.

ZNNALS OF PHYSICS: 20, 61-77 (1962)

The Bethe-Salpeter Equation in Nonrelativistic Quantum

Mechanics*

f31Lv.a S. SC~TWEBER~

Departn~ent of Physics and Laboratory for Nuclear Science, Massachusetts Institute of

Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts

It, is shown that in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, the Bethe-Salpeter

equation reduces to the SchrGdinger equation determining the relative motion
upon using the translational invariance of the theory.

ISTRODUCTIOiY

The relativisitic wave equation proposed by Bethe and Salpeter (1) and by
Schwinger (2) to describe covariantly a two-body system represented an im-
portant advance in quantum field theory. It allowed the renormalization tech-
niques to be applied to t’he calculation of the properhies of a bound state, thus
giving for t’he first time a consistent covariant description of bound and composite
systems. However, due to the fact, that this two-particle Bethe-Salpeter ampli-
tude was a function of two times (one for each particle) its physical interpretation
and significance was not immediately apparent. Most of these difficaulties have
since been overcome. Thus, for example, Mandelstnm (3) has shown how t’o
calculate t,he matrix elements of any dynamical variable between two bound
st’ates. It has t,hercfore become possible to deduce t,he normalization and
orthogonality properties of these amplitudes. This in turn has allowed one to
obtain a het,t’er physical understanding of the usefulness of the description of a
compos&e system in terms of such B&he-Salpetcr amplitudes.
In the application of field theoretic t’ecahniqucs to multiparticle systems (4),
in particular Green’s function methods, one also encaounters Bethe-Salpeter like
amplitudes. Thus if one focuses one’s attention on any one particlc in a many
particle assembly, the other surrounding particles bchavc as if t#hey wcrc a
medium in which t,his particle moves. Similarly for a two-particle system. The
motion of such a two-particle syst,em in the medium is most readily described
* This work was supported in part by funds provided by the U. S. Atomic Energy Com-
mission, the Office of Naval Research, t.he Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the
National Science Foundation.
i Permanent address: Depart,ment of Physics, Brandeis University, Walt,ham 54, Massa-
chusetts.

Al
62 SCHWEBER

by an amplitude which has many ximilarit’ics with t,hc Bethe-Salpet,er amplitude

in relativistic field theories.
Actually, already when one formulat’es nonrelativistic quantum mechanics
in its second quantized form and carries out reduction techniques to express
srattering matrix elements in closed form (5) one is led in a natural fashion to
a description of bound states in terms of Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes (6).
The present note has as its aim the description of some of the properties of
the Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes for two-particle systems in nonrelativistic quan-
t’um mechanics. The Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes of multiparticle systems and
their dependence on the various relative t’ime coordinates will he dealt with
elsewhere.
In Section I we briefly review the definition of Schrbdinger amplitudes in
t,erms of the quantized field operators. Section II defines t,he Bethe-Salpeter
amplitudes and deduces some of their properties. Section III generalizes these
results to situations involving external fields.
I. THE SCHRiiDIS(:ER AMPLITUDES
We are interested in the descript’ion of syst’ems of identical particles inter-
actmingwith one another through t#wo-body forces, which are characterized by
t#he(second quantized) Hamiltonian

H = j d”x~*(x,t) (- ~d)i(x, t)
i

where ZJ(/ x - x’ 1) is the two-parMe interaction potent#ial which, due t,o trans-
lat#ional and rotational invariance, is a funct#ion of 1x - x’ / only. The Heiwn-
berg field operat80rsJ/(x, t) and #*(x’, t) sat#isfy the following equal t,ime com-
mut,at ion rules :
w, t), W, t)lrt = [+*(x7 0, +*ix’, t>l* = 0 i2aj
Mx, t), +*w, Ql+ = 6(x - x’) (2b)
t’he commutator ([il, B]- = AB - BA) being the appropriate rule for a system
of bosons, and the ant’icommutator ([A, B]+ = Al3 + BB) the appropriate
rule for fermions. We fix the representation of these commutation rules by
asserting the existence of a no-parMe state / 0), with the property t#hat

$J(x, t) / 0) = 0 for all x and t (3a)

Taking t’hc adjoint of this equation we deduce the fact, t,hat #*(x, t) operating
 BETHG-SALPETER EQUATION 63

to the left) on t,he no-particle &ate annihilates it:

