submit urlsubmit rss feedadd directory

article

Quantum field theory (QFT) is the application of quantum mechanics to fields. It provides a theoretical framework, widely used in particle physics and condensed matter physics, in which to formulate consistent quantum theories of many-particle systems, especially in situations where particles may be created and destroyed. Non-relativistic quantum field theories are needed in condensed matter physics— for example in the BCS theory of superconductivity. Relativistic quantum field theories are indispensable in particle physics (see the standard model), although they are known to arise as effective field theories in condensed matter physics.

Origin


Quantum field theory originated in the problem of computing the energy radiated by an atom when it dropped from one quantum state to another of lower energy. This problem was first examined by Max Born and Pascual Jordan in 1925. In 1926, Max Born, Werner Heisenberg and Pascual Jordan wrote down the quantum theory of the electromagnetic field neglecting polarization and sources to obtain what would today be called a free field theory. In order to quantize this theory, they used the canonical quantization procedure. In 1927, Paul Dirac gave the first consistent treatment of this problem. Quantum field theory followed unavoidably from a quantum treatment of the only known classical field, ie, electromagnetism. The theory was required by the need to treat a situation where the number of particles changes. Here, one atom in the initial state becomes an atom and a photon in the final state.

It was obvious from the beginning that the quantum treatment of the electromagnetic field required a proper treatment of relativity. Jordan and Wolfgang Pauli showed in 1928 that commutators of the field were actually Lorentz invariant. By 1933, Niels Bohr and Leon Rosenfeld had related these commutation relations to a limitation on the ability to measure fields at space-like separation. The development of the Dirac equation and the hole theory drove quantum field theory to explain these using the ideas of causality in relativity, work that was completed by Wendell Furry and Robert Oppenheimer using methods developed for this purpose by Vladimir Fock. This need to put together relativity and quantum mechanics was a second motivation which drove the development of quantum field theory. This thread was crucial to the eventual development of particle physics and the modern (partially) unified theory of forces called the standard model.

More on [ Quantum field theory ]


directory of related categories

 

 
 
directory of related topics

Nuclear Physics
Particle Physics
Special Relativity

 
Quantum_Field_Theory RSS feed
Quantum Field Theory - Twitter Search

@mrsuniverse try burkhard heim. unified quantum field theory. good to 5 decimals correlation between quantum mechanics and relativity.
kirkland4 (william kirkland) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:45:24 -0000
@mrsuniverse try burkhard heim. unified quantum field theory. good to 5 decimals correlation between quantum mechanics and relativity.
Andy Schofield and splitting the electron:http://bit.ly/pGaio. I thought he sounded clever when he tried to teach me Quantum Field Theory.
Roadkill_77 (Robin Sanderson) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:19:48 -0000
Andy Schofield and splitting the electron:http://bit.ly/pGaio. I thought he sounded clever when he tried to teach me Quantum Field Theory.
@mrsuniverse for a complete unified field theory try the physics of burkhard heim. his work called the unified quantum field theory.
kirkland4 (william kirkland) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:40:39 -0000
@mrsuniverse for a complete unified field theory try the physics of burkhard heim. his work called the unified quantum field theory.
In quantum field theory, the forces between particles are mediated by other particles. The electromagnetic force between two electrons is...
tjdemas (T.J. Demas) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:46:19 -0000
In quantum field theory, the forces between particles are mediated by other particles. The electromagnetic force between two electrons is...
The search for continuous symmetries only intensified with the further developments of quantum field theory.
tjdemas (T.J. Demas) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:44:34 -0000
The search for continuous symmetries only intensified with the further developments of quantum field theory.
New! Unified Theory UnCovered. Nassim Haramein | Super Raw Health Foods | http://bit.ly/3xEYAy | ufo disclosure obama science quantum field
SuperRawFoods (Lance Bonczkiewicz) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:37:17 -0000
New! Unified Theory UnCovered. Nassim Haramein | Super Raw Health Foods | http://bit.ly/3xEYAy | ufo disclosure obama science quantum field

 
Subscribe to Quantum_Field_Theory RSS feed

directory of related sites

Net Advance in Physics - Quantum Field Theory -

Development - Research and Development in Vacuum Fluctuations, Casimir Forces and EPR Entangled States
Meta Description: [ Leaders in Breakthrough Technology, Quantum Fields Contract Research, Development, Consulting, Nanotechnology Instruments ]

A Short Introduction to Non-Relativistic Effective Field Theories - A discussion of effective field theories for heavy bound systems, particularly bound systems involving two heavy quarks.

