A First Book of Quantum Field Theory

For more than 50 years we have known that quantum field theory is necessary for describing precision experiments involving electromagnetic interactions. More recently it has become clear that it also describes weak and strong interactions, and, in fact, produces an appropriate framework for describing a wide class of phenomena in the energy range covered by all experiments to date.A First Book of Quantum Field Theory introduces the subject as an elegant yet relatively simple piece of machinery with a broad range of applications. Although many introductory textbooks approach the subject with description of the electron and the photon as their goal, this treatment takes a rather unique approach through decay processes, which are, in some ways, simpler than scattering processes. Using decay processes allows the authors to introduce the basic machinery of Feynman diagrams even before addressing the quantization of spin-1 fields.With clear, engaging prose, strategically placed exercises, and canonical quantization employed throughout the book, A First Book of Quantum Field Theory offers a systematic, straightforward treatment ideal for advanced undergraduate and beginning post-graduate students. Readers will not only grasp the crucial concepts and the tools fundamental to the subject, but they will also discover both its elegance and its utility.