Gauge Theories on the Light-Front

TL;DR

This paper discusses the advantages of light-front quantization for gauge theories, offering a frame-independent, simpler, and vacuum-trivial approach to nonperturbative calculations in QCD and electroweak theory.

Contribution

It presents the light-front Hamiltonian formulation as an effective alternative to lattice gauge theory for nonperturbative analysis of gauge theories.

Findings

Provides a frame-independent wavefunction representation of bound states.

Simplifies current matrix element calculations.

Offers a ghost-free, massive gauge particle theory with spontaneous symmetry breaking.

Abstract

The light-front quantization of gauge theories in light-cone gauge provides a frame-independent wavefunction representation of relativistic bound states, simple forms for current matrix elements, explicit unitary, and a trivial vacuum. The light-front Hamiltonian form of QCD provides an alternative to lattice gauge theory for the computation of nonperturbative quantities such as the hadronic spectrum and the corresponding eigenfunctions. In the case of the electroweak theory, spontaneous symmetry breaking is represented by the appearance of zero modes of the Higgs field. Light-front quantization then leads to an elegant ghost-free theory of massive gauge particles, automatically incorporating the Lorentz and 't Hooft conditions, as well as the Goldstone boson equivalence theorem.