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Use the Minkowski metric $g=\mathrm{diag}(1,-1,-1,-1)$. Multiplying the block gamma matrices and using the Pauli matrix multiplication law givesThus these matrices satisfy the Clifford algebra relation $\{{\gamma }^{\mu },{\gamma }^{\nu }\}=2g^{\mu \nu }{I}_4$. Since partial derivatives commute, the antisymmetric part of ${\gamma }^{\mu }{\gamma }^{\nu }$ drops out of its contraction with ${\partial }_{\mu }{\partial }_{\nu }$. Multiplying the Dirac equation on the left by $i{\gamma }^{\mu }{\partial }_{\mu }+m$ givesTherefore every component of the Dirac spinor obeys the Klein-Gordon equation with mass $m$.

For Lorentz covariance, take $x^{\prime }=Lx$ and ${\psi }^{\prime }(x^{\prime })=S(L)\psi (x)$, with constant $L$ and $S$. The chain rule gives ${\partial }_{\mu }^{\prime }=(L^{-1}{)}^{\nu }{}_{\mu }{\partial }_{\nu }$. The given intertwining relation then impliesThis proves invariance of the Dirac equation under the joint coordinate and spinor transformation.

The infinitesimal identity follows directly from the spinor Lorentz generator commutator. To derive it, first move ${\gamma }^{\rho }$ through a two-matrix product using the Clifford algebra:Subtract the expression with $\mu$ and $\nu$ interchanged and multiply by $i/2$. ThusWriting $S=1-\frac{i}{4}{\sigma }^{\mu \nu }{\omega }_{\mu \nu }$ gives $S^{-1}=1+\frac{i}{4}{\sigma }^{\mu \nu }{\omega }_{\mu \nu }+O({\omega }^2)$, and henceThe last step uses ${\omega }_{\mu \nu }=-{\omega }_{\nu \mu }$, including the metric signs in raising the first index.

For parity symmetry in quantum field theory, set $y=x_P=(t,-\mathbf{x})$. The time derivative of $\psi (y)$ is unchanged and each spatial derivative changes sign. Also ${\gamma }^0$ commutes with itself and anticommutes with every ${\gamma }^j$. ConsequentlyThis verifies the specified parity symmetry in quantum field theory action explicitly.

For charge conjugation, put $B=i{\gamma }^2$, so ${\psi }_C=B{\psi }^{\ast }$. In the Dirac representation of the gamma matrices, ${\gamma }^0,{\gamma }^1,{\gamma }^3$ are real and ${\gamma }^2$ is imaginary. The Clifford algebra therefore gives $B{\gamma }^{\mu \ast }{B}^{-1}=-{\gamma }^{\mu }$ for all four indices. Complex conjugation of the Dirac equation, followed by multiplication by $B$, yieldsThis is the antilinear charge-conjugation intertwiner property. No electromagnetic background is being held fixed in this free-field calculation.

Apply the specified parity symmetry in quantum field theory action before charge conjugation. Since ${\gamma }^0$ is real and $B{\gamma }^0=-{\gamma }^{0}B$,Thus the induced parity action on the charge-conjugate spinor has the opposite sign. In particular, if a spinor has intrinsic parity $\eta =\pm 1$, its charge conjugate has intrinsic parity $-\eta$. Equivalently, at rest the positive-frequency Dirac spinors occupy the upper two components and have ${\gamma }^0$ eigenvalue $+1$, whereas the negative-frequency Dirac spinors occupy the lower two components and have eigenvalue $-1$. The corresponding particle and antiparticle creation operators inherit these opposite signs under the specified parity convention. Hence electrons and positrons have opposite intrinsic parities; conventionally one assigns $+1$ to the electron and $-1$ to the positron. The common real overall parity sign may be reversed without changing this relative sign, as in opposite intrinsic parities of a Dirac particle and antiparticle.