(0 I fi*cx, t) = 0 i3b)
The equat’ion of mobion sat,isfied by the field operator is

ifi& ax, t) = M(x, t), 6 i4a)

= -g V2$(x, t) + f flz.&5*jx’, t,u( lx - X’IMX’, the, t> (It))

With the notation

and

J(x, tj = 1 dYlji*( x’, t)v( lx - X’JMX’, tM(x, t) (3))

t,he equat,ion of motion for $(x, t) can be written as

S(X, tj+(x, tj = J(x, t) (6)

The presence of the creation operator #*lx’, t) standing to the left of all other
operators in the expression for J(x, t) is particularly to be noted. It has the
consequence t)hat’ (0 / J(x, t) = 0 by virtue of Eq. ( 13).
In order to minimize not,ational encumbrances we shall restrict ourselves in
the present section to a system of hosons interact,ing through two-body forces
as described by the Hamikonian $1 of Eq. (1.1 ). Recall that the Hamiltonian
is the t,ime tjranslation operat’or so that, for any operator F(x, f) which does not
depend explicitly on the time

c iHf’;hjqX, t)p-“‘f’:h = pcx, t + p)

(7)
Ecluat,ion (1.4aJ is of course simply Eq. ( 1.7) for the cast F(x, t) = #(x, t)
and t’ infinitesimal.
The number operator

N(f)
=sdf-$*(X,
ti+(x,
t) (8)
commutes mit,h H so that N(t) is a const’ant, of t,he motion, N(t) = N: There
is no creation or annihilation of particles.
The tot,al momentum operator P is identified with t*he generat,or for transla-
tions. For any operat,or F(x, t) (not explicitly depending on x) P must, be such
64 SCHWEBER

that
e--ip+(X, Qe+- = F(x + a, t) (‘3)
For the case that a is infinitesimal one deduces from Eq. (1.9) that
[F(x, t>, P] = -&VF(x, t) (10)
An explicit representation of P is given by

P = ; / d3z(J/*(X, t)( --ifiV)\L(x, t) + inW*(x, t) *ti(x, t) 1 (11)

This operator commutes with H and hence is likewise a constant of the motion.
One verifies that by virtue of the commutation rules (1.2a) (1.2b), Eq. (1.10)
is satisfied with P given by Eq. ( 1.11).
Since N, P, and H all commute with one another we can choose a representa-
tion in which all these observables are diagonal. The no-particle state 10) is a
simultaneous eigenstate of these three commuting observables with all three
eigenvalues equal to zero
NjO) = H\O) = PIO) = 0 (12)
Consider next a one-particle system described by the st#ate vector ( 1, p, E)
with

N I 1, P, E) = 1 I 1, P, -V (13a)

H I 1, P, E) = E I 1, P, E) (13b)
P I 1, P, E’) = P I 1, P, E) (13c)
The only nonvanishing Fock space amplitude describing this system is given by

f;fk t> = (0 I +(x, t> I 1, P, E) (14)

By virtue of the equation of motion of #(x, t), Eq. (l.ib), and the property
( 1.3b) of the no-particle &ate, f$( x, t) obeys the following equation

ina,j;;~(x, t) = -2 v2$(x, t) (15)

Furthermore since the vector / 1, p, E) is an eigenst’ate of P and H with eigen-

value p and E respectively

.&%, 1) = (0 I J/b, t> I 1, P, E)

= (0 , ei(f+-P’X)/h,)(O, Oje-i(~t--P~X)/h / 1, p, E) (161

=e --i(Et-p’r’ih(O j ~(0, oj j 1, p, E)
 BETHE-SALPETER EQlJrlTION 65

Hence, it followsfrom Eq. (1.15) thatI = Ep = p’l/2m. The amplitude jp,,,(x, t)

is therefore the SchrGdinger amplitude usually used for the description of a
one-particle syst,em. We shall normalize our one-particle states in such a way
that
0, P’, E,f I 1, P, J%J = a(~ - P’)
in which case the amplitudes j$,( x, 1) are similarly normalized since

(Ha)
= s d341, P, E:, I#*(x, t) IOX0 I dx, 0 I 1, P’, %>

zz (1, p, &I I / d3M”b, tM(x, t) I 1, P’, 14’) (1%)

= (1, p, E, 11, p’, 4’) = 6(p - p’) (18c)

