Advanced Quantum Field Theory
10 credits
Syllabus, Master's level, 1FA159
A revised version of the syllabus is available.
- Code
- 1FA159
- Education cycle
- Second cycle
- Main field(s) of study and in-depth level
- Physics A1F
- Grading system
- Fail (U), Pass (3), Pass with credit (4), Pass with distinction (5)
- Finalised by
- The Faculty Board of Science and Technology, 18 March 2010
- Responsible department
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
Entry requirements
Advanced quantum mechanics or equivalent background. Relativistic quantum mechanics and an introductory course in quantum field theory (e.g. 1SV03) is recommended.
Learning outcomes
- After passing 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.