Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / iii / Paper 301 / 2 / e / Solution

For the stated matrix exponential parametrization in the connected proper orthochronous Lorentz group, use the corresponding Spinor representation of the Lorentz group:The spacetime argument is inverse-transformed because this is an active transformation of the field at a fixed coordinate $x$. Equivalently, with $x^{\prime }=\Lambda x$, ${\psi }^{\prime }(x^{\prime })=D(\Lambda )\psi (x)$. The identity $[S^{\mu \nu },{\gamma }^{\rho }]={\eta }^{\nu \rho }{\gamma }^{\mu }-{\eta }^{\mu \rho }{\gamma }^{\nu }$ integrates to $D^{-1}{\gamma }^{\mu }D={\Lambda }^{\mu }{}_{\nu }{\gamma }^{\nu }$, which ensures covariance of the Dirac equation.

Strictly, $D$ depends on a lift to the Spin group, not just on the final Lorentz transformation: two lifts differ by sign. The specified generator exponential chooses a lift along its continuous path from the identity. This qualification is essential for the full-rotation comparison in part (g).