The step in going from Eq. (l.lSa) to Eq. (1.1%) makes use of the fact that
since 1 1, p, I$,) is a one-particle state, the state $(x, t) 1 1, p’, EP,) only has
nonvanishing components on the no-particle state. One can Oherefore add to
Eq. (1.18a) the vanishing cont’ribution

where the states j n} run over a complete set of st#ates in the n = 1, 2, 3 . . .

particle subspaces. But since cfn, j n)(n 1 is the identity operator, Eq. (1.18b)
follows. The step from Eq. (1.1%) to (1.18~) recognizes Jd3x#*(x, t)#(x, t)
as the number operator. Operating on the one-particle stak 1 1, p’, IQ) it repro-
duces this st,ate with eigenvalue 1. Our normalization also implies that
(0 ] yqo, 0) 1 1, p, EP) = (27r)-3’? (19a)
The completeness of t,hc one-part,iclc stat’es is the statement that

Consider nest. a two-particlc syskm described by the shake vector I 2; p, It:, a),
where
N j 2, p, E, (Y) = 2 j 2, p, E, cx) (20a)
p I 2, P, E, a> = P I 2, P, E, 4 (20b)
H 12, p, E, a) = E I 2, p, E, a) (2Oc)
and CYdenotes the eigenvalues of whatever other commuting ohstrvables can be
used to characterize further our two-particle &ate. The Fock space amplitude

f;%a(xl , x2, t) = (0 1$(x1, W(x2 7 t1 I 2, P, E, 4 (21)

due to the Bose character of the particles (as implied by the equal time commu-
tation rules (1.2)) is symmetric under t’he interchange of the particles

f;Lxixl , x2 , t) = f;,2,,(xP, Xl ) t) 1_32)

and satisfies, by virtue of Eqs. (1.3) and (1.4)) the following equation of motion:

(23)
+ 41 Xl - x2 I,f;~~.&h, x2,1)
By virtue of the translational invariance of the t#heory, Eq. (1.9))
f:&(xl) X2) t> = (0 1e--iP.a’h#(X1, f)l+qX? , t)eiP.a’he-p.a’h/ 2, p, E, a)
= (0 1#(xl + a, t)#(xz + a, t) 1 2, p, E, CX)~-‘~‘~‘~ (24a)
= fiyi,a(xl + a, x2 + a, t)f~-~~‘~‘~
for arbitrary a, so that, upon choosing a = -$$(xl + x2 )
f;LI(xl, x2, t) = (0 / #((Xl - x2)/2, Q#(- (Xl - x2)/2, t) / 2, p, E’, cX>
+ip~~kl+r~)/t)/h (24b >
. e

Similarly, by virtue of Eq ( 1.7)

f;:L(xl, x2 , t) = (0 1G( (Xl - x2)/2, OM - (Xl - x2)/2, 0) / 2, p, E, a)
.e-i(Et-p~k~+x~)/Z)lh (25)

= g;y;,a(X1 _ X2)e-i(Et-P.(x1 fX?)/2)ih

which establishesj~~~.cI(XI , XP, t) as the usual Schrbdinger amplitude used in

t,he description of a system of two identical Bose particles interacting through
a time independent potential V( / x - x’ \ ).
In concluding this section we not#ethat t’he amplitude &i,,(r), r = x1 - x.’ ,
which describes the relative motion

v%,dr) = (0 I #(Pi r, OM -3 r, 0) I 2, P, E, 4 (2Gj

can be further reduced by introducing into Eq. (1.26) a complete set of states

vk2,4r) = g (0 I K $4_ r, 0) 1n)(n ( 9( - +,i r, 0) [ 2, p, E, CX) (27)

4
 BETHE-SALPETER EQtr’ATION 67

Clearly, only the one-part.icle states contribute to the sum over 1n) hence

= s __
&)3/2
d3q
e(i’h)(q-1’2p)‘r(l, q, Eq / #(O, 0) 12, p, E, a) (28)

d”y e(i’h)q’r(l, q + %p, Eq+l,zp / $(O, 0) 12, p, E, a)

= s (27r)3’2

Equation (1.28) indicates t,hat the matrix element (1, q, Eq 1$(O, 0) 12, p, E, a)
completely determines the amplitude g$, -(r) describing the relative motion.
It states that g::;+(r) is the FOLlrier kansform of t#hemakix element (1, q + >6p,
Eq+q+(m I do, 0) I 2, P, E, 4
II. THE HETHE-SALPETER AMPLITUI>ES

