Charged scalar field

A charged scalar field is a complex scalar field transforming nontrivially under a gauge symmetry. For an electromagnetic potential $A_a$, its gauge-covariant derivative is ${\mathcal{D}}_a={\nabla }_a-iq{A}_a$.

For electric charge $q$ and electromagnetic four-potential $A_a$, the derivative ${\mathcal{D}}_a={\nabla }_a-iq{A}_a$ transforms covariantly under an electromagnetic gauge transformation.

The massless gauge-covariant wave equation is ${\mathcal{D}}_a{\mathcal{D}}^a\Phi =0$. In a stationary charged background, the electrostatic potential shifts the local frequency from $\omega$ to $\omega +q{A}_t$.