Gamma matrices (${\gamma }^{\mu }$)

Gamma matrices give a matrix representation of the Clifford algebra of spacetime.

For gamma matrices with $\{{\gamma }^a,{\gamma }^b\}=2{\eta }^{ab}$ and ${\gamma }^{ab}=[{\gamma }^a,{\gamma }^b]/2$, contracted Clifford algebra gives ${\gamma }_a{\gamma }^m{\gamma }^a=(2-D){\gamma }^m$. Expanding the two antisymmetrized factors gives ${\gamma }_a{\gamma }_b{\gamma }^m{\gamma }^a{\gamma }^b-D{\gamma }^m$. The five-gamma product equals $[2D-(D-2{)}^2]{\gamma }^m$, by moving the middle contracted gamma through and using the three-gamma contraction twice. Subtraction yields the displayed identity. A convention without the factor one-half in each bivector multiplies the result by four.

Feynman slash notation contracts a four-vector with the gamma matrices. With mostly-minus signature, the Clifford algebra gives $/p^2=p^{2}I$, so $(/p-m{)}^{-1}=(/p+m)/(p^2-m^2)$ away from the mass shell.

For signature $+---$, use ${\gamma }^0=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& I_2\\ I_2& 0\end{array}\right)$ and ${\gamma }^i=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& {\sigma }^i\\ -{\sigma }^i& 0\end{array}\right)$, where ${\sigma }^i$ are Pauli matrices. Their Clifford algebra follows directly from the Pauli anticommutator. The chirality matrix is ${\gamma }^5=\mathrm{diag}(-I_2,I_2)$, separating the two chiral components of a Dirac spinor.

A Hermitizing matrix for a set of gamma matrices is an invertible Hermitian matrix $H$ satisfying ${\gamma }^{a†}=H{\gamma }^a{H}^{-1}$. Equivalently, each $H{\gamma }^a$ is Hermitian. It defines a covariant adjoint $\bar{\psi }={\psi }^{†}H$. If ${\gamma }^{\prime a}=M{\gamma }^a{M}^{-1}$, then $H^{\prime }=M^{-†}H{M}^{-1}$ has the same property. In a standard Lorentzian Dirac basis, $H={\gamma }^0$ is a conventional choice.

In the standard Dirac representation of the gamma matrices, $({\gamma }^0{)}^{†}={\gamma }^0$ and $({\gamma }^i{)}^{†}=-{\gamma }^i$, so ${\gamma }^{a†}={\gamma }^0{\gamma }^a{\gamma }^0$. The transpose signs in that representation are positive for $a=0,2$ and negative for $a=1,3$. The charge-conjugation matrix expresses the basis-independent intertwining relation $C^{-1}{\gamma }^{a}C=-({\gamma }^a{)}^T$. Under an arbitrary nonunitary similarity transformation, the Hermitizing matrix changes by inverse Hermitian congruence; it need not equal the transformed temporal gamma matrix.

With metric $(+---)$, ${\gamma }^5=i{\gamma }^0{\gamma }^1{\gamma }^2{\gamma }^3$ and ${ϵ}^{0123}=+1$, odd ordinary gamma matrix traces vanish, $\mathrm{Tr}({\gamma }^{\mu }{\gamma }^{\nu })=4g^{\mu \nu }$, andThe first follows by repeated Clifford algebra anticommutation and cyclicity of the trace. The second is an antisymmetric tensor, whose normalization is fixed by the $0123$ component.

With metric $(+---)$, the chirality matrix has $({\gamma }^5{)}^2=1$ and anticommutes with each gamma matrix. Its eigenspaces define chirality; $P_L=(1-{\gamma }^5)/2$ and $P_R=(1+{\gamma }^5)/2$ are the corresponding projectors. These identities follow directly by moving a gamma matrix through the ordered product and using the Clifford algebra.

With signature $(+,-,-,-)$, one standard representation is ${\tilde{\gamma }}^0=\mathrm{diag}(I_2,-I_2)$ and ${\tilde{\gamma }}^i=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& {\sigma }^i\\ -{\sigma }^i& 0\end{array}\right)$. Block multiplication and the Pauli matrix multiplication law give time-time anticommutator $2I_4$, mixed anticommutators zero, and spatial anticommutators $-2{\delta }^{ij}{I}_4$. Thus these gamma matrices represent the spacetime Clifford algebra.

For the Dirac representation of the gamma matrices, the unitary matrixsends ${\tilde{\gamma }}^0$ to $\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& I_2\\ I_2& 0\end{array}\right)$ while commuting with every spatial gamma matrix. This is the standard Weyl representation of the gamma matrices with spatial blocks $(0,{\sigma }^i;-{\sigma }^i,0)$. The similarity transformation preserves the Clifford algebra relations. Changing block-order or chirality conventions can change the displayed transformation, so its direction must be specified.