The Bethe-Salpetcr amplitude for a two-particle system is defined as

(2)
Pp,E,n (xl, 4, x2, tz) = (0 j 3($(x1, t&(x.~, tzjj 13, p, E, a> i 1)
where 3 is the Wick chronological operator: 3 operating on a product of time
labeled operators rewrites the product in chronological order, i.e., in the same
order as the sequenceof t’heir time label with the la&t one standing furthest to
t#heleft as if all commutators (for bosons) and anticommutators (for fermions)
were equal t,o zero. In particular for two boson operators
3($4x1 , t&(x2 ) t2>:1= e(t1 - Q4Xl ) tMx2, t2)
+ ect2 - tdlC/(x*, tz)kqxl, td (2a)

= pii [#(Xl, hj, #(x2, hjl+

(2b)
+ 46 46 - tP)[#(Xl, hj, #(x2, h)l
where 0(t) = +l if t > 0, e(t) = 0 for t < 0, and equal to $6 for t = 0; c(t) =
+l for t > 0, -1 for 1 < 0, and equal to zero for t = 0. The relation between
t,hesetwo step functions is
e(t) = Ji’(l + c(t)) iw
The Bose character of the part,icles is now reflected in t,he symmetry prop&y
/3‘“‘(x, ) t1 , x2 , t2) = pyx2 ) tz ) Xl ) tl) (4)

of the amplitude. The properties (1.20a)-( 1.20~) of the state vector 12, p, h’, a)
can be translated into t’he following properties of the Bet’he-Salpet,er amplit,ude
ifi(i(at, + dt2)P;itz(x1, tl , x2 , t2) = E&z(x& , xz,tz) (5aj

-ifi(V, + V2)B:2E’(Xl, 6, x2, t2) = p~~hk, t1, x2, t2> (5b)

68 SCHWEBEH

More generally, using the t’ime hranslational invariance of the theory, we deduce
that the integrated form of Eq. (2.5a) is

P$L<Xl , 4 , x2 , t2)

= ( I #(Xl, (4 - h)/2Mxz , -(11 - h)P) I 2, p, E, a)

$ilh)E(tl+tz)l? if tl > t2 (6ai

= (0 I ax2 , -(h - t2)la)G(xl , i,h - q/2 I 2, p, E’, a)

,e--(‘/fi)E(‘l+‘p)/’ if t2 > tl i6b)

which expressions can be w&en more concisely in t#he form

B$L(Xl , t1 , x2 ) t2) = {O(T){0 j #(Xl, ~i~)lfqX2 ) -?$)I 2, p, E’, a>
(6~)
+ e( -T) (0 / #(x2 ) -%7)$(x1 ) +&)I 2, p, E, LY))f3--(i’h)ET
where
7 = fl - t2 (7%)
is the relative time and
?’ = )‘:L(fl + t2) i7b)
is the “center-of-mass” time. Similarly, using the spatial translational invariance
of the theory, we deduce that

&L&h , 11 , x2 , t2> = (O(T) (0 I a $‘i r, $5 T)$‘( -32 r, -.lziT)I 2, p, E’, a)

+ e( -T) (0 ( I+b(-)$ r, -,&i T)J/(?,‘~ r, ?/i T)I 2, p, E, ‘2))

.ewh)(P.X--IST)
(8a)
where
r = x1 - x? (9a)
is the relative coordinate and
x = gi(Xl + x2) i9b)
is the coordinate of the center of mass. The following alternative representation
of pC2’
PgL(x1, 4, x2, td = (e(T) (0 I W$ P, E, +(i’zh’Er
r, T)+(->i r, O)I 2,
i8b)
+ 0(--T) (0 1J/c- 9; r, - T)~( T,.ir, 0) j 2, p, E, o()e-‘i’2’“‘ET)e(i’h’(P.X-ET)
will also prove useful in the subsequent discussion.
Using the representation (2.2b) for t#he 3 product of ti(xl , tl)#(xz , h_) one
 BETHE-SALPETER EQUATIOh- 69

readily verifies that o(2) satisfies the following equation

S(XI , tdX(xz , fz)P:‘,‘,(x,, h , xz , tz) = (0 1NJ(x,, h)J(xz , &))I 2, p, E, a)

