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JD_PM
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- TL;DR Summary
- I wanted to discuss the generalization of free-Maxwell's solution. More insight is very welcomed.
Please note that
I'll write ##A^{\mu} := A^{\mu}(x)## for simplicity.
I'll work in natural units.
The Lagrangian density ##\mathscr{L} = -\frac 1 2 (\partial_{\mu} A_{\nu})(\partial^{\mu} A^{\nu})## has equations of motion
$$\Box A^{\mu}=0 \tag{1}$$
We expand ##A^{\mu}## in a complete set of solutions of the harmonic equation ##(1)##
$$A^{\mu}=A^{\mu+}+A^{\mu-} \tag{2.1}$$
Where
$$A^{\mu+}=\sum_{r=0}^3 \sum_{\vec k}\Big(\frac{1}{2V \omega_{\vec k}} \Big)^{1/2} \epsilon_r^{\mu}(\vec k) a_r(\vec k)e^{-ik \cdot x} \tag{2.2}$$
$$A^{\mu-} = \sum_{r=0}^3 \sum_{\vec k}\Big(\frac{1}{2V \omega_{\vec k}} \Big)^{1/2} \epsilon_r^{\mu}(\vec k) a_r^{\dagger}(\vec k)e^{ik \cdot x} \tag{2.3}$$
And
$$V=L^3, \ \ \ \ \omega_{\vec k}:= |\vec k|=k^0$$
Alright. I started wondering why there was a volume term involved in the solution expansion. After reading a bit I understood why. It has to do with the concept of a field (which is defined at every spacetime point and describes mechanical systems with infinite degrees of freedom) and making the problem simpler.
We are dealing with the vector potential ##A(\vec x , t)## which, at a given instant of time ##t##, must take a value at every spatial point ##\vec x##.
To simplify the problem then, the mechanical system is enclosed in a cube of volume ##V=L^3## and some periodic boundary conditions are imposed
$$x \approx x+L, \ y \approx y+L, \ z \approx z+L, \tag{3}$$
I understand that by doing that, we go from having an arbitrary 3-vector ##\vec k \in \Bbb R^3## to ##\vec k \in 2\pi/L## (where the ##2\pi## factor is chosen so that the solution-expansion term ##\exp(\mp ik \cdot x)=\exp(\mp ik^0 \cdot x^0) \exp(\pm i \vec k \cdot \vec x)## is single-valued).
Thus I understand that ##(2.2)## and ##(2.3)## are solutions of the mechanical system enclosed in a 3D lattice.
Once here: what if we wanted to generalize ##(2.2)## and ##(2.3)## for an infinitely large volume ##V_{\infty}##? Well, then we should take ##L \rightarrow \infty## in our periodic boundary conditions ##(3)##. In such conditions the summation becomes an integral; i.e. (Mandl & Shaw page 12, footnote ##9##)
$$\frac{1}{V} \sum_{\vec k} \rightarrow \frac{1}{(2 \pi)^3} \int d \vec k \tag{*}$$
So I'd say that ##(2.2)## and ##(2.3)## generalize to
$$A^{\mu+}= \frac{1}{\sqrt{16 \pi^{3}}} \sum_{r=0}^3 \int d \vec k \Big(\frac{1}{\omega_{\vec k}} \Big)^{1/2} \epsilon_r^{\mu}(\vec k) \tilde a_r(\vec k)e^{-ik \cdot x} \tag{4.1}$$
$$A^{\mu-} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{16 \pi^{3}}} \sum_{r=0}^3 \int d \vec k \Big(\frac{1}{\omega_{\vec k}} \Big)^{1/2} \epsilon_r^{\mu}(\vec k) \tilde a_r^{\dagger}(\vec k)e^{ik \cdot x} \tag{4.2}$$
Comparing to ##(2.2), (2.3)## we notice that the ladder operators get rescaled
$$a_r (\vec k) \rightarrow \tilde a_r (\vec k) = \sqrt{\frac{V}{(2\pi)^3}} a_r(\vec k) \tag{5.1}$$
And
$$\tilde a_r^{\dagger} (\vec k) =\Big( \tilde a_r(\vec k) \Big)^{\dagger} \tag{5.2}$$
Do you agree with the generalization ##(4.1), (4.2)##?
