Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-theoretical-physics-major-option-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2017/5/c/solution

Take with . A real orthonormal basis that satisfies the source's stated bilinear normalization is
Each obeys . The two transverse norms are , while , and all cross products vanish. For momentum in the opposite direction, one consistent longitudinal choice is for ; an overall sign of any polarization is immaterial.
Here and label the two linear transverse basis vectors. If those symbols are intended to denote circular helicities, choose instead. The corresponding orthonormality relation must contain complex conjugation, . Without that conjugation, a circular polarization has , a concrete counterexample to interpreting the printed bilinear condition as a helicity normalization.

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