TITLE: Proving $\sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty e^{-\pi n^2} = \frac{\sqrt[4] \pi}{\Gamma\left(\frac 3 4\right)}$
QUESTION [51 upvotes]: Wikipedia informs me that 
$$S = \vartheta(0;i)=\sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty e^{-\pi n^2} = \frac{\sqrt[4] \pi}{\Gamma\left(\frac 3 4\right)}$$
I tried considering $f(x,n) = e^{-x n^2}$ so that its Mellin transform becomes $\mathcal{M}_x(f)=n^{-2z} \Gamma(z)$ so inverting and summing
$$\frac{1}{2}(S-1)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty f(\pi,n)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{2\pi i}\int_{c-i\infty}^{c+i\infty}n^{-2z} \Gamma(z)\pi^{-z}\,dz = \frac{1}{2\pi i}\int_{c-i\infty}^{c+i\infty}\zeta(2z) \Gamma(z) \pi^{-z}\,dz$$
However, this last integral (whose integrand has poles at $z=0,\frac{1}{2}$ with respective residues of $-\frac 1 2$ and $\frac 1 2$) is hard to evaluate due to the behavior of the function as $\Re(z)\to \pm\infty$ which makes a classic infinite contour over the entire left/right plane impossible.
How does one go about evaluating this sum?

REPLY [2 votes]: I am not sure if it will ever help, but the following identity can be proved:
$$ S^2 = 1 + 4 \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{(-1)^n}{\mathrm{e}^{(2n+1)\pi} - 1}. $$