7

Path-integral

7.1

Path-integral in quantum mechanics

The analogue of Green function in QM is

Gn(t1, , tn) := q , t|TQ(t1) Q(tn)|q , t,

(1)

Q(t)|q, t = q|q, t.

(2)

where
How to calculate this?
Consider q , t|q , t. It is, in the Schrodinger picture,
t )

q , t|q , t = q |eiH(t

|q .

(3)

One may insert a complete set and obtain

q , t|q , t =
dq1 q |eiH(t t )/2|q1q1|eiH(t t )/2|q .
This can be repeated and obtain

N
N

dqj dpj
qk+1|pk pk |eiHt|qk ,
j=1

(4)

k=0

where qN +1 = q , q0 = q and t = (t t)/(N + 1).

If N is large,
pk |eiHt|qk eiH(pk ,qk )tpk |qk ,
which implies

N

j=1

dqj dpj

(5)

eipk (qk+1qk )eiH(pk ,qk )t

k=0

[
DqDp exp i

dt (p(t)q(t)
H(p(t), q(t))) . (6)

The path-integral is an integration over all functions p(t), q(t).

For the case
1 2
H(p, q) =
p + V (q),
(7)
2m
Then the p(t)-integration can be (formally) done and
[
]

(m
)
t
Dq exp i
dt
q(t)
2 V (q(t)) .
(8)
2

t
The integrand in the exponent is the Lagrangian.
The case with insertions of Q(t) can be calculated similarly.

q , t|Q(t1)|q , t =
dq1 q , t|q1, t1q1q1, t1|q , t. (9)
This indicates that

q , t |Q(t1)|q , t =

q(t )=q

Dq e

dq1

q(t1 )=q1

iS[q]

q1

q(t1 )=q1

q(t )=q

Dq eiS[q]q(t1).

Dq eiS[q]
(10)

For the case with multiple Qs, a careful check shows that

q , t|TQ(t1) Q(tn)|q , t =
Dq eiS[q]q(t1) q(tn). (11)
(1) can be calculated by evaluating the path-integral.
Note: Insertions of P (t)s can be also dealt with in similar way,
as long as the path-integral of p(t) is retained.

7.2

The generating functional

The generating function is a useful tool. E.g.

1 5
1 ( 1+ 5 t
an n
f (t) :=
t = e 2 e 2 t
n!
5
n=0
for Fibonacci sequence {an}.
Similarly, one may consider
n

i
Z[f ] :=
dnt Gn(t1, , tn)f (t1) f (tn),
n!
n=1

(12)

(13)

where f (t) is an arbitrary function. Gn(t1, , tn) can be recovered as


1
1

(14)
Gn(t1, , tn) :=

Z[f ]
f (t)=0
i f (t1)
i f (t1)
where the functional derivative is defined as

f (t) = (t t).
f (t)

(15)

x
i
This is a (naive) generalization of x
j = j .
Recalling the path-integral representation of Gn(t1, , tn),

iS[q]+i dt f (t)q(t)
Z[f ] =
Dq e
.
(16)

This generating functional contains all information of QFT.

7.3

i prescription

Z[f ] has an implicit dependence on q , q , i.e. initial and final

states. As in LSZ formula, it would be better to consider the
amplitude from ground state to ground state.
Recall

|q , t = eiHt |q .
Insert the energy eigenstates |n,

|q , t =
eiEnt |nn|q .

(17)

(18)

As a trick, replace H with (1 i)H and take t limit.

Then
|00|q ,
(19)
as long as H is shifted such that E0 = 0.
Consider f, t|Q(t)|i, t for generic boundary conditions. Then
lim

lim
f,
t
|Q(t)|i,
t

lim

lim
f,
t
|00|Q(t)|00|i,
t
.

t + t

t + t

(20)

The limit is the expectation value for the ground state, up to normalization.
The amplitude from ground state to ground state is therefore
[ +
]

0|0 =
Dq exp i
dt L(q(t), q(t))

.
(21)

The generating functional is constructed similarly.

References

[1] Srednicki, Quantum Field Theory, Chapter 6.