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Equivalence between the Dirac oscillator and a spin-1/2

fermion embedded in a transverse homogeneous magnetic
field: movement in a (2 + 1)-dimensional world

Antonio S. de Castro*1
1
Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Departamento de Física e Química, Guaratinguetá, SP, Brasil

Received on June 07, 2019; Revised on July 11, 2019; Accepted on August 11, 2019.
It is shown that the Dirac oscillator in a (2 + 1)-dimensional spacetime can be interpreted as a spin-1/2 fermion
embedded in a transverse homogeneous magnetic field.
Keywords: Keywords: Dirac oscillator, relativistic planar motion, transverse homogeneous magnetic field.

The planar Dirac oscillator embedded in a transverse

uniform magnetic field has emerged in applications to ∂Ψ
= HΨ = γ 0 −
→
γ ·−
→
p + γ 0 m + γ 0 V Ψ, (3)


i
optical models [1]- [3] and graphene [4]- [10]. In a recent ∂t
work, it has been shown in a simple way that the pla- with H † = H.
nar Dirac oscillator and a spin-1/2 fermion embedded In (3 + 1) dimensions, γ µ can be represented by a
a transverse homogeneous magnetic field are equivalent 4 × 4 matrix and the general interaction potential matrix
problems [11]. This achievement, put into effect with 4×4 V can be written as a linear combination of sixteen
realizations of the Dirac matrices in a (3 + 1)-dimensional Γ-matrices. Usually, the basis elements are chosen in
world, fills with suspicions of wrongdoing many works such a way that the bilinear form ΨΓΨ has a definite
diffused in the literature. In the present work, even with transformation property under Lorentz transformations,
a content easy to deal with by graduate students in as listed in Table 1 (see, e.g. [13]- [14]).
Physics, the same achievement is reached by using 2 × 2 −
→ − → − →
The magnetic field ( B = ∇ × A ) coupled by the mini-
realizations of the Dirac matrices in a (2 + 1)-dimensional mal prescription −
→p →− → −
→
p −q A , for example, corresponds
world. to an interaction potential matrix given by
In the Minkowski spacetime, the behaviour of a spin-
1/2 fermion of mass m subject to the most generic set of
interactions is governed by the Dirac equation (in natural −
→
V = −q −
→
γ · A (potential matrix for the space
units ~ = c = 1)
component of a vector coupling). (4)
(γ µ pµ − m − V) Ψ = 0, (1) On the other hand, the Dirac oscillator is obtained by
where pµ = i∂µ and V is the interaction potential matrix. the nonminimal prescription −
→
p →− →p − imωγ 0 −→
r , corre-
The gamma matrices satisfy the algebra {γ µ , γ ν } = 2g µν , sponding to
where g µν stands for the matrix element of the Minkowski
metric tensor with g 00 = −g ii = 1, g µν = 0 if µ 6= ν,
i.e. with signature (+ − −−) . With the adjoint spinor V = imωγ 0 −
→
γ ·−
→
r (potential matrix for the

†
Ψ = Ψ† γ 0 , the requirement γ 0 γ µ = γ 0 γ µ compels Dirac oscillator). (5)
the current density J µ = Ψγ µ Ψ to obey the continuity
equation
Table 1: Basis elements of the 4×4 matrix space and the Lorentz
∂µ J µ = iΨ γ 0 V † γ 0 − V Ψ (2) property of ΨΓΨ. I4×4 is the 4 × 4 unit matrix, γ 5 = iγ 0 γ 1 γ 2 γ 3


and σ µν = i[γ µ , γ ν ]/2.
in such a way that J µ is conserved only if γ 0 V = γ 0 V

†
Γ number of elements Lorentz property of ΨΓΨ
[12]. In this way, the most general Dirac equation can I4×4 1 scalar
γ5 pseudoscalar
also be written in the form
1
γµ 4 vector
γ5γµ 4 pseudovector
* Correspondence email address: antonio.castro@unesp.br σ µν 6 tensor

Copyright by Sociedade Brasileira de Física. Printed in Brazil.

e20190133-2 Equivalence between the Dirac oscillator and a spin-1/2 fermion embedded in a transverse...

In (2 + 1) and (1 + 1) dimensions, though, γ µ can be We now turn to the the case of a minimally coupled
−
→ −
→
represented by a 2 × 2 matrix and four matrices form the magnetic field V = q A . In particular, for a particle
base of the vector space of all Hermitian 2 × 2 matrices. −
→
immersed in a uniform magnetic field B = B bk with A
−
→
In terms of the unit matrix plus the Pauli matrices σ1 , −
→ − → −
expressed in the symmetric gauge A = B × → r /2, one
σ2 and σ3 , one finds scalar and vector structures in 2 + 1 finds
dimensions (in the sense of proper Lorentz transforma-
tions), and scalar, pseudoscalar and vector structures in
 
−
→ −→ qB − →
(1 + 1) dimensions. H = σ · p − is σ3 r + σ3 m, (10)
2
The interaction potential matrix of the Dirac oscilla-
tor under Lorentz transformations changes depending which represents exactly the Dirac oscillator with fre-
on the dimensions of the Minkowski spacetime. As a quency equal to ω = |q|B/(2m).
matter of fact, the prescription leading to the Dirac os- It has been shown that the interaction potential matrix
cillator results in a kind of tensor interaction in (3 + 1) typical of the Dirac oscillator, i.e. iγ 0 −
→
γ ·−
→
v , is precisely
−
→
dimensions that can be interpreted as that one describing that one characteristic of the vector coupling −− →
γ · V in
the behaviour of a particle with anomalous magnetic mo- a (2 + 1)-Minkowski spacetime. Then, we showed that
ment [15]. On the other hand, the Dirac oscillator exhibits the Dirac oscillator for an electrically charged particle
a pseudoscalar Lorentz nature in 1 + 1 dimensions [16]. can be interpreted as the problem describing a spin-1/2
Therefore, it is natural to ask about the Lorentz nature fermion minimally coupled to a transverse homogeneous
of the interaction potential matrix corresponding to the magnetic field.
(2 + 1)-dimensional version of the Dirac oscillator. In
order to answer this question, for the sake of generality, Acknowledgement
we go in reverse. As one might guess from the comments
on the previous paragraph, the (2 + 1)-dimensional Dirac This work was supported in part by means of funds
oscillator is coupled necessarily by a linear combination of provided by CNPq (grant 304743/2015-1).
scalar and vector couplings. Choosing the representation
γ 0 = σ3 and − →γ = σ3 −
→
σ , with −
→σ = (σ1 , sσ2 ) and s = ±1,
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Revista Brasileira de Ensino de Física, vol. 42, e20190133, 2020 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1806-9126-RBEF-2019-0133