FY8308: Advanced Quantum Field Theory

H 2024

The lectures are a continuation of FY3464 Quantum Field Theory I and TFY4210 Quantum theory of many particle systems. Aim is an understanding of quantum field theory as the underlying structure of the standard model of particle physics and as an important working tool in statistical physics.

Lecturer, time and place:

Michael Kachelrieß, email; office: D5-123

The lectures are now only offered as a PhD course (every second year), but are open also for master students. They will be organised as a mixture of a self-study and seminar course. Contact me by email, if you are interested.



Centaurus A

Topics covered:

  • Renormalization
  • Symmetry breaking
  • Electroweak theory
  • Anomalies
  • plus a selection of the following topics (depending on your interests):
  • Thermal field theory (notes 15)
  • Topological defects, instantons (notes 16, 17.2,3)
  • Gravity (notes 19.1-2, 23, 25.3)
  • QCD (notes 18)
  • other suggestions?


Pensum

We will follow roughly my lecture notes, see the link below. As alternatives, I suggest you to go to the library and to test several QFT books. Some recommend ones are
  • D. Bailin and A. Love, Introduction to Gauge Field Theory, Adam Hilger.
  • M. Kachelriess, Quantum Fields: From the Hubble to the Planck Scale, Oxford University Press; corrected paperback edition 2022.
    For a freely available early draft see here
  • M. Maggiore, A Modern Introduction to Quantum Field Theory, Oxford University Press.
  • M. Peskin and D. Schroeder, Quantum Field Theory, Perseus Press.
  • L. Ryder, Quantum Field Theory, Cambridge University Press.
  • M. Schwartz, Quantum Field Theory and the Standard Model, Cambridge University Press.
  • M. Srednicki, Quantum Field Theory, Cambridge University Press. For a freely available draft click here
  • A. Zee, Quantum Field Theory in a Nutshell, Princeton University Press.
  • For a discussion of the same story from a somewhat more advanced point of view see T. Banks, Modern Quantum Field Theory, Cambridge University Press. For a pdf file click here

Plan of the meetings

Week 37: Gauge theories ES
Week 38: Renormalisation KL
Week 39: Symmetries and SSB FDB
Week 40: --
Week 41: GSW model SSJ
Week 42: Phase transition and topological defects MTH
Week 43: Anomalies, axions MAT
Week 44: QCD I AV
Week 45: Quantum fields in curved spacetime EBK
Week 46: Black holes MAMS
Week 47: QCD II SS


Exam

the final exam will be oral. Please contact me to arrange a date, either in week 48, 2 or 3.