Introduction to Quantum Field Theory

This book deals with quantum field theory, the language of modern elementary particles physics. Based on university lectures given by the author, this volume provides a detailed technical treatment of quantum field theory that is particularly useful for students; it begins with the quantization of the most important free fields, the scalar, the spin-1/2 and the photon fields, and is then followed by a detailed account of symmetry properties, including a discussion on global and local symmetries and the spontaneous breaking of symmetries. Perturbation theory, one-loop effects for quantum electrodynamics, and renormalization properties are also covered. In this second edition new chapters have been introduced with a general description of path integral quantization both on quantum mechanics and in quantum field theory, with a particular attention to the gauge fields. The path integral quantization of Fermi fields is also discussed.

Contents:

• Introduction
• Lagrangian Formalism for Continuum Systems and Quantization
• The Klein-Gordon Field
• The Dirac Field
• Vector Fields
• Symmetries in Field Theories
• Time Ordered Products
• Perturbation Theory
• Applications
• One-Loop Renormalization
• Path Integral Formulation of Quantum Mechanics
• The Path Integral in Field Theory
• The Quantization of the Gauge Fields

Readership: Advanced undergraduate and graduate students in physics.
Key Features:

• Written based on lectures given by the author at Universities of Florence and Geneva
• Written by a well-known expert in quantum field theory