Grassmann algebra

A Grassmann algebra is an exterior algebra regarded as an algebra of anticommuting generators. Its odd elements satisfy ${\theta }_i{\theta }_j=-{\theta }_j{\theta }_i$.

The parity grading records whether a homogeneous element has even or odd Grassmann degree. Homogeneous elements obey $XY=(-1{)}^{|X||Y|}YX$. An odd differential uses the graded Leibniz rule; this is the sign bookkeeping behind left-acting BRST differential calculations.

A Grassmann derivative is an odd differentiation operation on a Grassmann algebra. A left Grassmann derivative obeys ${\partial }_{\theta }^L(ab)=({\partial }_{\theta }^{L}a)b+(-1{)}^{|a|}a({\partial }_{\theta }^{L}b)$ for homogeneous $a$. Right derivatives use the corresponding right-sided product rule. Their placement must be fixed when differentiating fermionic sources in a generating functional, since commuting ordinary derivatives would lose fermionic signs.

Left differentiation with respect to an odd Grassmann variable is the odd linear operation ${\partial }_{\theta }^L\theta =1$, with zero derivative on every other generator. For a homogeneous element $a$ of parity $|a|$, it obeys the graded product ruleFor independent odd generators, ${\partial }_{\bar{\theta }}^L(\theta \bar{\theta })=-\theta$. This sign comes from moving the derivative through the first odd factor in the Grassmann algebra. It fixes chirality in the chiral-superfield component expansion; an ordinary commuting-variable product rule would give the wrong sign.

A Grassmann variable is an odd generator $\theta$ of a Grassmann algebra. In characteristic zero it obeys ${\theta }^2=0$, so functions of finitely many Grassmann variables have finite Taylor expansions.