Covariant quantization of the electromagnetic field imposes the so-called gauge-fixing modification on the Lagrangian density. As a result of that, the total angular momentum operator receives at least one gauge-fixing-originated contribution, whose presence causes some confusion in the literature. The goal of this work is to discuss in detail why such a contribution, having no classical interpretation, is actually indispensable. For this purpose, we divide canonical and Belinfante-Rosenfeld total angular momentum operators into different components and study their commutation relations, their role in the generation of rotations of quantum fields, and their action on states from the physical sector of the theory. Then, we examine physical matrix elements of operators having gauge-fixing-related contributions, illustrating problems that one may encounter due to careless employment of the resolution of identity during their evaluation. The resolution of identity, in the indefinite-metric space of the covariantly quantized electromagnetic field, is extensively discussed because it takes a not-so-intuitive form if one insists on explicit projection onto states from the physical sector of the theory. Our studies are carried out in the framework of the Gupta-Bleuler theory of the free electromagnetic field. Relevant remarks about interacting systems, described by covariantly quantized electrodynamics, are given.

• Received 13 May 2021
• Accepted 29 July 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.104.085003

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Published by the American Physical Society