In particle physics I am used to the Feynman propagator being decomposed into positive and negative frequency Wightman functions. For example, this is the representation used in Eq. (6.2.13) of Weinberg's volume I [1]. In his notation, \begin{equation} -\mathrm{i} \Delta_{\text{F}}(x) = \theta(x) \Delta_+(x) + \theta(-x) \Delta_+(-x) \end{equation} This is constructed to have only positive frequency terms at future infinity, and only negative frequency terms at past infinity. In particular, the function Δ+(x)\Delta_+(-x) used by Weinberg can be written as the negative frequency Wightman function Δ(x)\Delta_-(x) , and \begin{equation} \Delta_+(x) = \int \frac{\mathrm{d}^3 q}{(2\pi)^3} \frac{1}{2 E_{\mathbf{q}}} \mathrm{e}^{-\mathrm{i} E_{\mathbf{q}} t + \mathrm{i} \mathbf{q} \cdot \mathbf{x}} , \quad \Delta_-(x) = \int \frac{\mathrm{d}^3 q}{(2\pi)^3} \frac{1}{2 E_{\mathbf{q}}} \mathrm{e}^{+\mathrm{i} E_{\mathbf{q}} t -\mathrm{i} \mathbf{q} \cdot \mathbf{x}} \end{equation} where EqE_{\mathbf{q}} is the energy for a particle of momentum q\mathbf{q} . But when I compare with the formula for the time-ordered propagator given in Altland & Simons [2] or Kamenev [3], the result seems different. Kamenev gives (now in his notation) \begin{align} \langle \phi^+(t) \bar{\phi}^-(t') \rangle = \mathrm{i} G^<(t,t') & = n_B \mathrm{e}^{-\mathrm{i} \omega_0 (t-t')} \ \langle \phi^-(t) \bar{\phi}^+(t') \rangle = \mathrm{i} G^>(t,t') & = (n_B + 1) \mathrm{e}^{-\mathrm{i} \omega_0 (t - t')} \ \langle \phi^+(t) \bar{\phi}^+(t') \rangle = \mathrm{i} G^{\mathbb{T}}(t,t') & = \theta(t-t') \mathrm{i} G^>(t,t') + \theta(t'-t) \mathrm{i} G^<(t,t') \ \langle \phi^-(t) \bar{\phi}^-(t') \rangle = \mathrm{i} G^{\tilde{\mathbb{T}}}(t,t') & = \theta(t-t') \mathrm{i} G^<(t,t') + \theta(t'-t) \mathrm{i} G^>(t,t') \end{align} Altland & Simons have something equivalent in their Eq. (11.16). In this notation, if I have understood, iG>\mathrm{i} G^> and iG<\mathrm{i} G^< take the place of the positive and negative frequency Wightman functions. Then, the ++++ correlation function gives the time-ordered Green's function GTG^{\mathbb{T}} , and the -- correlation function gives the anti-time-ordered one GT~G^{\tilde{\mathbb{T}}} . But if I go to vacuum where nB=0n_B = 0 , it's clear that, although GTG^{\mathbb{T}} is built from modes of definite frequency, it has no support at all for t>tt' > t . Likewise, GT~G^{\tilde{\mathbb{T}}} has no support for t>tt > t' . So whatever GT(t,t)G^{\mathbb{T}}(t,t') and GT~(t,t)G^{\tilde{\mathbb{T}}}(t,t') are, they are apparently not what I would expect for the Feynman and Dyson propagators in vacuum. Kamenev and Altland & Simons compute their propagators by specifying a density matrix at an initial time. In the standard textbook presentation of the Feynman propagator, the boundary conditions enter in a more opaque way via an explicit computation of the expectation value of the time-ordered product. The answer I am expecting looks more like the formula for the ++++ , -- , ++- and +-+ correlation functions given by Glavan & Prokopec in their lecture notes on non-equilibrium field theory [4]. Their Eqs (237) and (64) for the ++++ correlation function and Feynman propagator match (as far as I can see) Weinberg's formula for ΔF\Delta_F and Kamenev's formula for iGT\mathrm{i} G^{\mathbb{T}} . But then, their Wightman functions Eq. (72) don't look like iG>\mathrm{i} G^> , iG<\mathrm{i} G^< given by Kamenev and Altland & Simons. Glavan & Prokopec quote (in their notation) \begin{align} \mathrm{i} \Delta^+(t,t') & \propto (1 + \bar{n}_0) \mathrm{e}^{-\mathrm{i} \omega (t-t')} + \bar{n}_0 \mathrm{e}^{\mathrm{i} \omega (t-t')} \ \mathrm{i} \Delta^-(t,t') & = \Big[ \mathrm{i} \Delta^+(t,t') \Big]^\ast \end{align} where I think nˉ0nB\bar{n}_0 \mapsto n_B and ωω0\omega \mapsto \omega_0 in Kamenev's notation. In vacuum, this has the positive/negative frequency behaviour at infinity that I am expecting. How am I supposed to understand this? Clearly a different boundary condition is being applied to the time ordered propagator. What is different about what Glavan & Prokopec are assuming, compared to Kamenev and Altland & Simons? [1] Weinberg, The Quantum Theory of Fields Volume I: Foundations , Cambridge University Press [2] Altland & Simons, Condensed Matter Field Theory , 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press [3] Kamenev, Field Theory of Non-Equilibrium Systems , 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press [4] https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~proko101/LecturenotesNonEquilQFT.pdf