FYSS4515 Applied Quantum Field Theory (11 cr)
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course, students will understand fully the content of the renormalization program and be able to apply renormalization methods to compute higher order corrections to scattering processes and to study the scale dependence of couplings. Students will be able to understand the particular features of renormalization of Yang-Mills gauge theories and be able to compute critical exponents using field theory methods. They will understand the meaning of the effective action and effective potential and knows how to compute quantum corrections to them. They will be able to fully undestand the structure and quantization of the standard model of electroweak interactions and know how to compute precision electroweak observables. They will undestand how chiral and ABJ-anomalies arise and what they mean for renormalizability.
Study methods
Interactive lectures, assignments, traditional examination, home examination.
Content
Review of functional methods; systematics of renormalization, BPHZ-method; renormalization of QED and Ward identities, explicit 1-loop renormalization; infrared divergences and soft brehmsstrahlung; renormalization group: Wilsonian flow, Callan-Symantzik equation; beta functions and anomalous dimensions, one-loop running of couplings; renormalization of Yang-Mills theory, asymptotic freedom; Parton model and quark model for QCD; critical phenomena and epsilon-expansion, critical exponents; effective action and (RG-improved) effective potential; renormalization of spontaneously broken theories; standard Model of electroweak interactions; precision electroweak observables; quantum anomalies: chiral and conformal anomalies and ABJ-anomalies.
Further information
Given on autumn semester every other year, starting autumn 2018
Literature:
| ISBN-number | Author, year of publication, title, publisher |
|---|---|
| 987-0-521-86449-7 | Peskin & Schroder, An introduction to Quantum Field theory, Westview Press, ISBN 0-201-50397-2; Srednicki, Quantum field theory, Cambridge, ISBN 987-0-521-86449-7. |
Assessment criteria
The final grade is based on assignments (25-40 %) and examination (75-60 %). The weighting depends on the completion mode.
Prerequisites
FYSS4510 Quantum Field Theory