Quantum Field Theory

PHYS4040 (Quantum Field Theory - scalar fields)

First part of the course, focus on quantising scalar fields

Whiteboards from the 2024 lectures

The lectures follow the course notes quite closely, and cover much the same material as David Tong’s lecture notes (linked below).

  • Klein Gordon feild
    • Introduction to QFT: from classical to quantum to quantum fields
  • Mathematics interleude
    • Distributions, Dirac delta “function”, Green’s functions, complex integration
  • Propogators
    • Propogators in QM and QFT
    • Klein-Gordon Feynman propogator etc.
  • Noether’s Theorem
    • Symmetries, conservation laws and Noether’s theorem
    • Transformations, representations, and generators

See also:

Background

Texts


PHYS6004 (Advanced Quantum Field Theory - quantum electrodynamics)

Extremely brief overview to QED. First, covers a recap of Dirac theory. Then states quantisation of Dirac and photon fields (without proof). Feynman rules are motivated and stated (not derived) - we will see the derivation in the later parts of the course. Finally, a semi-relativistic treatment of the Lamb shift is given (following paper of Bethe), which shows an example of infinities in the theory and how to deal with them (renormalisation)

RQM/QED Lecture Notes

  • Relativistic Quantum Mechanics
    • Contains: quick overview of Dirac theory
    • QED overview, summary of Feynman rules
    • Semi-relativistic treatment of Lamb shift, renormalisation

Textbooks

  • Peskin & Schroeder, An Introduction To Quantum Field Theory
    • Main book for the course, available as pdf from library
  • Sakurai, Advanced Quantum Mechanics
    • A little dated, but very nice. Available from library