leo.
- 90
- 4
Homework Statement
Consider the free real scalar field \phi(x) 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 \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}) and also the commutation relations [a(k),a^\dagger(k')]=(2\pi)^3\delta(k-k') \quad [a(k),a(k')]=[a^\dagger(k),a^\dagger(k')]=0.
The Attempt at a Solution
First I've computed the Hamiltonian of the theory from the Lagrangian as
H=\int d^3x \left(\dfrac{1}{2}\pi^2+\dfrac{1}{2}(\nabla \phi)^2+\dfrac{1}{2}m^2\phi^2 \right)
with this we know that we need \pi(x)=\partial_t \phi(x) and \nabla \phi(x). I computed both of them from the definition of \phi(x) and found
\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})
and
\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}).
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 kx = k_\mu x^\mu for brevity)
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)
after that I'm stuck. I know somehow I must use the commutation relations. I also know that the integral over x and over k' should disappear, leaving just one integral over k. But I don't have any idea how to do this.