Entry requirements

Quantum Mechanics, Advanced Course, 15 credits, or the equivalent. Relativistic quantum mechanics and an introductory course in quantum field theory (e.g. 1SV037) is recommended.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• use the pathintegral formalism to quantize an arbitrary field theory with both bosonic and fermionic fields
• derive the Feynman rules for a gauge theory using pathintegrals
• derive the Higgs mechanism and spontaneous symmetry breaking
• use the renormalisation group and how to regularize in an arbitrary gauge-theory
• derive the BRST symmetry and to analyse in examples how it mirrors gauge invariance in the quantum theory
• explain the phenomenon of anomalies and to calculate them in a number of examples
• explain basic supersymmetry and supersymmetric quantum field theory with applications
• analyse the conceptual problems that arise in quantizing gravity.

Content

The course establishes the relation of standard canonical quantisation formalism for field theories to path-integral quantisation. The course will also familiarise the students with some basic concepts in advanced quantum field theory such as path-integral quantisation of gauge theories, regularisation and the renormalisation group, BRST-quantisation, Higgs-mechanism, spontaneous symmetry breaking, anomalies and supersymmetry.

Instruction

Lectures

Assessment

Homework assignments, possibly amended by an oral exam.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.