+ wt1 - tz) (0 I [#(Xl , tz), J(xe, h)l I‘4 P, E, 4 (10)

where the not’ation defined by Eq. (I 3) has been used. By virtue of the fact
thah

(0I JCXI
, tl) = (0 j J(xz, tz) = 0 (11)
t,he first, term in t,he right hand side of Ey. (2.10) vanishes. Furthermore, since

MdXl , f), JCx2, Ql = $uXt, fhHx2, tM Xl - x21) il2)

Eq. (2.10) reduces to

(13)
= ins(tl - t2)d Xl - x3 1,Lga(Xl ) 4, x2 ) t2)

which in the present context is the Bethe-Salpeber equation for our two-particle
syskm. In terms of relative and cenkr-of-mass coordinates this Bethe-Salpeter
equat,ion assumesthe following form

= ifiS(~)v( j r J)@,(r, X, T, T)

In order to obtain a more explicit characterization of the Bethe-Salpetel

amplitude we introduce a complete set, of stat,es into t’he rcpresentalion (2.8) :

Only the one-particle states contribute t,o the sum over st,ates 1n). If we label
these one-particle st,ates by their momentum q and energy I& = q”/2Tn, then,
since
70 SCHWEBEH

upon making use of Eqs. ( 1.7) and ( 1.9) we find that,

+(~/~)(P.X--ET)~:~E)~(~, T>
& (XI ,h,x2,t2) = e (17a)
where

(17b)
+ ,-(i/h)(q-1/2p) ~re+(i/h)(Eq-I/ZE)~
e( -7) IQ, q,Eq I dO,O) 1% P, E, a>
Notme that the complete r dependence of P@) is explicitly exhibited by Eq. (2.17).
Equation (2.17b) makes evident the fact that. in t’he nonrelativistic sit,uat,ion
only the knowledge of the matrix element (1, q, Ep / #(O, 0) 1 2, p, E, a) is neces-
sary to determine t,he amplitude bb$,a (r, 7) for 7 + 0. Since this matrix element
(1, 97 EP I @CO> 011 2, P, E’, a > is essentially t,he Fourier t’ransform of the Schrod-
inger amplitude for the relative motion (recall Eq. (1.28)), we deduce from Eq.
(1.17b) the fact, that the Schrodinger amplitude determines uniquely t,he Bethe-
Salpeter amplitude. The same is true in the relativi& case (7). However, the
simplicity of t.he representat.ion (1.17b) for t,he amplit,ude in the nonrelativistic
situation follows from the fact that the stat.e (0 1 9(x, t) only has nonvanishing
components along one-particle st.ates. Hence if we insert a complete set of one-
particle stat,es bet.ween the operators $( A=!+, f7) and #( Fr, 0) in t’he repre-
sentation (2.8b) for @@),the entire r dependence is determined by t.he matrix
element (0 1$( A$+, &T) 1 1, q, Eq) w h OSe r dependence is explicitly given by
(0 1#( &$$r, AT) 1 1, q, Eq) = (0 1#( &>:ir, O)] 1, q, Eq)eFF’i’h’Eq’ ( 18)
It is of interest to see how these statements are recovered from the Bethe-
Salpeter equation itself. To this end we shall need to know the equal time ampli-
tudes

Pgl (Xl , t, X2, t) = ?44J I (#(XI , tMx2, t>

(194
+ #bz,fM(~~,~)) l%p,E,a)

= e(i’“’ (p.X-ET)
s cos(q - ;,ip) er
(1%)
~0, q, 4 I 2, P, E, a)
which form exhibit,s explicitly the symmetric character of the equal time ampli-
tude under particle exchange.
The matrix element (1, q, Eq ( $(O, O)l 2, p, E, a) occurring in Eqs. (2.17b)
and (2.19b) will of course vary as the total momentum p varies. However, once
this matrix element is known for one p its value for a different p can be found
from considerat,ions of the covariance of the theory with respect to the Galilean
 BETHE-SALPETER EQUATION 71

group. Let us therefore consider the description of our two-particle system in

the center-of-mass system, i.e., in the frame where p = 0. In that frame t,he
relative motion is described by the amplitude
bEh(r, 7) = bEO,B,a(r, T) (20)
and Eq. (2.14) t’hen reduces to the following equation for bgh(r, T) :

bE.a(r, r)
> (21)

where h’ is now the energy of the relative mot’ion. If we denote t’he matrix element
(1, q, Eq / #CO, O)l2, P = 0, E, 01) by d%q)
&-?A) = (1, q, Eq I do, 0) I”, P = 0, E, a>
(22a)
= @& d”re- (L’h)q’r(O j $(? ir, O)#( -!/2r, 0) / 2, p = 0, B, CX)
s
then from the Bose charact,er it, follows that Qhr? (q) is an even funct,ion of q

