Abstract. The QED renormalization is restudied by using a mass-dependent subtraction which is performed at a time-like renormalization point. The subtraction exactly respects necessary physical and mathematical requirements such as the gauge symmetry, the Lorentz invariance and the mathematical convergence. Therefore, the renormalized results derived in the subtraction scheme are faithful and have no ambiguity. In particular, it is proved that the solution of the renormalization group equation (RGE) satisfied by a renormalized wavefunction, propagator or vertex can be fixed by applying the renormalization boundary condition and, thus, an exact S-matrix element can be expressed in the form as written in the tree diagram approximation provided that the coupling constant and the fermion mass are replaced by their effective ones. In the one-loop approximation, the effective coupling constant and the effective fermion mass obtained by solving their RGEs are given in rigorous and explicit expressions which are suitable in the whole range of distance and exhibit physically reasonable asymptotic behaviours.

A corrigendum for this article has been published in 2005 J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys. 31 855

Print publication: Issue 12 (December 1999)
Received 8 July 1999, in final form 29 September 1999