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Use natural units and the Minkowski metric $g=\mathrm{diag}(1,-1,-1,-1)$. Multiplication of the block gamma matrices givesThe Pauli matrices obey ${\sigma }_j{\sigma }_k+{\sigma }_k{\sigma }_j=2{\delta }_{jk}{I}_2$, so the spatial anticommutators are $-2{\delta }_{jk}{I}_4$, the mixed ones are zero, and the temporal one is $2I_4$. ThusBecause partial derivatives commute, only the symmetric part of ${\gamma }^{\mu }{\gamma }^{\nu }$ survives in their contraction. Multiplying the Dirac equation on the left by its opposite-mass factor therefore gives the flat-space Dirac factorizationHence every component satisfies $\boxed{(\square +m^2)\psi =0}$, the Klein-Gordon equation. This implication does not remove the first-order spinor constraints imposed by the Dirac equation.

For Lorentz covariance, transform coordinates by $x^{\prime }=Lx$ and the Dirac spinor by ${\psi }^{\prime }(x^{\prime })=S(L)\psi (x)$. The chain rule gives ${\partial }_{\mu }^{\prime }=(L^{-1}{)}^{\nu }{}_{\mu }{\partial }_{\nu }$. ConsequentlyThe cancellation uses $L^{\mu }{}_{\rho }(L^{-1}{)}^{\nu }{}_{\mu }={\delta }^{\nu }{}_{\rho }$. Thus the Lorentz transformation maps every solution to another, establishing the Lorentz covariance of the Dirac operator.

The infinitesimal identity follows directly from the Clifford algebra. Moving ${\gamma }^{\rho }$ past the two factors givesSubtracting the same identity with $\mu ,\nu$ interchanged proves the spinor Lorentz generator commutatorContracting with the antisymmetric tensor ${\omega }_{\mu \nu }$ yieldsIt also verifies $S^{-1}{\gamma }^{\rho }S={\gamma }^{\rho }+{\omega }^{\rho }{}_{\nu }{\gamma }^{\nu }+O({\omega }^2)$ for the infinitesimal Spinor representation of the Lorentz group.

For a positive-energy four-momentum, put $\psi =u(p)e^{-ip\cdot x}$, $E=\sqrt{{\mathbf{p}}^2+m^2}>0$. The Dirac equation becomes $(/p-m)u=0$, where the Feynman slash notation uses $/p={\gamma }^{\mu }{p}_{\mu }=E{\gamma }^0-\mathbf{\gamma }\cdot \mathbf{p}$. Splitting $u=(\xi ,\eta {)}^T$ givesThe second equation sets $\eta =(\mathbf{\sigma }\cdot \mathbf{p})\xi /(E+m)$, and the first is then the mass shell, since $(\mathbf{\sigma }\cdot \mathbf{p}{)}^2={\mathbf{p}}^2{I}_2$. Choosing two orthonormal two-spinors ${\chi }_s$ gives the Dirac plane waves in the standard representation:The negative-frequency solutions are independentlywith orthonormal ${\eta }_s$. They are the antiparticle modes after field quantization. The normalization gives $u_r^{†}{u}_s=v_r^{†}{v}_s=2E{\delta }_{rs}$ and ${\overline{u}}_r{u}_s=2m{\delta }_{rs}$, ${\overline{v}}_r{v}_s=-2m{\delta }_{rs}$, using the Dirac adjoint $\overline{u}=u^{†}{\gamma }^0$.

For a spatial rotation, ${\sigma }^{ij}={ϵ}_{ijk}\mathrm{diag}({\sigma }_k,{\sigma }_k)$. Hence the intrinsic rotation generators areFor a massive particle in its rest frame, the two independent spinors therefore carry the two-dimensional spin one-half representation, with $J_3$ eigenvalues $\pm 1/2$ and Casimir $s(s+1)=3/4$. A $2\pi$ rotation acts as $-I$, the spinor sign under a full spatial rotation. Thus the particle has spin $\boxed{s=1/2}$; four spinor components encode particle and antiparticle sectors, not four spin states of one particle. In the massless limit the corresponding physical labels are helicities $\pm 1/2$ rather than a rest-frame spin basis.

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.