Deriving charge for Noether current in free complex scalar field QFT

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Homework Help Overview

The original poster attempts to derive the expression for the conserved Noether charge associated with a free complex scalar field in quantum field theory. The problem involves using mode expansions and the Lagrangian for the field, which includes a symmetry leading to a Noether current.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the integration process and the implications of changing the order of integration. There are attempts to manipulate the integrals involving creation and annihilation operators, and questions arise regarding the treatment of terms dependent on momentum.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered suggestions for changing the order of integration and noted potential issues with sign errors in the exponential terms. The discussion has evolved towards integrating over spatial components and recognizing the role of delta functions in the context of the integrals.

Contextual Notes

There are references to sign errors in the expressions for the fields and their conjugates, which have been acknowledged as a source of confusion. The original poster expresses uncertainty about the integration process over spatial components and the expected outcomes.

Azelketh
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Homework Statement


Hi I a attempting to derive the expression for the conserved Noether charge for a free complex scalar field.
The question I have to complete is: " show, by using the mode expansions for the free complex scalar field, that the conserved Noether charge (corresponding to complex phase rotations) is given by
Q= \int \frac{\partial^3 p}{(2\pi)^3} ( a_p^* a_p - b_p^* b_p) <br />
Where a_p, a_p^* and b_p, b_p^* are the creation and annihilation operators for 2 kinds of particles respectively"

Homework Equations



The Lagrangian for a free complex scalar field is;
L= \frac{1}{2} \partial_μ \psi \partial^μ \psi- \frac{1}{2}m^2\psi^2

I have recognized that there is a symmetry of\psi → e^{ i\alpha } \psi

which leads to a Noether current of
j_μ = i \partial _μ \psi^* \psi - i \partial _μ \psi \psi^*
Q= \int \partial ^3 x j_0 = i \int \partial ^3 x ( \partial _0 \psi^* \psi - \partial _0 \psi \psi^* )
Q=i \int \partial ^3 x ( \psi \dot{\psi^*} - \psi^* \dot{\psi} )
where
\dot{\psi} = \pi ^*
\dot{\psi^*} = \pi
so Q=i \int \partial ^3 x ( \psi \pi - \psi^* \pi ^* )
And the mode expansions;
\psi = \int \frac{\partial^3 P}{(2\pi)^3} \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 ω_p}}( a_p e^{ip.x } + b_p^* e^{-ip.x})
\psi^* = \int \frac{\partial^3 P}{(2\pi)^3} \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 ω_p}}( a_p^* e^{-ip.x} + b_p e^{ip.x })
\pi = i\int \frac{\partial^3 P}{(2\pi)^3} \sqrt{ \frac{ω_p}{2}}( a_p^* e^{-ip.x } - b_p e^{ip.x})
\pi^* = -i\int \frac{\partial^3 P}{(2\pi)^3} \sqrt{\frac{ω_p}{2}}( a_p e^{ip.x } - b_p^* e^{-ip.x})

The Attempt at a Solution



I have then plugged these into the Q equation;
Q=i \int \partial ^3 x [ \int \frac{\partial^3 P}{(2\pi)^3} \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 ω_p}}( a_p e^{ip.x } + b_p^* e^{-ip.x}) <br /> i\int \frac{\partial^3 P}{(2\pi)^3} \sqrt{ \frac{ω_p}{2}}( a_p^* e^{-ip.x } - b_p e^{ip.x})<br /> - \int \frac{\partial^3 P}{(2\pi)^3} \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 ω_p}}( a_p^* e^{-ip.x} + b_p e^{ip.x }) (-i)\int \frac{\partial^3 P}{(2\pi)^3} \sqrt{\frac{ω_p}{2}}( a_p e^{ip.x } - b_p^* e^{-ip.x}) ]
so factoring out the i's and 2 pi's from the integrals;
Q=\frac{i^2}{(2\pi)^6} \int \partial ^3 x [ \int \partial^3 P \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 ω_p}}( a_p e^{ip.x } + b_p^* e^{-ip.x}) <br /> \int \partial^3 P \sqrt{ \frac{ω_p}{2}}( a_p^* e^{-ip.x } - b_p e^{ip.x})<br /> + \int \partial^3 P \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 ω_p}}( a_p^* e^{-ip.x} + b_p e^{ip.x }) \int \partial^3 P \sqrt{\frac{ω_p}{2}}( a_p e^{ip.x } - b_p^* e^{-ip.x}) ]
It's at this point I'm utterly stuck on how to procede, I did think that could cancel the sqrt ω terms but they depend on p: ω_p = \sqrt{P^2 + m^2}
so as they are inside integrals dependent on P they can't be cancelled.

