Quantum and Statistical Field Theory

by Michel Le Bellac, Gabriel Barton

Overview

As a fundamental branch of theoretical physics, quantum field theory has led, in the last 20 years, to spectacular progress in our understanding of phase transitions and elementary particles. This textbook emphasizes the underlying unity of the concepts and methods used in both domains, and presents in clear language topics such as the perturbative expansion, Feynman diagrams, renormalization, and the renormalization group. It contains detailed applications of critical phenomena to condensed matter physics, such as the calculation of critical exponents and a discussion of the XY model. Applications to particle physics include quantum electrodynamics and chromodynamics, electroweak interactions, and lattice gauge theories. The book is based on courses given over several years on statistical mechanics and field theory, and is written at graduate level. It attempts to guide the reader through a somewhat difficult and sometimes intricate subject in as clear a manner as possible, leading to a level of understanding where more advanced textbooks and research articles will be accessible. The only textbook covering the subject at this level, the work is thus an ideal guide for graduate and postgraduate students in physics, researchers in quantum and statistical field theory, and those from other fields of physics seeking an introduction to quantum field theory. A large number of problems are given to test the reader's grasp of the ideas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198539643
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	05/21/1992
Series:	Oxford Science Publications
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	608
Product dimensions:	9.21(w) x 6.14(h) x 1.24(d)

About the Author

University of Nice

Table of Contents

PART I: Critical Phenomena1. Introduction to Critical Phenomena2. Landau Theory3. The Renormalization Group4. Two-Dimensional ModelsPART II: Perturbation Theory and Renormalization—The Euclidean Scalar Field5. The Perturbation Expansion and Feynman Diagrams6. Renormalization7. The Callan-Symanzik EquationsPART III: The Quantum Theory of Scalar Fields8. Path Integrals in Quantum and in Statistical Mechanics9. Quantization of the Klein-Gordon Field10. Green's Functions and the S MatrixPART IV: Gauge Theories11. Quantization of the Dirac Field and the Electromagnetic Field12. Quantum Electrodynamics13. Non-Abelian Gauge Theories

Editorial Reviews

"Good undergraduates, graduate students, teachers at different levels, and curious scientists are among the potential readers of this very interesting book."—Journal of Statistical Physics

From the Publisher

A graduate-level textbook, based on courses in statistical mechanics and field theory given by the author at the U. of Nice, France, and translated from the French edition of 1988. Includes a large number of problems. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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