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On Generalized Gauge-Fixing in the Field-Antifield Formalism

I. A. Batalin·K. Bering·P. H. Damgaard
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Abstract

We consider the problem of covariant gauge-fixing in the most general setting of the field-antifield formalism, where the action W and the gauge-fixing part X enter symmetrically and both satisfy the Quantum Master Equation. Analogous to the gauge-generating algebra of the action W, we analyze the possibility of having a reducible gauge-fixing algebra of X. We treat a reducible gauge-fixing algebra of the so-called first-stage in full detail and generalize to arbitrary stages. The associated "square root" measure contributions are worked out from first principles, with or without the presence of antisymplectic second-class constraints. Finally, we consider an W-X alternating multi-level generalization.

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I. A. Batalin, K. Bering, P. H. Damgaard. 2007-03-03. On Generalized Gauge-Fixing in the Field-Antifield Formalism. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2006.01.030

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