What is the physical meaning of the position operator in QFT?

In summary, the conversation is discussing the physical meaning of the position operator X_mu in QFT and its relationship to the wave function and correlation functions. The position operator is demoted to a parameter while the wave function is promoted to an operator. The fields in QFT do not have much significance, as the focus is on calculating correlation functions and determining the probability of particle detection at different positions.
  • #1
weisheme
2
0
I'm reading some QFT and have been puzzled by the following question:
What's the physical meaning of the position OPERATOR X_\mu in QFT? whose position does it measure?:confused: Thanks for any help.
 
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  • #2
I believe, in QFT, that in order to obtain sensible results, you end up demoting the position operator into a parameter of the problem, like time in "classica" quantum mechanics, while you promote the wave function to the status of an operator.
 
  • #3
Thanks, StatMechGuy, I agree on the point you talked about, there is a 'position' that simply is the parameter for the position dependent operator function \phi(x). But what I asked about is the position OPERATOR whose eigenstate is |x>, that's the operator in the expression: <x'|\phi|x''>=\delta(x'-x'')\phi(x')
 
  • #4
In qft the fields really don't mean much, it is correlation function we are looking to calculate. We ask the question, if a particle is created at x, what is the probably it will be destroyed (detected) at x'. This will be proportional to

<0|Psi(x)Psi+(x)|0>=-iG(x,x')
 

1. What is the position operator in quantum field theory (QFT)?

The position operator in QFT is a mathematical operator that describes the position of a particle in space at a particular point in time. It is an important concept in quantum mechanics and is used to calculate the probability of finding a particle at a given position.

2. How is the position operator represented in QFT?

In QFT, the position operator is represented by a vector operator, denoted as x. This operator acts on the wave function of a particle, giving the position of the particle as a vector in three-dimensional space.

3. What is the commutation relation of the position operator in QFT?

The position operator in QFT obeys the canonical commutation relation, which states that the position operator and its conjugate momentum operator do not commute. This is expressed as [x, p] = iħ, where i is the imaginary unit and ħ is the reduced Planck's constant.

4. How is the position operator related to the momentum operator in QFT?

The position and momentum operators in QFT are related through the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, which states that the uncertainty in the position and momentum of a particle cannot both be zero simultaneously. This is expressed mathematically as ΔxΔp ≥ ħ/2, where Δx and Δp are the uncertainties in the position and momentum, respectively.

5. What is the physical significance of the position operator in QFT?

The position operator in QFT is a fundamental quantity that helps us understand the behavior of particles at the quantum level. It is used to calculate the expectation value of the position of a particle, which is a measure of the most probable position of the particle. This operator also plays a crucial role in the formulation of many physical laws and theories in quantum mechanics.

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