&2(q) = 8kth-4) (22b)

Upon substituting the expression (2.17b) for bzi (r, T) int)o the left, hand side
of Eq. (2.21) and t.he expression (2.19a) for the equal time amplitude occurring
on t,he right hand side of Eq. (d.i9 vl), it, becomes the following equation for t,he
determination of 8: (q)

whence, integrat,ing over 7, we obtain

( ) E - ; g;‘;(q) = /” ,&‘a(/ q - q’ j)g;2;(q’) ( 24a)

where

fi(lSl)=&+?s d3re--(i’h)q.rp(
)r I)
Equation (2.24) will of course be recognized as the momentum space SchrGdinger
equation determining t,he relat,ive motion of t)he two-particle system.
In the general case when p i 0, Eq. (2.14) reduces to the following equation
for the amplitude

8:2E’Jq) = 0, q + ‘a~, Eq+o/2jP j $(O, O>l 2, p, E, a) = i&c&q) (25)

72 SCHWEBER

namely

3 - i!t& - ; &Q*) = j- cz3qq q - q’ I)g$L?(q’) (xi)

( >
E - (p2/4m) now being the energy of the relative mot’ion.
We have therefore shown that, after the consequences of translational in-
variance (in space and time) have been fully exploited, the Bethe-Salpeter
equat,ion reduces to the SchrGdinger equation determining the relative motion.
III. EXTERNAL FIELD

In the present section we consider the situat’ion in which there exists an

external field with which the particles interact in addit’ion to their mutual
(pairwise) interachion. We shall throughout this section assume the particles to
obey Fermi staCstics. The Hamiltonian, H’, describing the system under t,hese
circumst8ances is obt#ained from the Hamiltonian H, Eq. ( 1.1) , by t’he replacement

-- 75” v2 + - g v” + V(x)
2m
in Eq. ( 1.1)) where 1:(x) is t’he time-independent exkrnal potelkial. The
equation of mot,ion satisfied by the field operator #“(x, 1) is now given by
Se(x, t)+‘(x, t) = J’(x, tj (la)
where

syX, t) = infh + 5 v2 - v(xj (

f(X, t) = 1 dcl$*( x’, t>d I x - x’ 1)$(x’, t)#(x, t) (lc)

The equal-time anticommutation rules obeyed by the field operators are

[J,“(x, 0, tiE(X’,t11+= W”(x, G, J/r*(X’, t>1+= 0 (2a)

hex, t), J/c*w Ol+ = 6(x - x’> (2b)

A no-part,icle stat’e, ) 0), , is again assumed to exist and is defined by

$“(x, t)I O), = 0; ,(O / @*(x, t> = 0 t.31

A one-particle system whose state vector is j 1, C, T)~

N” I 1, E, r>e = 1 I 1, c, rh (aa)

H”I 1, 67)s = e] 1, 5Y)e (4b)

 BETHE-SXLPETER EQUhTlON 7K

can also be described in terms of the Fock space amplitude

sxx, t) = (0 I Ge(x, t)l 1, E, Y)b (5)
In the specification of t,he st)at,e vector, y denotes the eigenvalues of whatever
&her simultJaneously diagonalizable constant,s of the motions exist (e.g., t,he
t#otal and z component of the angular momentum operator if I’(x) is spherically
symmetric.) Not’e t,hat the tot,al momentum operator is no longer a const*ant of
the motion due t)o the presence of the external field. By virtue of Eqs. (3.1) and
(3.3), t’hc amplitude $t” satisfies t,he equation of motion
‘9(X, t)fp(x, t) = 0 (6)
Due t,o t’he time independence of the external potential
f:;)“ix, t) = (0 [ fi”( x, O)l 1, E, y),e-(i’h’Bt (7a)
= g~;~c(X)e-wh’Et
Vb)
We shall assume that I’(x) is such t,hat# the equat#ion