Extra insight is very welcomed!
Thanks
I'll write ##A^{\mu} := A^{\mu}(x)## for simplicity.
I'll work in natural units.
The Lagrangian density ##\mathscr{L} = -\frac 1 2 (\partial_{\mu} A_{\nu})(\partial^{\mu} A^{\nu})## has equations of motion
$$\Box A^{\mu}=0 \tag{1}$$
We expand ##A^{\mu}## in a complete set of solutions of the harmonic equation ##(1)##
$$A^{\mu}=A^{\mu+}+A^{\mu-} \tag{2.1}$$
Where
$$A^{\mu+}=\sum_{r=0}^3 \sum_{\vec k}\Big(\frac{1}{2V \omega_{\vec k}} \Big)^{1/2} \epsilon_r^{\mu}(\vec k) a_r(\vec k)e^{-ik \cdot x} \tag{2.2}$$
$$A^{\mu-} = \sum_{r=0}^3 \sum_{\vec k}\Big(\frac{1}{2V \omega_{\vec k}} \Big)^{1/2} \epsilon_r^{\mu}(\vec k) a_r^{\dagger}(\vec k)e^{ik \cdot x} \tag{2.3}$$
And
$$V=L^3, \ \ \ \ \omega_{\vec k}:= |\vec k|=k^0$$
Alright. I started wondering why there was a volume term involved in the solution expansion. After reading a bit I understood why. It has to do with the concept of a field (which is defined at every spacetime point and describes mechanical systems with infinite degrees of freedom) and making the problem simpler.
We are dealing with the vector potential ##A(\vec x , t)## which, at a given instant of time ##t##, must take a value at every spatial point ##\vec x##.
To simplify the problem then, the mechanical system is enclosed in a cube of volume ##V=L^3## and some periodic boundary conditions are imposed
$$x \approx x+L, \ y \approx y+L, \ z \approx z+L, \tag{3}$$
I understand that by doing that, we go from having an arbitrary 3-vector ##\vec k \in \Bbb R^3## to ##\vec k \in 2\pi/L## (where the ##2\pi## factor is chosen so that the solution-expansion term ##\exp(\mp ik \cdot x)=\exp(\mp ik^0 \cdot x^0) \exp(\pm i \vec k \cdot \vec x)## is single-valued).
Thus I understand that ##(2.2)## and ##(2.3)## are solutions of the mechanical system enclosed in a 3D lattice.
Once here: what if we wanted to generalize ##(2.2)## and ##(2.3)## for an infinitely large volume ##V_{\infty}##? Well, then we should take ##L \rightarrow \infty## in our periodic boundary conditions ##(3)##. In such conditions the summation becomes an integral; i.e. (Mandl & Shaw page 12, footnote ##9##)
$$\frac{1}{V} \sum_{\vec k} \rightarrow \frac{1}{(2 \pi)^3} \int d \vec k \tag{*}$$
So I'd say that ##(2.2)## and ##(2.3)## generalize to
$$A^{\mu+}= \frac{1}{\sqrt{16 \pi^{3}}} \sum_{r=0}^3 \int d \vec k \Big(\frac{1}{\omega_{\vec k}} \Big)^{1/2} \epsilon_r^{\mu}(\vec k) \tilde a_r(\vec k)e^{-ik \cdot x} \tag{4.1}$$
$$A^{\mu-} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{16 \pi^{3}}} \sum_{r=0}^3 \int d \vec k \Big(\frac{1}{\omega_{\vec k}} \Big)^{1/2} \epsilon_r^{\mu}(\vec k) \tilde a_r^{\dagger}(\vec k)e^{ik \cdot x} \tag{4.2}$$
Comparing to ##(2.2), (2.3)## we notice that the ladder operators get rescaled
$$a_r (\vec k) \rightarrow \tilde a_r (\vec k) = \sqrt{\frac{V}{(2\pi)^3}} a_r(\vec k) \tag{5.1}$$
And
$$\tilde a_r^{\dagger} (\vec k) =\Big( \tilde a_r(\vec k) \Big)^{\dagger} \tag{5.2}$$
Do you agree with the generalization ##(4.1), (4.2)##?
Extra insight is very welcomed!
Thanks