English

Classical probabilities for Majorana and Weyl spinors

High Energy Physics - Theory 2011-06-16 v1 High Energy Physics - Lattice Quantum Physics

Abstract

We construct a map between the quantum field theory of free Weyl or Majorana fermions and the probability distribution of a classical statistical ensemble for Ising spins or discrete bits. More precisely, a Grassmann functional integral based on a real Grassmann algebra specifies the time evolution of the real wave function qτ(t)q_\tau(t) for the Ising states τ\tau. The time dependent probability distribution of a generalized Ising model obtains as pτ(t)=qτ2(t)p_\tau(t)=q^2_\tau(t). The functional integral employs a lattice regularization for single Weyl or Majorana spinors. We further introduce the complex structure characteristic for quantum mechanics. Probability distributions of the Ising model which correspond to one or many propagating fermions are discussed explicitly. Expectation values of observables can be computed equivalently in the classical statistical Ising model or in the quantum field theory for fermions.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1102.3586,
  title  = {Classical probabilities for Majorana and Weyl spinors},
  author = {C. Wetterich},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1102.3586},
  year   = {2011}
}

Comments

32 pages, no figures

R2 v1 2026-06-21T17:27:53.686Z