-& vy+ V(x) g:;)“(x)= egg”(x)

i 1
admit,s a complete set of orthogonal eigenfunctions when the usual boundary
conditions are imposed on gztje. Hence

5 g:;yx)~ = 6(x - x’) i9a)

where t’he Gronecker deltas are to be interpreted as Dirac delta functions if t,he
eigenvalues ~(7) or ~‘(7’) lie in the continuous spect,rum.
The Bethe-Salpeter amplitude for a t,wo-particle system described by t,he state
vector / 2, E, cu),
N” 12, IS, a), = 2 12, E, a), i10a)
If” ) 2, E, a), = E / 2, E, a}, (lob)
is again defined as
EC(xl , fl , x2 , f2) = 40 I 3(ti”(x1 ) f,)lC/‘iX? ) f?))( 2, 13, a)‘. (11)
Due t,o the Fermi character of t(he field operators

aitiix1 , hMxa , h>>

 74 SCHWEBER

= %M(Xl , t1>, J/(x2, @I

+ $5 e(11 - t2)Me(x1, le), rC/e(xn, t2)1+ (12b)

from which the following antisymmetry propertly of the Bethe-Salpeter amplitude

follows :

02(x 1 , t1 ) x2 , t2> = -c?( x2 ) t2 ) Xl ) tl) (13)

Steps similar to those which led to Eq. (2.13) now allow us to deduce t’hat,
P2bl , tI , x2 , t2)
satisfies the following Bethe-Salpet’er equation:

X”(X1) t1)S’“‘(x2, t2)S%x1 ) t1 ) x2, t2)

(14)
= wt1 - h)41 Xl - x2 I)&c?(Xl ) t1 ) x2, t2)

Due to the assumed t’ime independence of the external potential

PZ(Xl , 4 , X2$2)

= {O(T) 2 ,(O 1 #“(xl , ~11 n), An I $(x2 , 011 2, E, a>,e(i’*h)E7

-Bii,~e(O,~iix2, -T) / n), c(n 1 #(Xl ) 0) 1 2, E, a),e-(i’2h)B’)
n
~e-wdB(ll+t2)/z
(15a)
= bFie(xl, x2, T)e-(i’h’ET (15b)
Upon expressing the Bethe-Salpeter equation in terms of relative and center-of-
mass times, and inserting into it the representation (3.15b) for t,he amplitude,
we find that brAe(xl , x2 , T) satisfies the following equation

(16)

= ifiS(T)ZJ( / Xl - x2 j)bgp(Xl )X2 ; 7)

Since only one-particle states contribute to the sum over 1n) in Eq. (3.15a),
using the results (3.5)-(3.9) we can writ’e 13gi~(x~, xz , T) in the form
b&(X, , x2 ; T)
= (o( 7) z ~~~)~(x~),(l, E, y 1 #(x2 , O)\ 2, E, a), e-‘i’h”‘-“‘2’E” (17)

-O( -T) C glt’e(xz)e(l, E,y j #(Xl , 0 ( 2, E, ~)~e+~i’h~~f~~1’2~E”J

6.7
which form again exhibits explicitly the complete T dependence of t#heamplitude.
 BETHE-SALPETER EQUATION 75

The representation (17) for bgA6’(:‘:(xl, x2 , T) implies t’hat

; E - in; + g
1 v:, - V(x*> bi2e(X1 ) x2 ) 7)
[
=e(7)
c6.7
g:y(Xl)#,
E,
yjJ"(x2,O)
/2,E,cY)ee-i'h(e-l'z (18)
- ifis c d:'h>e(l, c, Y ) @(xz,O) 12, E, a>,
CY

where we have used the fact that g:;‘“(x) satisfies Eq. (3.8) and that

(E - EM, E, Y I f(x, 0) 12, E, ah

= Al, e, Y I W(x, 01, HeI (2, E, a>, (19)
z.zz l,'tY I - & vz + V(x) @(x, 0) + 3(x, 0) j 2, E, a/\
e( ( ) e
Upon noting that $“(x, O)l 2, E, a}, is a one-particle state, we can write

e(L 6, Y I fie(x, 0) 1% E, a>,

= d%‘,(l, E, y 1#‘*(XI, O)#“(x’, O)#“(x, 0) / 2, E, a),

s
(20)
= s d3x'e(l, E,Y / $*(x', 0) / 0)(0 ( @(x', OM"(x, 0) j 2, E, a),

=
s d3x'g:;)e(~')e(0 1@(x', 0)$(x, 0) 12, E, a),

Similarly we deduce that

c(1, E, Y / Je(x, 0) I&E, a>,
(21)
= s d3x'g:;'"(x')v(j x' - x I)e(Oj tf(x', O)#"(x, 0) j 2, E, a),,

