Pion decay constant, electromagnetic form factor, and quark electromagnetic self-energy in quantum chromodynamics

We examine dynamical chiral symmetry breaking in quantum chromodynamics (QCD). To lowest order in a double perturbation expansion in g, the gauge coupling, and λ=exp(-1bg²) we obtain exact representations for the pion decay constant f_π and electromagnetic form factor F_π(q²). Using the experimental values for f_π and F_π(q²), we estimate the dynamically generated quark mass to be 270-300 MeV, in good agreement with a value obtained from e⁺e^- annihilation data. We also calculate the finite electromagnetic self-energy of a quark in QCD and discuss the implications.