[Physics] Gamma matrices invariant under Lorentz transformation

dirac-matriceslorentz-symmetryspinors

I know this has been asked before but I just can't seem to get my head around it based on the answers I've read.

So the idea is that we have the gamma matrices $\gamma^{\mu}$. Now from my understanding, this $\mu$ corresponds to a space time index, whilst for each fixed value of $\mu$, $\gamma^{\mu}$ defines a $4 \times 4$ matrix which is defined in spinor space, thus more explicitly $\gamma^{\mu}_{ab}$ where $a,b$ denote the spinor indices.

Now usually when showing covariance of the Dirac equation, we take the gamma matrices to be scalars which thus don't transform. We then find that they must satisfy
$$\gamma^{\mu}=S[\Lambda]\Lambda_{\nu}^{\mu} \gamma^{\nu} S[\Lambda]^{-1}$$
in order for covariance to be satisfied.

I just can't for the life of me understand why we would start by treating $\gamma^{\mu}$ as a scalar. To me it seems clear that it would transform as a field with two spinor indices and a vector index, that is
$$\gamma^{\mu} \to \gamma^{\mu'}=S[\Lambda] \Lambda_{\nu}^{\mu} \gamma^{\nu} S[\Lambda]^{-1}$$

Why are we able to just ignore the spacetime and spinior indices associated to the gamma matrices whilst treating them like scalars?

Edit: I feel like this paper https://arxiv.org/abs/1309.7070 talks exactly about what I'm not really understanding on page 5, however it doesn't really give an answer to any of the problems it poses using that method, but instead switches to a different method/picture. "In addition, the mathematical origin of $\gamma^{\mu}$ matrices is explained, from which it becomes clear why they are fixed matrices which do not transform", something that explains this line would be super helpful!

Best Answer

The point you are missing is that the bi-spinor $A_{\alpha\dot\alpha}$ and a vector $B_{m}$ are equivalent representations of $SO(1,3)$, so it is possible to construct an object $\sigma^{m}_{\alpha\dot\alpha}$ that is invariant under $SO(1,3)$. You can use this object to translated one representation into another by:

$$ A_{\alpha\dot\alpha} = A_{m}\sigma^{m}_{\alpha\dot\alpha}\qquad A_{m}=\frac{1}{2}\bar\sigma_{m}^{\dot\alpha\alpha}A_{\alpha\dot\alpha} $$

where $\bar\sigma_{m}^{\dot\alpha\alpha}=\varepsilon^{\alpha\beta}\varepsilon^{\dot\alpha\dot\beta}\eta_{mn}\sigma^{n}_{\beta\dot\beta}$. The same can be done for the $B$'s. You can check that this equations are right by transforming both sides in the equalities. Now, sometimes it is convenient to pretend that just one type of index in $\sigma^{m}_{\alpha\dot\beta}$ transform, such that $\sigma^{m}_{\alpha\dot\beta}$ will behave as a vector if we transform only $m$. If you turn transform just the spinorial indices than $\sigma^{m}_{\alpha\dot\alpha}$ will also transform as a vector but with the the inverse of the transformation since the combination of the transform in all indices should cancel.

Indeed an infinitesimal transformation on the spinorial indices is

$$ \delta (\sigma^{m}_{\alpha\dot\alpha}) =\Theta_{np}(\sigma^{np})_{\alpha}\,^{\beta}\sigma^{m}_{\beta\dot\alpha}+\Theta_{np}(\sigma^{np})^{\dot\beta}\,_{\dot\alpha}\sigma^{m}_{\alpha\dot\beta} = -\Theta^{m}\,_{n}\sigma^{n}_{\alpha\dot\alpha} $$