Quantum Field Theory

Son Goku

Well now that I've self taught myself General Relativity to a satisfactory degree, I want to move onto QFT.

Anybody know any good books from which to learn it?

planck2

I think you would be wise to use Peskin and Schroeder or Lewis Ryder's book, or even Itzykson and Zuber's, you'll manage to pick it up for about £25stg

Son Goku

planck2 wrote:

I think you would be wise to use Peskin and Schroeder or Lewis Ryder's book, or even Itzykson and Zuber's, you'll manage to pick it up for about £25stg

Picked up Peskin and Schroeder, liking it so far.
Thanks very much.

planck2

Once you feel you have an adequate knowledge of qft might I suggest consulting Weinberg's volumes on the topic

The Gnome

Might want to have a look at "The Field" can think of the authors name right now but it's an interesting read if a bit "out there"

planck2

yeah......right. It's probably not something we'd be after.

Son Goku

I'm reading Zee's "Quantum Field Theory in a nutshell" along with Peskin and Schroeder.
Zee for an introduction, Peskin and Schroeder for rigor.

What does Weinberg cover planck2?

Might want to have a look at "The Field" can think of the authors name right now but it's an interesting read if a bit "out there"

The words "The quest for the secret force of the universe" didn't exactly encourage me.

These fields, McTaggart asserts, are a "cobweb of energy exchange" .......they could be harnessed for unlimited propulsion fuel, levitation, ESP, spiritual healing and more.

Physicists have been aware of the likelihood of this field for years, McTaggart writes, but, constrained by orthodoxy, they have ignored its effects, which she likens to "subtracting out God" from their equations. But, McTaggart asserts, "tiny pockets of quiet rebellion" against scientific convention are emerging, led by Ed Mitchell, an Apollo 14 astronaut and founder of the Institute for Noetic Sciences, an alternative-science think tank.

And then I read these.
It's another "Quantum Physics means magic is real" book.

planck2

Weinberg's "The Quantum Theory of Fields, Volumes 1, 2, 3", is not really for beginners. Its give an insight into why quantum field theory is the way it is. The set covers all of modern quantum field theory. Once you get to a stage where you've done the Feynman rules etc, you should take a look and see what he says. I am planning to dip in and see what he says here and there.

Spear

planck2 wrote:

I think you would be wise to use Peskin and Schroeder or Lewis Ryder's book, or even Itzykson and Zuber's, you'll manage to pick it up for about £25stg

Go with Lewis Ryders, he's a former lecturer of mine, and damn good at what he does.

planck2

It's not a bad book, but not excellent. There are no excercises.