Overview

Quantum field theory is the basic mathematical framework that is used to describe elementary particles. This textbook provides a complete and essential introduction to the subject. Assuming only an undergraduate knowledge of quantum mechanics and special relativity, this book is ideal for graduate students beginning the study of elementary particles. The step-by-step presentation begins with basic concepts illustrated by simple examples, and proceeds through historically important results to thorough treatments of modern topics such as the renormalization group, spinor-helicity methods for quark and gluon scattering, magnetic monopoles, instantons, supersymmetry, and the unification of forces. The book is written in a modular format, with each chapter as self-contained as possible, and with the necessary prerequisite material clearly identified. It is based on a year-long course given by the author and contains extensive problems, with password protected solutions available to lecturers at www.cambridge.org/9780521864497.

Full Product Details

Author:   Mark Srednicki (University of California, Santa Barbara)
Publisher:   Cambridge University Press
Imprint:   Cambridge University Press (Virtual Publishing)
ISBN:  

9780511813917

ISBN 10:   0511813910
Publication Date:   05 September 2012
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Undefined
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock  
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Table of Contents

Preface for students; Preface for instructors; Acknowledgements; Part I. Spin Zero: 1. Attempts at relativistic quantum mechanics; 2. Lorentz invariance; 3. Canonical quantization of scalar fields; 4. The spin-statistics theorem; 5. The LSZ reduction formula; 6. Path integrals in quantum mechanics; 7. The path integral for the harmonic oscillator; 8. The path integral for free field theory; 9. The path integral for interacting field theory; 10. Scattering amplitudes and the Feynman rules; 11. Cross sections and decay rates; 12. Dimensional analysis with ?=c=1; 13. The Lehmann-Källén form; 14. Loop corrections to the propagator; 15. The one-loop correction in Lehmann-Källén form; 16. Loop corrections to the vertex; 17. Other 1PI vertices; 18. Higher-order corrections and renormalizability; 19. Perturbation theory to all orders; 20. Two-particle elastic scattering at one loop; 21. The quantum action; 22. Continuous symmetries and conserved currents; 23. Discrete symmetries: P, T, C, and Z; 24. Nonabelian symmetries; 25. Unstable particles and resonances; 26. Infrared divergences; 27. Other renormalization schemes; 28. The renormalization group; 29. Effective field theory; 30. Spontaneous symmetry breaking; 31. Broken symmetry and loop corrections; 32. Spontaneous breaking of continuous symmetries; Part II. Spin One Half: 33. Representations of the Lorentz Group; 34. Left- and right-handed spinor fields; 35. Manipulating spinor indices; 36. Lagrangians for spinor fields; 37. Canonical quantization of spinor fields I; 38. Spinor technology; 39. Canonical quantization of spinor fields II; 40. Parity, time reversal, and charge conjugation; 41. LSZ reduction for spin-one-half particles; 42. The free fermion propagator; 43. The path integral for fermion fields; 44. Formal development of fermionic path integrals; 45. The Feynman rules for Dirac fields; 46. Spin sums; 47. Gamma matrix technology; 48. Spin-averaged cross sections; 49. The Feynman rules for majorana fields; 50. Massless particles and spinor helicity; 51. Loop corrections in Yukawa theory; 52. Beta functions in Yukawa theory; 53. Functional determinants; Part III. Spin One: 54. Maxwell's equations; 55. Electrodynamics in coulomb gauge; 56. LSZ reduction for photons; 57. The path integral for photons; 58. Spinor electrodynamics; 59. Scattering in spinor electrodynamics; 60. Spinor helicity for spinor electrodynamics; 61. Scalar electrodynamics; 62. Loop corrections in spinor electrodynamics; 63. The vertex function in spinor electrodynamics; 64. The magnetic moment of the electron; 65. Loop corrections in scalar electrodynamics; 66. Beta functions in quantum electrodynamics; 67. Ward identities in quantum electrodynamics I; 68. Ward identities in quantum electrodynamics II; 69. Nonabelian gauge theory; 70. Group representations; 71. The path integral for nonabelian gauge theory; 72. The Feynman rules for nonabelian gauge theory; 73. The beta function for nonabelian gauge theory; 74. BRST symmetry; 75. Chiral gauge theories and anomalies; 76. Anomalies in global symmetries; 77. Anomalies and the path integral for fermions; 78. Background field gauge; 79. Gervais-Neveu gauge; 80. The Feynman rules for N x N matrix fields; 81. Scattering in quantum chromodynamics; 82. Wilson loops, lattice theory, and confinement; 83. Chiral symmetry breaking; 84. Spontaneous breaking of gauge symmetries; 85. Spontaneously broken abelian gauge theory; 86. Spontaneously broken nonabelian gauge theory; 87. The standard model: Gauge and Higgs sector; 88. The standard model: Lepton sector; 89. The standard model: Quark sector; 90. Electroweak interactions of hadrons; 91. Neutrino masses; 92. Solitons and monopoles; 93. Instantons and theta vacua; 94. Quarks and theta vacua; 95. Supersymmetry; 96. The minimal supersymmetric standard model; 97. Grand unification; Bibliography.

