A Prelude to Quantum Field Theory (Paperback)

A concise, beginner-friendly introduction to quantum field theory

Quantum field theory is a powerful framework that extends quantum mechanics in ways that are essential in many modern applications. While it is the fundamental formalism for the study of many areas of physics, quantum field theory requires a different way of thinking, and many newcomers to the subject struggle with the transition from quantum mechanics. A Prelude to Quantum Field Theory introduces the key concepts of quantum field theory in a brief and accessible manner while never sacrificing mathematical rigor. The result is an easy-to-use textbook that distills the most general properties of the theory without overwhelming beginning students with more advanced applications.

• Bridges quantum mechanics and quantum field theory, emphasizing analogies and differences
• Emphasizes a "quantum field theoretical mindset" while maintaining mathematical rigor
• Obtains quantum fields as the continuum limit of a quantized system of many particles
• Highlights the correspondence between wave function--fundamental in quantum mechanics--and the formalism of second quantization used in quantum field theory
• Provides a step-by-step derivation of Feynman rules for the perturbative study of interacting theories
• Introduces students to renormalization, path integrals techniques, and more
• Discusses more modern topics like effective field theories
• Ideal for both undergraduate and graduate students
• Proven in the classroom

一本簡潔且適合初學者的量子場論入門書

量子場論是一個強大的框架，以多種現代應用為基礎擴展了量子力學。儘管它是物理學許多領域研究的基礎形式，但量子場論需要一種不同的思維方式，許多初學者在從量子力學轉換過來時會遇到困難。《量子場論前奏》以簡潔易懂的方式介紹了量子場論的關鍵概念，同時保持了數學的嚴謹性。結果是一本易於使用的教科書，將理論的最一般性質提煉出來，同時不會讓初學者被更高級的應用所淹沒。

本書的特點包括：
- 將量子力學和量子場論進行對比和類比
- 強調「量子場論思維方式」，同時保持數學的嚴謹性
- 將量子場視為多粒子量子系統的連續極限
- 強調了在量子場論中使用的二次量子化形式與量子力學中的波函數之間的對應關係
- 逐步推導了用於研究相互作用理論的費曼規則
- 引入了重整化、路徑積分技術等概念
- 討論了更現代的主題，如有效場論
- 適合本科生和研究生使用
- 在教學中經過驗證的教材

John Donoghue is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is the coauthor of Dynamics of the Standard Model. Lorenzo Sorbo is Professor of Physics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

「John Donoghue」是麻省大學阿默斯特分校的傑出名譽物理學教授。他是《標準模型的動力學》的合著者。「Lorenzo Sorbo」是麻省大學阿默斯特分校的物理學教授。