Quantization of constrained systems

J. Klauder

Dept. of Physics and Mathematics, University of Florida
Gainesville FL 32611, USA

Abstract:

After a brief review of classical constraints, these lectures will focus on recently developed procedures---generally referred to as the "projection operator method"---for quantization of systems with constraints. It will be shown how a single, universal quantization procedure encompasses all constraint situations, e.g., first class, closed or open, anomalous, second class, irreducible or reducible, regular or irregular, etc. The projection operator method involves only the original dynamical and (c-number) Lagrange multiplier variables; there is no gauge fixing, no Faddeev-Popov determinant, no Gribov ambiguity, no ghosts, etc. A number of examples will be discussed.