Physics 634 is the standard course on relativistic quantum field theory, and it is suitable for students in all branches of experimental and theoretical physics.

The textbook is An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory, by M. E. Peskin and D. V. Schroeder (Addison-Wesley, Reading Mass., 1995), listed at $59.00 (a bargain for a 842 page, superbly written, hardcover book).

About 40% of the material in this book will be covered, drawn from Part I and a portion of Part II. The later topics, on the more intricate details of renormalization and on the nonabelian gauge theories, are appropriate for the second course in this sequence, Physics 638.

The class will meet Tuesday and Thursday at 12:45-2:00 p.m. in Room 213 of this building.

There will be one nontrivial homework problem due each week. All these problems will be from Part I of Peskin and Schroeder.

Grading:

weekly homework assignments 50%

midterm exam (over first half of course) 25%

final exam (over second half of course) 25%

Homework is due at the beginning of class each Tuesday.

Homework late by < 48 hours, 1/2 credit. Homework late by > 48 hours, no credit.

There will be no class on Thursday, January 25, and on two other days during March or April. These three classes will be made up at times which are convenient for everyone in the class.

The midterm exam will be on Thursday, March 15, and the final on the date scheduled by the university. However, if everyone in the class agrees, we can have each exam during a longer period at night, and can shift the date of the final exam.

Office hours: 2:00-3:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or by appointment.

An optional 10-minute talk can be given for extra credit equal to two homework sets.

For more information as the course develops, go to http://faculty.physics.tamu.edu/allen/Physics634.html.

Sample exam: Phys634-Exam2.pdf [short easy exam over basics]

Homework: Peskin and Schroeder 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 4.4, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.3 plus 4 other problems which involve deriving results in the text