A Modern Introduction to Quantum Field Theory

The importance and the beauty of modern quantum field theory resides in the power and variety of its methods and ideas, which find application in domains as different as particle physics, cosmology, condensed matter, statistical mechanics and critical phenomena.

This book introduces the reader to the modern developments in a manner which assumes no previous knowledge of quantum field theory. Along with standard topics like Feynman diagrams, the book discusses effective lagrangians, renormalization group equations, the path integral formulation, spontaneous symmetry breaking and non-abelian gauge theories. The inclusion of more advanced topics will also make this a most useful book for graduate students and researchers.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Lorentz and Poincare symmetries in QFT

3. Classical field theory

4. Quantization of free fields

5. Perturbation theory and Feynman diagrams

6. Cross-sections and decay rates

7. Quantum electrodynamics

8. The low-energy limit of the electroweak theory

9. Path integral quantization

10. Non-abelian gauge theories

11. Spontaneous symmetry breaking

12. Solutions to exercises

Review

“Maggiore has compiled and systematized notes for his two-semester advanced undergraduate course introducing quantum field theoryHe highlights the power and variety of the theory’s methods and ideas, and how they can be applied to domains as different as particle physics, cosmology, condensed matter, statistical mechanics, and critical phenomena.”–SciTech Book News

About the Author

Michele Maggiore is Professor of Physics at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.