Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-groups-and-representations-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2025/3/a/solution

Adopt the Minkowski metric and the Clifford algebra convention . The source's Pauli matrices give
They satisfy , and , which verifies the required Clifford algebra. Raising the indices gives and .
Fix the sign of the rapidity by taking the Lorentz boost
The corresponding Spinor representation of the Lorentz group is
For example and , establishing Lorentz covariance by .
Thus the Dirac spinor transforms as , with infinitesimal law
These variations compare the fields at corresponding spacetime points. At a fixed coordinate one adds the usual orbital term . Reversing the rapidity convention reverses both boost signs consistently. Infinitesimal transformations describe the proper orthochronous Lorentz group.

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