C7.4b: Theoretical Physics II

1. [1] Canonical quantisation and connection to many body theory: quantised elastic waves; quantisation of free scalar field theory; many-particle quantum systems. [4 lectures]
2. [2] Path integrals and quantum field theory: generating functional and free particle propagator for scalar and gauge fields (in Lorentz gauge). [5 lectures]
3. [3] Perturbation theory at tree level for decay and scattering processes. Examples from pure scalar theories and scalar QED. Goldstone theorem. [4 lectures]
4. [4] Canonical transformations in quantum field theory: Bogoliubov transformations applied to bose condensates, magnons in antiferromagnets, and to BCS theory. [4 lectures]

The lecturers are aware of no book that presents all parts of this course in a unified way and at an appropriate level. For this reason, detailed lecture notes will be made available.

Some books that cover parts of the course are:

D. Bailin and A. Love, Introduction to Gauge Field Theory, mainly chapters 1 – 6 for sections 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8.

R. P. Feynman, Statistical Mechanics, mainly chapters 3, 4 and 6 for sections 1, 6 and 9.

F. Reif, Statistical and Thermal Physics, chapter 15 for section 5.

J. M. Yeomans, Statistical Mechanics of Phase Transitions, chapters 1 – 5 for sections 3 and 4.