Self-dual models and mass generation in planar field theory - art. no. 125008

We analyze, in three space-time dimensions, the connection between Abelian self-dual vector doublets and their counterparts containing both an explici t mass and a topological mass. Their correspondence is established in the L agrangian formalism using an operator approach as well as a path integral a pproach. A canonical Hamiltonian analysis is presented, which also shows th e equivalence with the Lagrangian formalism. The implications of our result s for bosonization in three dimensions are discussed.