Hamiltonian Formalism of Topologically Massive Electrodynamics

TL;DR

This paper explores the Hamiltonian formalism of topologically massive electrodynamics, demonstrating how gauge fields acquire mass via a topological interaction with an antisymmetric tensor field, akin to a Higgs-like mechanism.

Contribution

It provides a canonical analysis of topologically massive electrodynamics, clarifying the mass generation mechanism through topological interactions and duality.

Findings

Photon acquires mass through topological interaction

Canonical analysis elucidates the mass generation mechanism

Duality between tensor field and Higgs mechanism

Abstract

We consider the four dimensional topologically massive electrodynamics in which a gauge field is interacting with 2nd rank antisymmetric tensor field through a topological interaction. The photon becomes massive by eating the 2nd rank tensor field, which is dual to the Higgs mechanism. We explicitly demonstrate the nature of the mechanism by performing a canonical analysis of the theory and discuss various aspects of it.