Introduction to quantum field theory

Duration

20h Th, 10h Pr

Number of credits

Lecturer

Atri Bhattacharya, Jean-René Cudell

Coordinator

Jean-René Cudell

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course gives a brief overview of the tools needed to understand quantum field theory (to the exception of special relativity).
Contents
1&2. Introduction: phenomena unexplained by classical physics, canonical formalism in mechanics 
3&4. Formalism, Hilbert space, continuity equation, Schödinger equation, Heisenberg and Schrödinger pictures 
5. Discussion session 1 
6. The harmonic oscillator, raising and lowering operators 
7. The hydrogen atom 
8. Discussion session 2 
9. Basic scattering problems 
10. Angular momentum, addition of angular momenta 
11. Discussion session 3.
12. Spin 
13. Perturbation Theory 
14. Discussion session 4 
15. Perturbation theory 
16. Multiparticle states 
17. Discussion session 5
18. Multiparticle states 
19. Electromagnetic interactions 
20. Discussion session 6 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The objective of the course is to give students a basic knowledge of quantum mechanics and to enable them to calculate simple processes using the formalism developed during the course.
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1) use the concept of canonical transformation;
2) solve elementary problems in quantum mechanics;
3) understand and use the concept of spin;
4) understand the concept of identical particles and its implications.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

This course is based on lectures, and on discussion sessions where problems (see the course webpages for the list) are discussed, as shown in the table of contents. The problems will be solved by the students, under the guidance of the instructor. Preparing them is strongly advised.  

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

The references for each lecture, notes and the list of problems are available on the course web pages.  

Recommended or required readings

Textbooks:

• Sakurai, J. J.: Modern Quantum Mechanics
• Messiah, A: Quantum Mechanics
• Davydov, A.S.: Quantum Mechanics

Assessment methods and criteria

1) 5 points: At the end of the first five discussion session, one problem is distributed, to be returned for the next discussion session.
2) 15 points: Written open-book exam consisting of 3 problems, one on each of the 3 parts of the course, followed by a brief discussion.

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

The course will be organised in 20 one-and-a-half-hour lectures/discussion sessions (see contents).

Contacts

Atri Bhattacharya E-mail: A.Bhattacharya@ulg.ac.be 
Jean-René Cudell E-Mail: jr.cudell@ulg.ac.be Tel.: 04/3663654
Maxim Laletin (M.L.) E-Mail: maxim.laletin@ulg.ac.be

Institute of physics 19A Allée du 6 août Bldg B5a (4th floor, room 4/44) University of Liège
Web pages: http://www.theo.phys.ulg.ac.be/wiki/Introduction_to_quantum_field_theory

Items online