= Dirac sea
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= Dirac hole interpretation
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The historical interpretation fills the negative-energy electron states of the <Dirac equation> and uses the <Pauli exclusion principle> to prevent additional electrons from falling into them. Removing an electron of energy $-E$ and charge $-e$ gives a hole of excitation energy $E$ and charge $+e$, interpreted as a positron. A <quantum field theory> instead treats negative-frequency field coefficients as independent <antiparticle> <creation operators> in a <Fock space>, with positive excitation energies after <normal ordering>. No literal infinite material sea is needed. Bosonic <antiparticles> also exist, although a filled-sea exclusion argument cannot stabilize bosonic negative-energy levels.
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