Seminar on the theory of particles and fields

Contents & literature

More than 70 years ago Richard Feynman found a formulation of quantum theory in which probability amplitudes are not calculated by means of an operator formalism, but by integration over multitudes of classical paths. This formulation offers a very different approach and facilitates the understanding of some aspects of quantum theory. Path integrals have been applied with great success in the quantum theory of fields and in statistical mechanics.

Topics are primarily given out to master’s students. A limited number of topics can possibly also be worked on by bachelor’s students.

Literature

• R.P. Feynman, A.R. Hibbs: Quantum Mechanics and Path Integrals, McGraw-Hill, 1965
• L.S. Schulman: Techniques and Applications of Path Integration, Wiley, 1981
• G. Münster: Quantentheorie, de Gruyter, 2006
• A. Das: Field Theory, A Path Integral Approach, World Scientific, 1993
• J. Zinn-Justin: Path Integrals in Quantum Mechanics, Oxford University Press, 2005
• R. MacKenzie: Path Integral Methods and Applications, arXiv:quant-ph/0004090
• J. Zinn-Justin: Quantum Field Theory and Critical Phenomena, Oxford University Press, 1993
• L.H. Ryder: Quantum Field Theory, Cambridge University Press, 1985
• T.-P. Cheng, L.-F. Li: Gauge Theory of Elementary Particle Physics, Clarendon Press, 1984
• T. Kugo: Eichtheorie, Springer, 1997
• D.J. Amit: Field Theory, the Renormalization Group, and Critical Phenomena, World Scientific, 1984

The literature is made available to the speakers. Further advice concerning complementary literature is given as part of the talk guidance.