3.5 ECTS Credits — Semester 1 — part of a Major
Particle physics is a field of physics concerned with understanding the fundamental building blocks of matter and the forces that govern their interactions. It delves into the study of subatomic particles like electrons, protons, neutrons, and quarks, as well as the fundamental forces such as electromagnetism, weak nuclear force, strong nuclear force, and gravity that influence their behaviour. Researchers in particle physics investigate particle accelerators, explore the properties of elementary particles, and seek to uncover new physics beyond the current understanding, such as the elusive dark matter and supersymmetry.
Syllabus
- Introduction to Fundamental Interactions:
Poincaré and Lorentz group, covariance, kinematics, Klein-Gordon equation, Euler-Lagrange equations, global symmetries and Noether theorem, from non-relativistic perturbation theory to Feynman diagrams, covariant form of electrodynamics, lagrangian for scalar electrodynamics, perturbation theory, from the Lagrangian to cross-sections - Theory of radiation:
Retarded potentials, Liénard-Wiechert potentials, Larmor formula, radiation by a distribution of charges and currents, application to accelerators - Hadron synthesis:
Asymptotic freedom, color, flavor, isospin, mesons/baryons,…
Suggested Bibliography
- Jackson, J. D., Classical electrodynamics, Wiley
- Halzen, F & Martin A. D., Quarks & leptons, Wiley
- Greiner, W., Relativistic quantum mechanics, Springer
- Maggiore, M. A modern introduction to quantum field theory, OUP
Prerequisites
- classical mechanics (Lagrangian & Hamiltonian formulations)
- basics in statistical physics
- quantum mechanics
- special relativity
- classical field theory: Maxwell equations (and beyond)