Quantization problems and massive gauge fields

Abstract

We examined the quantization problems of field theories which apply generally to fields of any spin. It was found that if Bargman-Wigner fields were formulated in a five-dimensional, de Sitter covariant form, quantization can be handled by treating "potentials" as independent fields. In this approach, the Lagrangian density can be obtained systematically if one further introduces an artificial sixth dimension. The physical significance of the 5-dimensional theory can be seen in a gauge theory of interaction where the existence of the fifth dimension admits massive gauge fields.