The course is a detailed introduction to modern gauge theories, with the task of illustrating the basic theoretical concepts of the Standard Model of electroweak and strong interactions. At the end of the course, the student should have acquired the basic theoretical notions for a M.Sc. thesis in theoretical physics and in elementary particle physics, both theoretical and experimental.
Course Prerequisites
The course of Quantum Electrodynamics of the M.Sc. in Physical Sciences and basic knowledge of particle physics, as obtained for instance in the course Introduction to Nuclear and Subnuclear Physics of the Bachelor in Physics. Knowledge of particular topics of Quantum Field Theory is welcome but not compulsory.
Teaching Methods
Lectures aimed at providing an illustration of all the conceptual and mathematical aspects inherent to each topic. Examples from recent and current experiments will be given during the lectures, in order to emphasize the link between theoretical predictions and experimental tests.
Assessment Methods
Oral exam. The student will have to show to be familiar with the formalism of gauge invariance and spontaneous symmetry breaking and how these concepts are applied in the construction of the modern theories of fundamental interactions. Also, he will have to show familiarity with the main phenomenological implications of gauge theories.
Face-to-face examination. Exceptions for fragile students.
Texts
C. Quigg, Gauge Theories of the Strong, Weak and Electromagnetic Interactions, Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.
M.E. Peskin and D.V. Schroeder, An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory, CRC Press.
M.D. Schwartz. Quantum Field Theory and the Standard Model, Cambridge University Press.
Contents
Free field Lagrangians and equations of motion. Chirality, helicity and Weyl spinors. Internal symmetries, Nother theorem and conserved charges. Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) as an abelian gauge theory. Scalar electrodynamics. Non-abelian gauge invariance: Yang-Mills theories. Spontaneous symmetry breaking: Goldstone model and Higgs mechanism. Electroweak gauge theory: symmetry group, Lagrangian and main phenomenological implications. Strong interactions and Quantum ChromoDynamics (QCD): Lagrangian, exact and approximate symmetries, main phenomenological aspects. Tests of the Standard Model at lepton and hadron colliders. Quantization of gauge theories. Asymptotic behavior of gauge theories and running of the QED and QCD coupling constants.
