Course Professor: Mark Van
Raamsdonk
office: Hennings
420 e-mail: mav@phas.ubc.ca
The TA:
Jared Stang, jstang@phas.ubc.ca
Where is it?
Lectures:
Monday and
Wednesday 2pm - 3:30pm in Hennings 301
Review/question/homework session:
Friday at 2pm in Hennings 301
Why should I take it?
Quantum
field theory is the language of much of modern theoretical physics,
from particle physics to condensed matter theory. It is simply quantum
mechanics applied as applied to continuous (or approximately
continuous) systems, but turns out to be essential for describing the
quantum mechanics of relativistic particles and for understanding the
physics of approximately continuous systems that appear in condensed
matter physics. In this course, I hope to impart a basic understanding
of quantum field theory and provide the basic calculational tools used
to make physical predictions.
Books:
Main
Text: Peskin and Schroeder, "An
Introduction to Quantum Field Theory"
While
I will not follow the textbook closely, this book is generally
well-written and is the standard textbook for graduate quantum field
theory courses these days. It is a good all-purpose book written from a
particle physics point of view.
Other books:
Mandl
& Shaw, "Quantum Field Theory" - A simpler introduction to
quantum electrodynamics starting with classical E & M
Weinberg,
"The Quantum Theory of Fields" - Excellent
book with some deep insights into QFT, though can be challenging. David Tong's
notes on quantum field theory (freely available online)
Grading Scheme:
Assignments and in-class activities 60%
Take-home
final exam
40%
Notes:
Late assignments cannot be accepted since solutions will be posted
online shortly after assignments are due. However, lowest assignment
score will be dropped.
A
note about assignments:
Students
are encouraged to discuss the assignments with each other, but
submitted assignments must be your own work. In other words, you should
not be looking at anyone else's assignment when you are writing up your
solutions, and similarly, you should not share your completed solution
with any of the other students. I have been urged to emphasise that
copying work is a very serious matter with serious consequences (e.g.
suspension).