Hamiltonian in terms of creation/annihilation operators

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on deriving the Hamiltonian for a free real scalar field \(\phi(x)\) in terms of creation and annihilation operators, specifically using the Klein-Gordon equation. The Hamiltonian is expressed as \(H=\int d^3x \left(\frac{1}{2}\pi^2+\frac{1}{2}(\nabla \phi)^2+\frac{1}{2}m^2\phi^2 \right)\), where \(\pi(x)\) and \(\nabla \phi(x)\) are computed from the field definition. The key to simplifying the Hamiltonian lies in rewriting the field as \(\phi(x)=\int \frac{d^3k}{(2\pi)^3} \frac{1}{2\omega_k}(a_k+a_{-k}^\dagger)e^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{x}}\), allowing for straightforward integration and application of commutation relations.

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  • Understanding of quantum field theory concepts, particularly the Klein-Gordon equation.
  • Familiarity with creation and annihilation operators in quantum mechanics.
  • Knowledge of Hamiltonian mechanics and its formulation in field theory.
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leo.
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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.
 
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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')##
 
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:

\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}}

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.
 

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