Path integral formula for vacuum to vacuum amplitude

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the path integral formula for vacuum to vacuum amplitude as presented in Schwartz's "Quantum Field Theory and the Standard Model." The user identifies a potential oversight in Schwartz's treatment of the complete sets of states, specifically regarding the factors involving the vacuum state |0⟩ and their relationship to the Hamiltonian operator \(\hat{H}\). The resolution lies in recognizing that the vacuum state |0⟩ is an eigenstate of both the field operator \(\hat{\Phi}\) and the Hamiltonian \(\hat{\mathcal{H}}\), confirming that these factors do not disrupt the calculation of the amplitude.

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ShayanJ
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I'm reading the path integral chapter of Schwartz's "Quantum Field theory and the Standard model". Something seems wrong!
He starts by putting complete sets of states(field eigenstates) in between the vacuum to vacuum amplitude:

## \displaystyle \langle 0;t_f|0;t_i \rangle=\int D\Phi_1(x)\dots D\Phi_n(x) \langle 0|e^{-i\delta t\hat H (t_n)}|\Phi_n\rangle \langle \Phi_n| \dots |\Phi_1\rangle \langle \Phi_1|e^{-i\delta t\hat H (t_0)}|0\rangle \ \ \ \ \ \ (*) ##

Then he computes ## \langle \Phi_{j+1}|e^{-i\delta t\hat H(t_j)}|\Phi_j\rangle ## and says that all these pieces multiply to give:

## \displaystyle \langle 0;t_f|0;t_i\rangle\propto \int D \Phi(\vec x,t) e^{iS[\Phi]}##

My problem is, not all of the factors in (*) are of the form## \langle \Phi_{j+1}|e^{-i\delta t\hat H(t_j)}|\Phi_j\rangle ##. We also have ## \langle 0|e^{-i\delta t\hat H (t_n)}|\Phi_n\rangle ## and ## \langle \Phi_1|e^{-i\delta t\hat H (t_0)}|0\rangle ##. But it seems Schwartz just ignores these two factors!
What's going on here?
Thanks
 
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I now understand it. ## |0\rangle ## is an eigenstate of both ## \hat \Phi ## and ## \hat{\mathcal H} ##, i.e. ## \hat \Phi|0\rangle=0 ## and ## \hat{\mathcal H}|0\rangle=E_0|0\rangle ## and this is true because the vacuum state is the same as the state with no excitation.
 

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