LIMITATIONS OF GAUGE INVARIANCE
LIMITATIONS OF GAUGE INVARIANCE
LIMITATIONS OF GAUGE INVARIANCE
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TRANSITION MATRIX ELEMENTS ARE NOT MANIFESTLY <strong>GAUGE</strong> INVARIANT<br />
In AMO papers and textbooks, one commonly finds the statement that quantum<br />
transition amplitudes are manifestly gauge invariant. This is justified by the expression<br />
That is an expression for a change of quantum picture, not for a gauge transformation.<br />
In a gauge transformation, field-dependent quantities change, the non-interacting<br />
reference states do not change. In a gauge transformation<br />
Demonstrating gauge invariance is nontrivial.<br />
The above is a rebuttal to the statement in the Preamble:<br />
• Quantum transition amplitudes are manifestly gauge invariant.<br />
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