A path integral for the master constraint of loop quantum gravity

Abstract

In the present paper, we start from the canonical theory of loop quantum gravity and the master constraint program. The physical inner product is expressed by using the group averaging technique for a single self-adjoint master constraint operator. By the standard technique of skeletonization and the coherent state path integral, we derive a path-integral formula from the group averaging for the master constraint operator. Our derivation in this paper suggests there exists a direct link connecting the canonical loop quantum gravity with a path-integral quantization or a spin-foam model of general relativity.