量子场论引言概论.pdfVIP

量子场论初步 引言 张宏浩 1 Why Quantum Field Theory? Quantum field theory arose out of our need to describe the ephemeral nature of life? No, seriously, • Quantum Field theory is needed when we confront simultaneously the two great physics innovations of the last century of the previous millennium: special relativity and quantum mechanics. • Consider a fast moving rocket ship close to light speed. You need special relativity but not quantum mechanics to study its motion. • On the other hand, to study a slow moving electron scattering on a proton, you must invoke quantum mechanics, but you don’t have to know a thing about special relativity. • However, to understand processes that occur at very small (quantum-mechanical) scales and very large (relativistic) energies, one needs the development of a new subject in physics, that of quantum field theory. 即: 极小尺度 (量子力学) •量子场论 极大能量 (狭义相对论) • Why can’t we just quantize relativistic particles the way we quantized nonrelativistic particles? Problems difficulties • Negative-energy states other inconsistencise • Creation / annihilation of particle- antiparticle pairs, change of particle number, … • Virtual particles exist for a very short time (from uncertainty principle) • Violation of microscopic causality (to be discussed later in detail) Who needs QFT? • Quantum field theory is absolutely essential for understanding the current state of elementary particle physics. • With some modification, the method of QFT also plays a crucial role in the most active areas of atomic, nuclear, and condensed-matter physics. • One of the great advances in theoretical physics in the last 30 years or so