Spin in the Worldline Path Integral in 2+1 Dimensions

Abstract

We construct a worldline path integral for the effective action and propagator of a Dirac field in 2+1 dimensions in an Abelian gauge field background. Integrating over an auxiliary gauge group variable we derive a worldline action depending only on $x(\tau )$, the spacetime paths. We show that that action is a combination of a kinetic term plus a spin action. The first is proportional to $\delta [{\dot{x}}^2(\tau )-1]$. The second agrees exactly with the spin action one should expect for a spin-1/2 field.

23 pages, no figures. Version extended with some applications and a more detailed explanation of the classical limit