Reviews

'This accessible and conceptually structured introduction to quantum field theory will be of value not only to beginning students but also to practicing physicists interested in learning or reviewing specific topics. The book is organized in a modular fashion, which makes it easy to extract the basic information relevant to the reader's area(s) of interest. The material is presented in an intuitively clear and informal style. Foundational topics such as path integrals and Lorentz representations are included early in the exposition, as appropriate for a modern course; later material includes a detailed description of the Standard Model and other advanced topics such as instantons, supersymmetry, and unification, which are essential knowledge for working particle physicists, but which are not treated in most other field theory texts.' Washington Taylor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 'Over the years I have used parts of Srednicki's book to teach field theory to physics graduate students not specializing in particle physics. This is a vast subject, with many outstanding textbooks. Among these, Srednicki's stands out for its pedagogy. The subject is built logically, rather than historically. The exposition walks the line between getting the idea across and not shying away from a serious calculation. Path integrals enter early, and renormalization theory is pursued from the very start... By the end of the course the student should understand both beta functions and the Standard Model, and be able to carry through a calculation when a perturbative calculation is called for.' Predrag Cvitanovi, Georgia Institute of Technology 'This book should become a favorite of quantum field theory students and instructors. The approach is systematic and comprehensive, but the friendly and encouraging voice of the author comes through loud and clear to make the subject feel accessible. Many interesting examples are worked out in pedagogical detail.' Ann Nelson, University of Washington 'I expect that this will be the textbook of choice for many quantum field theory courses. The presentation is straightforward and readable, with the author's easy-going 'voice' coming through in his writing. The organization into a large number of short chapters, with the prerequisites for each chapter clearly marked, makes the book flexible and easy to teach from or to read independently. A large and varied collection of special topics is available, depending on the interests of the instructor and the student.' Joseph Polchinski, University of California, Santa Barbara

