657 Phys - Advanced Quantum Field Theory (Ph.D.)

2016/2017 Second Term

This is a PhD level course

Prerequisites:

• QFT I and QFT II – From the M.Sc. program
• QED – From the PhD program

Course Content (Preliminary, will update soon):

• Functional Methods in QFT:
  • Path Integrals
  • The generating functional
• Renormalization of QFTs:
  • Types of divergences
  • Regularization methods (Cut-off, Pauli-Villars, and Dimensional Regularization)
  • Renormalization of simple field theories
• The Renormalization Group
  • The Callan-Symanzik Equation
  • The β-function
  • The Running Couplings
• Symmetry Breaking
  • Spontaneous symmetry breaking
  • Anomalies
• Non-Abelian Field Theories (If time allows)

 
Course Assessment:

• Homework and Assignments (exercises, pre- and post-class reading)
• In-course discussion (Student introduce and explain a specific topic to the rest of the class for ~15 minutes)
• Take-home exams (Midterm, and Final)
• Oral examination of the solutions to the take-home exams (one-to-one), OR
• Presentation (Slides) of the solutions of the take-home exams.

Bibliography:

• An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory by Peskin and Schroeder
• Quantum Field Theory by Ryder (available electronically from the Saudi Digital Library)
• Quantum Field Theory by Srednicki (available electronically from the Saudi Digital Library)
• Gauge Theories in Particle Physics by Ian Aitchison and Anthony Hey
• I will provide a more comprehensive list that includes some good lecture notes and video lectures