Analytic Representation of The Square-Root Operator

Abstract

In this paper, we use the theory of fractional powers of linear operators to construct a general (analytic) representation theory for the square-root energy operator of relativistic quantum theory, which is valid for all values of the spin. We focus on the spin 1/2 case, considering a few simple yet solvable and physically interesting cases, in order to understand how to interpret the operator. Our general representation is uniquely determined by the Green's function for the corresponding Schrodinger equation. We find that, in general, the operator has a representation as a nonlocal composite of (at least) three singularities. In the standard interpretation, the particle component has two negative parts and one (hard core) positive part, while the antiparticle component has two positive parts and one (hard core) negative part. This effect is confined within a Compton wavelength such that, at the point of singularity, they cancel each other providing a finite result. Furthermore, the operator looks like the identity outside a few Compton wavelengths (cutoff). To our knowledge, this is the first example of a physically relevant operator with these properties.