'This accessible and conceptually structured introduction to quantum field theory will be of value not only to beginning students but also to practicing physicists interested in learning or reviewing specific topics. The book is organized in a modular fashion, which makes it easy to extract the basic information relevant to the reader's area(s) of interest. The material is presented in an intuitively clear and informal style. Foundational topics such as path integrals and Lorentz representations are included early in the exposition, as appropriate for a modern course; later material includes a detailed description of the Standard Model and other advanced topics such as instantons, supersymmetry, and unification, which are essential knowledge for working particle physicists, but which are not treated in most other field theory texts.' Washington Taylor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 'Over the years I have used parts of Srednicki's book to teach field theory to physics graduate students not specializing in particle physics. This is a vast subject, with many outstanding textbooks. Among these, Srednicki's stands out for its pedagogy. The subject is built logically, rather than historically. The exposition walks the line between getting the idea across and not shying away from a serious calculation. Path integrals enter early, and renormalization theory is pursued from the very start.... By the end of the course the student should understand both beta functions and the Standard Model, and be able to carry through a calculation when a perturbative calculation is called for.' Predrag Cvitanovi, Georgia Institute of Technology 'This book should become a favorite of quantum field theory students and instructors. The approach is systematic and comprehensive, but the friendly and encouraging voice of the author comes through loud and clear to make the subject feel accessible. Many interesting examples are worked out in pedagogical detail.' Ann Nelson, University of Washington 'I expect that this will be the textbook of choice for many quantum field theory courses. The presentation is straightforward and readable, with the author's easy-going 'voice' coming through in his writing. The organization into a large number of short chapters, with the prerequisites for each chapter clearly marked, makes the book flexible and easy to teach from or to read independently. A large and varied collection of special topics is available, depending on the interests of the instructor and the student.' Joseph Polchinski, University of California, Santa Barbara This accessible and conceptually structured introduction to quantum field theory will be of value not only to beginning students but also to practicing physicists interested in learning or reviewing specific topics. The book is organized in a modular fashion, which makes it easy to extract the basic information relevant to the reader's area(s) of interest. The material is presented in an intuitively clear and informal style. Foundational topics such as path integrals and Lorentz representations are included early in the exposition, as appropriate for a modern course; later material includes a detailed description of the Standard Model and other advanced topics such as instantons, supersymetry, and unification, which are essential knowledge for working particle physicists, but which are not treated in most other field theory texts. Washington Taylor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Over the years I have used parts of Srednicki's book to teach field theory to physics graduate students not specializing in particle physics. This is a vast subject, with many outstanding textbooks. Among these, Srednicki's stands out for its pedagogy. The subject is built logically, rather than historically. The exposition walks the line between getting the idea across and not shying away from a serious calculation. Path integrals enter early, and renormalization theory is pursued from the very start...By the end of the course the student should understand both beta functions and the Standard Model, and be able to carry through a calculation when a perturbative calculation is called for. Predrag Cvitanovic, Georgia Institute of Technology This book should become a favorite of quantum field theory students and instructors. The approach is systematic and comprehensive, but the friendly and encouraging voice of the author comes through loud and clear to make the subject feel accessible. Many interesting examples are worked out in pedagogical detail. Ann Nelson, University of Washington I expect that this will be the textbook of choice for many quantum field theory courses. The presentation is straightforward and readable, with the author's easy-going 'voice' coming through in his writing. The organization into a large number of short chapters, with the prerequisites for each chapter clearly marked, makes the book flexible and easy to teach from or to read independently. A large and varied collection of special topics is available, depending on the interests of the instructor and the student. Joseph Polchinski, University of California, Santa Barbara This is an extraordinary book, a real gem. After a cursory glance, all will have the clear impression that this is a revolutionary book. In my opinion, this is simply the best QFT textbook ever written... it is absolutely invaluable. Giuseppe Nardelli, Mathematical Reviews

'This accessible and conceptually structured introduction to quantum field theory will be of value not only to beginning students but also to practicing physicists interested in learning or reviewing specific topics. The book is organized in a modular fashion, which makes it easy to extract the basic information relevant to the reader's area(s) of interest. The material is presented in an intuitively clear and informal style. Foundational topics such as path integrals and Lorentz representations are included early in the exposition, as appropriate for a modern course; later material includes a detailed description of the Standard Model and other advanced topics such as instantons, supersymmetry, and unification, which are essential knowledge for working particle physicists, but which are not treated in most other field theory texts.' Washington Taylor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 'Over the years I have used parts of Srednicki's book to teach field theory to physics graduate students not specializing in particle physics. This is a vast subject, with many outstanding textbooks. Among these, Srednicki's stands out for its pedagogy. The subject is built logically, rather than historically. The exposition walks the line between getting the idea across and not shying away from a serious calculation. Path integrals enter early, and renormalization theory is pursued from the very start.... By the end of the course the student should understand both beta functions and the Standard Model, and be able to carry through a calculation when a perturbative calculation is called for.' Predrag Cvitanovi, Georgia Institute of Technology 'This book should become a favorite of quantum field theory students and instructors. The approach is systematic and comprehensive, but the friendly and encouraging voice of the author comes through loud and clear to make the subject feel accessible. Many interesting examples are worked out in pedagogical detail.' Ann Nelson, University of Washington 'I expect that this will be the textbook of choice for many quantum field theory courses. The presentation is straightforward and readable, with the author's easy-going 'voice' coming through in his writing. The organization into a large number of short chapters, with the prerequisites for each chapter clearly marked, makes the book flexible and easy to teach from or to read independently. A large and varied collection of special topics is available, depending on the interests of the instructor and the student.' Joseph Polchinski, University of California, Santa Barbara

Author Information

Mark Srednicki is Professor of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He gained his undergraduate degree from Cornell University in 1977, and received a PhD from Stanford University in 1980. Professor Srednicki has held postdoctoral positions at Princeton University and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).

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