The Hole Theory

  • Walter Greiner

Abstract

Until now the solutions of the Dirac equation with negative energy have been a puzzle. Attempts similar to those we performed with the solutions of the Klein—Gordon equation, where the energy turned out to be positive (by the Lagrange formalism) for solutions with positive and negative time evolution factors, proved unsuccessful (cf. Exercise 2.3). Solutions with negative energy appear almost everywhere when we are concerned with processes of high energy or with strongly localized wave packets (see Exercises 8.4, 8.5). At this point we have to confront this dilemma and find a proper solution!

Keywords

Dirac Equation Time Reversal Negative Energy Positive Energy Time Inversion 
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References

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    P.A.A. Dirac: Proc. R. Soc. (London), A 126, 360 (1930); see also J.R. Oppenheimer: Phys. Rev. 35, 939 (1930).Google Scholar
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    Refer also to W. Greiner, J. Reinhardt: Quantum Electrodynamics, 2nd ed. (Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 1994).Google Scholar
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    E.C.G. Stückelberg: Hely. Phys. Acta 14.32L, 588 (1941); R.P. Feyman: Phys. Rev. 76 749 (1949); ibid. 769.Google Scholar
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    See W. Greiner, J. Reinhardt: Quantum Electrodynamics, 2nd ed. ( Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 1994 ).MATHCrossRefGoogle Scholar
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    This is discussed in W. Greiner, J. Reinhardt: Quantum Electrodynamics 2nd ed. (Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 1994 ).Google Scholar
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1997

Authors and Affiliations

  • Walter Greiner
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.Institut für Theoretische PhysikJohann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität FrankfurtFrankfurt am MainGermany
  2. 2.Frankfurt am MainGermany

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