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Physical review. D. Particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology/Physical review. D. Particles and fields

Path-integral solutions of the Dirac equation

G. J. Papadopoulos, J. T. Devreese

Published Apr 15, 1976• 23 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The feasibility of applying the path-integral formalism for solving the Dirac equation is shown in the case of a free particle for which the Dirac propagator is obtained by evaluating an appropriate path integral, directly constructed from the Dirac equation. Furthermore, the propagator for a Dirac electron in a constant magnetic field is indirectly obtained from the propagator of an auxiliary wave equation by evaluating a world-line (space-time path) integral. The spectrum of the Dirac equation is also, in this case, extracted from an auxiliary propagator.

DOI
10.1103/physrevd.13.2227

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The feasibility of applying the path-integral formalism for solving the Dirac equation is shown in the case of a free particle for which the Dirac propagator is obtained by evaluating an appropriate path integral, directly constructed from the Dirac equation. Furthermore, the propagator for a Dirac electron in a constant magnetic field is indirectly obtained from the propagator of an auxiliary wave equation by evaluating a world-line (space-time path) integral. The spectrum of the Dirac equation is also, in this case, extracted from an auxiliary propagator.
The solution of Dirac particles confined in a one-dimensional finite square well potential is solved by using the path-integral formalism for Dirac equation. The propagator of the Dirac equation in case of the bounded Dirac particles is obtained by evaluating an appropriate path integral, directly constructed from the Dirac equation. The limit of integration techniques for evaluating path integral is only valid for the piecewise constant potential. Finally, the Dirac propagator is expressed in terms of standard special functions.
Rigorous path integral formulas are given which represent, in two space-time dimensions, the fundamental solution of the Cauchy problem for the Dirac equation as well as the retarded and advanced propagators for the Dirac particle. It is also shown that the theory can be applied to a free particle and a particle in a central electric field in four space-time dimensions and reveals some aspects of the path integral. Heuristically discussed is the connection with the phase space path integral or Hamiltonian path integral.
An exact path-integral solution of the Dirac equation with a Coulomb potential is found. The energy-dependent Green's function of the second-order Dirac-Coulomb equation, expressed as a polar-coordinate path integral, is reduced to the exactly solvable path integral for an isotropic harmonic oscillator by a coordinate transformation combined with a local time rescaling. The Green's function of the linear Dirac equation is evaluated with the help of the Biedenharn transformation. The energy spectrum for the bound states is also obtained.