I am at an utter loss how to proceed from here though. If anyone can offer any pointers or assistance is would be greatly appreciated.
EDIT: made a sign error in exponential's for \psi and \psi^*
 
Last edited:
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You can try changing the order of integration and doing the x integration before the p integrations.
 
Ok, I see how you can change the order of the integration, and changing one of the P's to r to make it clearer to me, to get :
<br /> Q=\frac{-1}{(2\pi)^6} \int \partial ^3 x [ \int \partial^3 P \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 ω_p}}( a_p e^{ip.x } + b_p^* e^{-ip.x}) <br /> \int \partial^3 r \sqrt{ \frac{ω_r}{2}}( a_r^* e^{-ir.x } - b_r e^{ir.x}) <br /> + \int \partial^3 P \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 ω_p}}( a_p^* e^{-ip.x} + b_p e^{ip.x }) \int \partial^3 r \sqrt{\frac{ω_r}{2}}( a_r e^{ir.x } - b_r^* e^{-ir.x}) ]<br />
<br /> Q=\frac{-1}{(2\pi)^6} \int \partial ^3 x [ \int \partial^3 P \sqrt{\frac{ω_r}{ ω_p}}<br /> ( a_p e^{ip.x } + b_p^* e^{-ip.x}) <br /> \int \partial^3 r ( a_r^* e^{-ir.x } - b_r e^{ir.x}) <br /> + \int \partial^3 P \sqrt{\frac{ω_r}{ ω_p}}( a_p^* e^{-ip.x} + b_p e^{ip.x }) \int \partial^3 r ( a_r e^{ir.x } - b_r^* e^{-ir.x}) ]<br />
<br /> Q=\frac{-1}{(2\pi)^6} ( \int \partial^3 P \int \partial^3 r \int \partial ^3 x \sqrt{\frac{ω_r}{ ω_p}}( a_p e^{ip.x } + b_p^* e^{-ip.x} ) <br /> ( a_r^* e^{-ir.x } - b_r e^{ir.x}) <br /> + \int \partial^3 P \int \partial^3 r \int \partial ^3 x \sqrt{\frac{ω_r}{ ω_p}}( a_p^* e^{-ip.x} + b_p e^{ip.x })( a_r e^{ir.x } - b_r^* e^{-ir.x}) )<br />

<br /> Q=\frac{-1}{(2\pi)^6} ( \int \partial^3 P \int \partial^3 r \int \partial ^3 x \sqrt{\frac{ω_r}{ ω_p}}<br /> ( a_p a_r^* e^{i( p - r ).x} -a_p b_r e^{i( p + r).x} + b_p^* a_r^* e^{-i( p + r ).x} -b_p^* b_r e^{i( r - p ).x} )<br /> + \int \partial^3 P \int \partial^3 r \int \partial ^3 x \sqrt{\frac{ω_r}{ ω_p}}<br /> ( a_p^* a_r e^{i( r - p ).x} -a_p^* b_r^* e^{-i( P + r ).x} + b_p a_re^{i( p + r).x} - b_p b_r^* e^{i( p - r ).x} )<br />

I'm not sure how to go about integrating the x components;
I've never integrated anything over \partial^3 x and am struggling to find anything that can help explain it.
would;
<br /> \int \partial ^3 x a_p^* a_r e^{ i(p +r).x} = \frac{1}{ (i(p+r))^3}a_p^* a_r e^{ i(p +r).x}<br />
or as its a dot product in the exponential,
<br /> \int \partial ^3 x a_p^* a_r e^{ i(p +r).x} = \int \partial ^3 x a_p^* a_r e^{ i( (p1 +r1)x1 + (p2+r2)x2 +(p3+r3)x3 )}<br />
<br /> = \frac{1}{i^3(p1+r1)(p2+r2)(p3+r3) }a_p^* a_r e^{ i(p +r).x}<br />

But I'm sort of expecting the x integral to give some kind of delta function in r so that the r integral is easy leaving just the p integral ie the required result.
EDIT: maybe the commutation relations for the ap and bp operators will give delta functions, now to get the x integral out of the way first!
EDIT2: corrected sign error in exponential's.
 
Last edited:
The delta function will come in through a well known "identity" that you can find here http://dlmf.nist.gov/1.17 (see equation 1.17.12).

Before going further, make sure you have the correct signs in your exponential functions for ##\pi## and ##\pi^*## (that you used to construct ##Q##).
 
ah, I think its \psi and \psi^* that have the incorrect signs.
Will edit through all above to correct this.

Bloody sign errors, when will they end!
 
ahh finally solved it,
using
<br /> \int \partial^3 x e^{i(p+r).x} = (2\pi)^3 \delta^3(p+r)
and working through.

Thanks for the assitance TSny!
 

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