Luis Alvarez-Gaumé . Miguel A. Vazquez-Mozo An Invitation to Quantum Field Theory a SpringerContents 1 Why Do We Need Quantum Field Theory After AU? 11 Relativistic Quantum Mechanics 1.2. The Klein Paradox 1.3. From Wave Functions to Quantum Fields References 2 From Classical to Quantum Fields 21 Particles and Quantum Fields. 2.2 Canonical Quantization 2.3 The Casimir Effect 24 Path Integrals. 2.5 The Semiclassical Limit References 3 Theories and Lagrangians I: Matter Fields 3.1 Representations of the Lorentz. Group 3.2. Weyl Spinors 3.3. Dirac Spinors, 4 Theories and Lagrangians I: Introducing Gauge Fields 4.1 Classical Gauge Fields 4.2 Quantization of the Electromagnetic Field 4.3 Coupling Gauge Fields to Matter 44 Nonabelian Gauge Theories 4.5 Understanding Gauge Symmetry 4.6 Gauge Fields and Path Integrals. 4.7 The Structure of the Gauge Theory Vacuum 4.8 —_Instantons in Gauge Theories. References10 ‘Theories and Lagrangians Il: The Standard Model 5.1 Fundamental Interactions. 5.2 Leptons and Quarks 5.3 Quantum Chromodynamics 54 The Electroweak Theory 5.5. Closing Remarks: Particle Masses in the Standard Model References ‘Towards Computational Rules: Feynman Diagrams 6.1 Cross Sections and $-Matrix Amplitudes. 62 From Green's Functions to Scattering Amplitudes 63 Feynman Rules 64 An Example: Compton Scattering at Low Energies 65 Polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. References ‘Symmetries I: Continuous Symmetries 7.1 Noether's Theorem 7.2 Quantum Mechanical Realizations of Symmetries 7.3. Some Applications of Goldstone’s Theorem 74 ‘The Brout-Englert-Higgs Mechanism References Renormalization 8.1 Removing Infinities 8.2 The Beta-Function and Asymptotic Freedom 8.3 A Look at the Systematics of Renormalization, 84 — Renormalization in Statistical Mechanics. 8,5. The Renormalization Group in Quantum Field Theory References Anomalies 9.1. A Toy Model for the Axial Anomaly 9.2 The Triangle Diagram 9.3. Chiral Symmetry in QCD 94 Gauge Anomalies References ‘The Origin of Mass 10.1 ‘The Masses in the Standard Model 10.2 Quark Masses. 10.3 Agen and the Hadron Masses References Contents 81 81 85 90. 92 98. 99 101 101 109 110 116 127 127 11 136 41 144 145 145 150 155 162 167 m 175 175 181 183 189 192 193 193 202 208 208