A new class of particle in 2 + 1 dimensions
Abstract
In two spatial dimensions, spin characterizes how particle states re-phase under changes of frame that leave their momentum and energy invariant. Massless particles can in principle have non-trivial spin in this sense, but all existing field theories only describe the trivial case. This letter presents a field theory for a massless particle with non-trivial physical spin. These particles are the (2 + 1)-dimensional analogues of "continuous-spin" particles in 3 + 1 dimensions, but here they have only two real degrees of freedom, related by parity. They can be understood as massless generalizations of anyons, but are simpler in key respects.
- Publication:
-
Physics Letters B
- Pub Date:
- April 2015
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.physletb.2015.02.050
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1404.1076
- Bibcode:
- 2015PhLB..743..224S
- Keywords:
-
- High Energy Physics - Theory;
- Condensed Matter - Other Condensed Matter;
- High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
- E-Print:
- 4 pages