltonian relate to the Schrödinger equation?

The Schrödinger equation is a fundamental equation in quantum mechanics that describes how the state of a quantum system changes over time. The Hamiltonian plays a crucial role in this equation, as it is used to determine the time evolution of the quantum state. By solving the Schrödinger equation with the Hamiltonian, we can make predictions about the behavior and properties of a quantum system.

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