Gauge invariant composite operators of QED in the exact renormalization group formalism

Abstract

Using the exact renormalization group (ERG) formalism, we study the gauge invariant composite operators in QED. Gauge invariant composite operators are introduced as infinitesimal changes of the gauge invariant Wilson action. We examine the dependence on the gauge fixing parameter of both the Wilson action and gauge invariant composite operators. After defining ‘gauge fixing parameter independence,’ we show that any gauge independent composite operators can be made ‘gauge fixing parameter independent’ by appropriate normalization. As an application, we give a concise but careful proof of the Adler–Bardeen non-renormalization theorem for the axial anomaly in an arbitrary covariant gauge by extending the original proof by A Zee.