# Introduction:

## Introduction:

The relation $`[\widehat{Q}_i,\widehat{P}_j]=i\mathrm{}\delta _{ij}\widehat{1}`$ is generally accepted as the canonical commutation relation between position and momentum operators of any particle. For massive particles, it can be derived by means of symmetry group transformations and the related Lie algebra commutators \[2-4\]. The derivation is based on the transformation property of the velocity operator $`\widehat{\stackrel{}{u}}=\frac{d\widehat{\stackrel{}{Q}}}{dt}`$, which can be transformed to $`\widehat{\stackrel{}{u}}\stackrel{}{v}\widehat{1}`$ (where $`\stackrel{}{v}`$ is an infinitesimal velocity parameter) by operation of boost generators. However for massless particles e.g. photons, this transformation is not valid. The reason originates from the fact that the velocity of light is constant and cannot be altered by any transformation (it is a well-known result of Poincare transformations that there is no rest frame for massless particles). Consequently the derivation of the commutation relation $`[\widehat{Q}_i,\widehat{P}_j]=i\mathrm{}\delta _{ij}\widehat{1}`$ based on this velocity transformation cannot be valid for massless particles.

## The Commutation Relation Between Position And Momentum Operators For Massless Particles:

Here we are going to deal with the commutation relation of the operators $`\widehat{Q}`$ and $`\widehat{P}`$ for massless particles. The Heisenberg equation of motion for position operator, based on the fact that the Hamiltonian operator is the generator of time translation, gives:

$$[\widehat{Q_i},\widehat{H}]=i\mathrm{}\frac{d\widehat{Q}_i}{dt}$$
(1)   
and the momentum operator satisfies

$$\widehat{P}_i=\left(\frac{\widehat{H}}{c^2}\right)\left(\frac{d\widehat{Q}_i}{dt}\right)$$
(2)   
The employment of (1) and (2) in the commutator of $`\widehat{Q}_i`$ and $`\widehat{P}_j`$ readily gives:

$$\begin{array}{cc}[\widehat{Q}_i,\widehat{P}_i]\hfill & =[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{\widehat{H}}{c^2}\frac{d\widehat{Q}_i}{dt}]=\frac{1}{c^2}[\widehat{Q}_i,\widehat{H}]\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}+\frac{\widehat{H}}{c^2}[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}]\hfill \\ & =\frac{i\mathrm{}}{c^2}\left(\frac{d\widehat{Q}_i}{dt}\right)\left(\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}\right)+\frac{\widehat{H}}{c^2}[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}]\hfill \end{array}$$
(3)   
This relation is valid for both massless and massive particles. For massless particles the velocity is a constant operator and hence we have (see section A):

$$[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}]=0$$
(4)   
Therefore (3) and (4) give the following commutation relation for massless particles:

$$[\widehat{Q}_i,\widehat{P}_j]=\frac{i\mathrm{}}{c^2}\left(\frac{d\widehat{Q}_i}{dt}\right)\left(\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}\right)$$
(5)   
By means of (2) the above result can be also written in the following form:

$$[\widehat{Q}_i,\widehat{P}_j]=i\mathrm{}c^2H^2\widehat{P}_i\widehat{P}_j$$
(6)   
## Outlook:

In addition to the solution of the problem of finding a suitable position operator for photon ,the canonical quantum field theory of radiation based on this new commutation relation seems to lead to interesting results.

Section A:   
The commutators of a Lie Algebra is (must be) independent of how we choose the coordinate system and one can always choose a coordinate system in which j-direction identifies with the direction of photon velocity vector operator and therefore $`\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}`$ in our relation (4) is identified with $`c\widehat{1}`$ and the relation (4) is trivially proved.   
Also, we can algebraically prove the relation (4):   
$`\{\begin{array}{ccc}{\displaystyle \underset{j=1}{\overset{3}{}}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{dQ_j}{dt}}\right)^2=c^2\widehat{1}\hfill & & \\ & & (masslessparticles)\hfill \\ {\displaystyle \frac{d^2Q_j}{dt^2}}=0\hfill & & \end{array}`$   

$$\underset{j=1}{\overset{3}{}}[\widehat{Q}_i,\left(\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}\right)^2]=0\underset{j=1}{\overset{3}{}}[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}]\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}+\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}]=0(I)$$

But:

$$\frac{d}{dt}[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}]=[\frac{d\widehat{Q}_i}{dt},\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}]+[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{d^2\widehat{Q}_j}{dt^2}]=[\widehat{H}^1\widehat{P}_i,\widehat{H}^1\widehat{P}_j]=0$$

Therefore $`[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}]`$ is a constant operator or at most a function of the operators $`\widehat{H}`$ and $`\widehat{P}`$ (note that we are speaking about free particles).   
Since $`\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}=\widehat{H}^1\widehat{P}_j`$ and according to the above result:   
$`[[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}],\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}]=0(II)`$   
Using (I) and (II):   
$`{\displaystyle \underset{j=1}{\overset{3}{}}}\left([\widehat{Q}_i,{\displaystyle \frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}}]{\displaystyle \frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}}\right)=0`$   
But, generally, this is impossible unless:   
$`[\widehat{Q}_i,\frac{d\widehat{Q}_j}{dt}]=0`$

REFERENCES

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* T.F. Jordan, Am. J. Phys. 43, 1089 (1975) .
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* H.Razmi and A.H.Abbassi,Tarbiat Modarres University (Dept. of Phys.) Preprint(1998).