The complebeness relation (3.9a) of the one-particle amplibudes finally allows us

to infer that
c g:;“(xA.(l, t, Y j #(~a, 0) 12, E, cr),
e-l

zz
s
d3x6(x' - x1),(0 ( d?x', O)@(x, 0) j 2, E, a), cz2)

= 4 / $'(Xl ) O)fh , 0) / 2, E, a>,

 76 SCHWEBER

and similarly

= -e{O 1tie(xl , O)Ic/“(xz , O)l 2, E, a>,

The two terms with the &(T) factor in Eq. (3.18) therefore cancel one another,
and

. [;E - ifig+ &O:, - V(x2)

1 bg:yXl , x2 ; 7)

= ina c g::e(x&(l, ‘, y 1J”(xz, 0) I 2, E, a),

17

= ifis c g!t”(x1) E - E + $i Vi, - V:(xz)

a-f ( >

.O, 6, Y I ~“(xz,O> I 2, E, c-u>+- (24)

= ii%(T) E + &i (Vf, + V&) - V(x,) - V(x,))

Upon introducing into the right hand side of Eq. (3.16) the equal time amplitude
bi?(xl , x2 , T = 0) = ,(O / #"(xl , O)$"(XP , O)l 2, E, a), (25)
Eqs. (3.16) and (3.14) assert that the Bethe-Salpeter equation is equivalent to
the following equation for the equal time amplitude

E + & O’:, +.v:,) - V(m) - Vbd, \

{
(26)
JO I G"(xI , OW(x2,0> 12, E, ah
= 41 Xl - x2 I>e(O IR xl, OMxz , 0 ) 2, E, a>,
which will be recognized as the Schriidinger equation for bgA”(xl , x2 ; T = 0) ,
the two-particle Schrodinger amplitude.
 BETHE-SALPETEH. EQUATION 77

IV. CONCLUSION
We have indicated how in the nonrelativistic situation the Bethe-Salpeter
equation reduces to the Schrddinger equation det,ermining the equal time ampli-
tude. Here we only note that if we denot#eby 6’“‘(x, , x2 ; w) the Fourier transform
of P’(x1 ) x2 ; T) with respect to T

(XI)x2 ;w)-A-2as-cc
lY2) +O”
d7e-i”‘b(2’
(Xl)x2)7) (1)
then the previous work also confirms t’hat the equal time amplitude is indeed
consistently defined by ( 1)

G2’(X1
)x2,0>= /+m
-ccdW9’2’(X1,
x2 ; a> (2a)
+oO
= s-ccd7S(T)b(2y
XI)x2 ; 7)
The generalization of the above investigation t’o many-particle amplitudes
(n > 2) and the applicaGon of these results to the determination of the Feynman
propagators for such systems, as well as to the derivation of dispersion relations
for nonrelativistic scattering amplitudes in t’he presence of bound states, will be
published elsewhere.
RECEIVED: April 20, 1962
R.EFERENCES
1. E. E. SALPETER AND H. A. BETHE, I'hys. EZev.84, 1232 11951).
9. J. SCHWINGER, Proc. Natl. ilcad. Sci. U.S. 37,452,455 (1951).
3. S. MANDELSTAM, Proc. Roy. Sot. A233,248 (1955).
/t.See, for example, T. KATO, T. KOBAYASHI, AND M. NAMIICI, Progr. P’heoret. Phys. (Kyoto)
Suppl. No. 15, 3 (1960).
5. P. REDMOND AND J. L. URETSKY, Ann. Phys. (X.Y.) 9, 106 (1960).
6. S. 8. SCHWEBER, Unpublished lecture notes on Advanced Quantum Mechanics. Mas-
sachusetts Institute of Technology (Fall, 1961); see also M. L. GOLDBERGER, in “Dis-
persion Relations and Elementary Particles,” edited by C. deWitt and R. Omnes.
Wiley, New York, 1960.
7. G. C. WICK, Ph?ys. Rev. 96, 1124 (1954).