Examination projects in quantum field theory
The examination in the course “Quantum Field Theory for Experimentalists” takes the form of mini-projects. Each student receives an individual problem and about a week to prepare. Each project is a small piece of research: theory, calculation, simulation and comparison with experiment.
Autumn term · 20 projects
Quantum mechanics, the Dirac equation, symmetries and the vacuum: the first term of the course.
| No. | Project | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | The quantum harmonic oscillator | Quantization and normal modes |
| 02 | The hydrogen atom | Bound states and spectra |
| 03 | The \(\pi^+\pi^-\) atom | Bound states and spectra |
| 04 | Resonances and quasi-bound states | Bound states and spectra |
| 05 | The Klein paradox | Relativistic quantum mechanics |
| 06 | The Dirac equation in 1+1 dimensions | Relativistic quantum mechanics |
| 07 | Relativistic tremor and pressure | Relativistic quantum mechanics |
| 08 | The Dirac \(\gamma\) matrices | Relativistic quantum mechanics |
| 09 | The Stern–Gerlach experiment | Spin and measurement |
| 10 | The quantum eraser and delayed choice | Spin and measurement |
| 11 | Symmetries of the Dirac equation | Symmetries and Noether's theorem |
| 12 | Symmetries of the \(\sigma\) model | Symmetries and Noether's theorem |
| 13 | Spectral flow and the chiral anomaly in 1+1 | Symmetries and Noether's theorem |
| 14 | The Casimir effect | Vacuum effects and boundaries |
| 15 | The dynamical Casimir effect | Vacuum effects and boundaries |
| 16 | Diffraction by an aperture | Green's functions and wave problems |
| 17 | The tachyon | Causality and dispersion |
| 18 | The Berry phase | Geometric effects |
| 19 | Landau levels: from nonrelativistic particles to graphene | Gauge fields and quantization of motion |
| 20 | The Aharonov–Bohm effect and gauge invariance | Gauge fields and quantization of motion |
Spring term · 18 projects
QED, the Standard Model, neutrinos and cosmology: the second term of the course.
How a project is organized
Goals
- Applying the knowledge gained to real scientific problems.
- Mastering the tools of research: LaTeX, git, python.
- Developing the skills of working together on projects.
- Critical thinking and creativity: the projects encourage unconventional solutions and well-argued conclusions.
Structure of the report
- Introduction: motivation, a short review of the literature, statement of the problem.
- Theory: derivations, calculations, formulas.
- Practical part: simulation, data analysis, calculations.
- Discussion: plots, tables, interpretation of the results.
- Conclusions: the main results and how the work could be continued.
- References: all sources used.
Technical aspects
- Write the project in LaTeX; the online service overleaf.com is convenient.
- Feynman diagrams: the tikz-feynman package.
- Plots: the matplotlib library.
The projects are updated and expanded, so check back regularly.
Textbook for the course: “Quantum Field Theory for Experimentalists and Beyond” →