Wick's Theorem at Finite Temperature
Abstract
We consider Wick's Theorem for finite temperature and finite volume systems. Working at an operator level with a path ordered approach, we show that contrary to claims in the literature, expectation values of normal ordered products can be chosen to be zero and that results obtained are independent of volume. Thus the path integral and operator approaches to finite temperature and finite volume quantum field theories are indeed seen to be identical. The conditions under which normal ordered products have simple symmetry properties are also considered.
Cite
@article{arxiv.hep-ph/9601268,
title = {Wick's Theorem at Finite Temperature},
author = {T. S. Evans and D. A. Steer},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-ph/9601268},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
15 pages, LaTeX (no figures), available through anonymous ftp as LaTeX from ftp://euclid.tp.ph.ic.ac.uk/papers/95-6_18.tex or as LaTeX or postscript at http://euclid.tp.ph.ic.ac.uk/Papers/index.html