Algebraic Quantum Field Theory - A collection of resources for algebraic quantum field theory

An Introduction to Pomerons - Talk given at Workshop on Diffractive Physics

Casimir Effect: Physical Manifestations of Zero-Point Energy - Zero-point fluctuations in quantum fields give rise to observable forces between material bodies, the so-called Casimir forces.These lectures present the theory of the Casimir effect, primarily formulated in terms of Green's functions.

Chern-Simons Theory - A brief review on the progress made in the study of Chern-Simons gauge theory since its relation to knot theory was discovered ten years ago is presented.

Eurotraps - A European experiment intended to test the theory of quantum electrodynamics to extremely high accuracy.

Evolution of the Bogoluibov Renormalization Group - A simple introduction into the renormalization group (RG) in quantum field theory and an overview of the renormalization group method. The third section is devoted to essential topics of the renorm-group use in the QFT.

Feynman Diagrams - A summary of the rules governing the creation of Feynman diagrams.

Goldstone Bosons - These notes review the effective lagrangian treatment of Goldstone and pseudo-Goldstone bosons, taking examples from high-energy/nuclear and condensed-matter physics.

InterStellar Technologies Corporation - InterStellar Technologies is engaged in the research and development of technologies with applications to energy production and propulsion.
Meta Description: [ InterStellar Technologies Corporation is engaged in the research and development of breakthrough technologies that will revolutionize dispersion force applications to energy production, propulsion, actuation, and cell manipulation ]

Introduction to Gauge Theories - These lectures present an elementary introduction to quantum gauge fields.

Introduction to Seiberg-Witten Theory - An elementary introduction to the recent solution of supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. In addition, review of how it can be re-derived from string duality.

New Developments in the Casimir Effect - A review of both new experimental and theoretical developments in the Casimir effect. [Postscript PDF format]

Noether's Theorem in a Nutshell - An overview of Noether's theorem

Notes on Seiberg-Witten Gauge Theory - These notes provide an introductory exposition of the Seiberg-Witten gauge theory.

Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime - These postscript lectures deal with selected aspects of quantum field theory in curved spacetime

Quantum Fields Near Black Holes - This review gives an introduction into problems, concepts and techniques when quantizing matter fields near black holes. The first part focusses on quantum fields in general curved space-times. The second part is devoted to a detailed treatment of the Unruh effect in uniformly accelerated frames and the Hawking radiation of black holes

Renormalization Made Easy - A non-technical introduction to the renormalization of quantum field theories.

404 Some Articles of Proceedings of International Colloquium on Moden Quantum Field Theory, 1994, TIFR - Copies of these articles in TeX and postscript formats.

Technicolor 2000 - This review is based on lectures on technicolor and extended technicolor presented at the Frascati Spring School in May 2000

The Casimir Effect - What is the Casimir Effect? From the Usenet FAQ.

The search for a quantum field theory - Investigations undertaken to build a consistent quantum theory of fields
Meta Description: [ Investigations undertaken to find an Interacting Quantum Theory of Fields ]

The State of Matrix Theory - A set of lecture notes with RealPlayer audio on Matrix Theory

404 Topics in Nonequilibrium Field Theory - Nonequilibrium field theory covers a variety of topics such as transport theory of quantum fields, nonequilibrium phase transitions, the nucleation and transport of topological defects and other nonlinear coherent structures, as well as fundamental issues such as the quantum-classical transition and the coherent control of quantum systems.

Topics in Quantum Field Theory - Several files in LaTeX format cover selected topics in Quantum Field Theory and Integrable Systems

Warren Seigel - a Professor at C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics, State University of New York, Stony Brook, Long Island, he's not content just to study the relationships between string theory and particle theory, but also to write goofy essays, and maintain this Web site.

What are C* Algebras Good For? - An introduction to C* Algebras and their applications in field theory.

Quantum_Field_Theory related videos
The LHC and Unified Field Theory - Frank Wilczek (1 of 8)
Next Video
Quantum_Field_Theory related videos

 

HOMEADVERTISINGABOUT US

articlesartsbusinesscomputersgameshealthhospitalshomekids & teensnewsmobilephysiciansrecreationreferenceregionalscienceshoppingsocietysportsworld


Submit a Site About Become an Editor