State-space-based approach to quantum field theory for arbitrary observers in electromagnetic backgrounds (Q1612532)

The authors treat the equation \(i\nabla_0\psi({\mathfrak x},t)= \widehat H_1\psi\equiv(- i\gamma^0\gamma^k\nabla_k+ m\gamma^0)\psi\), \(\nabla_\mu \psi= (\partial_\mu+ ie{\mathfrak A}_\mu)\psi\), with \(\langle\psi({\mathfrak x},t)\mid\phi({\mathfrak x},t)\rangle= \int d^3{\mathfrak x}\psi^\dagger\phi\). The Slater determinant is \[ \psi_1\wedge \psi_2\wedge\cdots\wedge \psi_n\equiv (n!)^{-1/2}\sum_\sigma \text{sign}(\sigma)\cdot|\psi_{\sigma(1)}\rangle|\psi_{\sigma(2)}\rangle\cdots|\psi_{\sigma(n)}\rangle, \] and \[ i[\psi]: \phi_1\wedge\cdots\wedge \phi_n\to \sum_i(-1)^{i+1}\cdot \langle \psi\mid\phi_1\rangle \phi_i\wedge\cdots\wedge \phi_i\wedge\cdots\wedge \phi_n\in\wedge^{n- 1}{\mathfrak H}. \] \({\mathfrak H}^+(t_0)({\mathfrak H}^-(t_0))\): the span of the positive (negative) spectrum of \(\widehat H_1(t_0)\). They define the vacuum at \(t_0\), \(|\text{vac}_{t_0}\rangle\), as the normalized Slater determinant of any basis of \({\mathfrak H}^-(t_0)\), which is a realization of the Dirac sea. Let \(a(u_{t_0})= i[u_{t_0}]\), \(a^\dag(u_{t_0})= u_{t_0}\wedge\), \(b(v_{t_0})= v_{t_0}\wedge\), \(b^\dag(v_{t_0})=i[v_{t_0}]\); for \(u_{t_0}\in{\mathfrak H}^+(t_0)\) and \(v_{t_0}\in{\mathfrak H}^-(t_0)\). They derive the time-dependent Bogoliubov constants, and \(S\)-matrix elements from the vacuum. Next using the concept of ``rader time'', they give a definition of particle \((S\)-matrix elements), which depends only on the observer's motion and the background present. Finally, they show how their formalism is related to more conventional methods, using the field operator \(\widehat\psi(x)\).