Charged current

The Charged current interaction is one of the ways in which subatomic particles can interact by means of the weak force. It is mediated by the W+ and W− bosons.

The interaction is often incorrectly believed to be called 'charged' because the W bosons have electric charge. However, the charged current that gives the interaction its name is that of the interacting particles. For example, the charged-current contribution to the ν
ee− → ν
ee− elastic scattering amplitude

$\mathfrak{M}^{\mathrm{CC}} \propto J_{\mu}^{\mathrm{(CC)}}(\mathrm{e^{-}}\to\nu_{\mathrm{e}}) \; J^{\mathrm{(CC)}\mu}(\nu_{\mathrm{e}}\to\mathrm{e^{-}})$

where the charged currents describing the flow of one fermion into the other are given by

$J^{\mathrm{(CC)\mu}}(f\to f') = \bar{u}_{f'}\gamma^{\mu}\frac{1}{2}\left(1-\gamma^{5}\right)u_{f}.$

See also

• Neutral current