Requirements/prerequisites: 441, 432

Duration: 19 weeks
Number of lectures per week: 3

Assessment: Regular assignments.

End-of-year Examination: One 3-hour examination (upon which final grade is based).

Description:

• Elements of classical field theory: Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms, Noether theorem, Conservation laws,
• The Klein-Grodon (KG) field in space-time,
• quantization of KG field,
• the Dirac field,
• quantization of Dirac field,
• interacting fields and Feynman diagrams

• Feynman diagram formalism for scalar f⁴ theory
• Feynman rules for Quantum Electrodynamics (QED),
• Elementary processes of QED,
• S-matrix: Scattering and decay,
• Trace technology,
• Crossing symmetry,
• Radiative corrections: Infrared and Ultraviolet divergencies, Loop computations, LSZ reduction formula, Optical theorem, Ward-Takahashi identities,
• renormalization of electric charge.

Textbooks:

1. Michael E. Peskin, Daniel V. Schroeder, Än introduction to quantum field theory," HarperCollins Publishers; Reissue edition (1995)
2. Paul A. M. Dirac, "Lectures on Quantum Mechanics," Dover Publications (2001)
3. Mark Srednicki, "Quantum Field Theory," Cambridge University Press (2007) (you can download a pdf file of this book from http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~mark/qft.html)

Recommended:

1. Steven Weinberg, "The quantum theory of fields. Vol.1,; Foundations," Cambridge University Press (1995)

2. N.N. Bogoliubov and D.V. Shirkov, Ïntroduction to the theory of quantized fields," John Wiley & Sons (1959)

3. Francis Halzen and Alan D. Martin, "Quarks and Leptons: An Introductory Course in Modern Particle Physics," Wiley (1984)

4. James D. Bjorken, Sidney D. Drell, "Relativistic Quantum Mechanics" (International Series in Pure & Applied P), McGraw-Hill College (1965)

Dec 9, 2008