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Why is $langle 0| phi (x) phi (y) |0 rangle = int frac{d^3p}{(2pi)^2} frac{1}{2E_p} e^{-i p (x-y)}$ ? (Peskin and Schroeder equation 2.50)

Physics Asked by Xincify on March 29, 2021

More specifically, starting from $langle 0| phi (x) phi (y) |0 rangle$ I have arrived at the expression:

$D(x-y)=langle 0| phi (x) phi (y) |0 rangle= {Largeint int} frac{d^3p cdot d^3q}{(2 pi)^3} frac{1}{2E_q} delta^{(3)}( vec p – vec q) e^{i(q cdot y -p cdot x)}={Largeint int} frac{d^3p cdot d^3q}{(2 pi)^3} frac{1}{2E_q} delta^{(3)}( vec p – vec q) e^{i(q_0y^0 – vec q cdot vec y -p_0x^0+ vec p cdot vec x)}= {Largeint } frac{d^3p}{(2 pi)^3} frac{1}{2E_p} e^{i(q_0y^0 -p_0x^0+ vec p cdot (vec x – vec y))}$

However, I should be getting ${ Largeint} frac{d^3p}{(2pi)^2} frac{1}{2E_p} e^{-i p (x-y)}$

I don’t understand why, since the delta function is 3D and thus does not act on $q_0$ to change it into $p_0$ (which would result in Peskin’s formula). What am I missing?

One Answer

$p_0$ and $q_0$ are functions of $mathbf{p}$ and $mathbf{q}$. Namely ($m$ is the mass of the particle):

$p_0 = sqrt{mathbf{p}^2 +m^2} quadquad text{and} quad quad q_0 = sqrt{mathbf{q}^2 +m^2}$

(This is not valid for virtual particles however). Therefore when the $delta$-function is applied $q_0rightarrow p_0$, so the problem is solved.

Background : The motion of a free particle is governed by a dispersion relation, for a Schroedinger particle it is $E = frac{(hbar mathbf{k})^2}{2m} = frac{mathbf{p}^2}{2m}$, ($mathbf{k}$ is the wave vector) for a photon it is $E^2=mathbf{p}^2$, and for a relativistic scalar particle (and other types of particles) $E^2=mathbf{p}^2 +m^2$ (speed of light $c$ set to 1).

Correct answer by Frederic Thomas on March 29, 2021

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