Physics 218 (Winter 2017): Quantum Field Theory II

Course information

Lecture Time: Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:00 PM -- 2:45 PM
Lecture Place: ISB, Room 235
Instructor: Prof. Stefano Profumo
Office hours: Wednesday 12:00 PM (or -- better -- by appointment)

Course description

This course is the second quarter of a graduate-level introduction to relativistic quantum field theory (QFT). The focus is on non-abelian gauge theories and the Standard Model in particular.

Syllabus

Click here to download the Syllabus

Course outline

numbers in parenthesis indicate the corresponding chapter in Schwartz's book

The anomalous magnetic moment (17)
Path integrals (14)
Yang-Mills theory (25-26)
Spontaneous symmetry breaking (28)
Weak interactions (29)
Anomalies (30)
Precision tests of the Standard Model (31)
QCD and the parton model (32)

Textbooks

Recommended Textbook: Quantum Field Theory and the Standard Model by Schwartz (1 day reserve)

Other Reference Textbooks:

An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory by Peskin and Schroeder (1 day reserve)
Modern Quantum Field Theory by Banks (1 day reserve)
Quantum Field Theory by Srednicki (1 day reserve)
Quantum Field Theory by Mandl and Shaw (1 day reserve)
The Quantum Theory of Fields: Foundations by Weinberg (3 days reserve)
Quantum Electrodynamics by Berestetskii, Lifshitz and Pitaevskii (3 days reserve)
Quantum Field Theory by Itzykson and Zuber (3 days reserve)
Relativistic Quantum Mechanics by Bjorken and Drell (3 days reserve)

Grading policy

Grading will be based on homework exercises. Each homework will consist of typically a couple of exercises on the material discussed in class, or on complements to that material. The homework problems will be posted on the course web page during the quarter. After attempting each problem by yourself, you are encouraged to discuss the problems with the Instructor and with each other.

The final will consist on a presentation based on one of a few topics suggested by the Instructor.

Homework exercises

Set number Due Date

HW Set #1 phys218_HW01.pdf Monday January 23

HW Set #2 phys218_HW02.pdf Monday February 6

HW Set #3 phys218_HW03.pdf Wednesday February 15

HW Set #4 phys218_HW04.pdf Friday February 24

Final Assignment phys218_final.pdf Finals week

Set number	Due Date
HW Set #1 phys218_HW01.pdf	Monday January 23
HW Set #2 phys218_HW02.pdf	Monday February 6
HW Set #3 phys218_HW03.pdf	Wednesday February 15
HW Set #4 phys218_HW04.pdf	Friday February 24
Final Assignment phys218_final.pdf	Finals week

Homework Solutions

Set number Solution (PDF) Author

HW Set #1 Solutions to HW set #1 John Tamanas

HW Set #2 Solutions to HW set #2 Ben Lehmann

HW Set #3 Solutions to HW set #3 Ben Lehmann

HW Set #4 Solutions to HW set #4 Ben Lehmann

Set number	Solution (PDF)	Author
HW Set #1	Solutions to HW set #1	John Tamanas
HW Set #2	Solutions to HW set #2	Ben Lehmann
HW Set #3	Solutions to HW set #3	Ben Lehmann
HW Set #4	Solutions to HW set #4	Ben Lehmann

Final Presentations

Date, Presentation # Presenter Title

2/20, #1 Jaryd Ulbricht Models for the generation of neutrino masses and mixing

2/20, #2 John Tamanas Dark matter portals

2/20, #3 Ben Lehmann QFT at finite temperature

2/20, #4 David Reimann Models for the generation of the baryon asymmetry in the universe

2/22, #1 Michael Saccone Lattice gauge theory

2/22, #2 Cole Helling Experimental evidences for three colors in QCD

2/22, #3 Drew Bischell Strong CP problem and Peccei-Quinn solution

2/22, #4 Dana Faiez Gauge/gravity and AdS/CFT

Date, Presentation #	Presenter	Title
2/20, #1	Jaryd Ulbricht	Models for the generation of neutrino masses and mixing
2/20, #2	John Tamanas	Dark matter portals
2/20, #3	Ben Lehmann	QFT at finite temperature
2/20, #4	David Reimann	Models for the generation of the baryon asymmetry in the universe
2/22, #1	Michael Saccone	Lattice gauge theory
2/22, #2	Cole Helling	Experimental evidences for three colors in QCD
2/22, #3	Drew Bischell	Strong CP problem and Peccei-Quinn solution
2/22, #4	Dana Faiez	Gauge/gravity and AdS/CFT

Last reviewed 09/23/2016 by Stefano Profumo.