Advanced Topics in Theoretical Physics (Autumn 2024)
It is a pleasure to announce this fall's Delta ITP Course Advanced Topics in Theoretical Physics on "Effective field theories". The course is divided into three 5-week modules. The emphasis is on methods that can be used across all fields of physics.
Each module consists of four lectures and exercise sessions. Lectures will take place on Mondays at 11:15 - 13:00, followed by a study/exercise session from 13:45 - end. At the end of each module there is an exam. All exams are pass/fail, and you need to pass all three exams to receive credit (6EC) for the course.
Teaching is on location in person, with the location of this course rotating between the three institutes.
The first module is in Amsterdam. Directions to the institutes can be found here: Amsterdam, Utrecht, Leiden. Students who do not have an OV-card from the Dutch government can have their travel costs reimbursed from D-ITP. Please contact the local coordinator (below) for details.
Please register here before the course begins, even if you do not take the course for credit. We cannot process your grade or send important notices if you do not register.
- MODULE 1:
Effective Field Theory for Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking
Jasper van Wezel (Amsterdam)
Lectures and exercises: Sept 9, 16, 23, 30
Exam: October 7Location: Science Park G2.02
Abstract:
Effective field theory describes physics at low energies, after systematically taking into account the effect of high-energy dynamics on the low-energy degrees of freedom. In systems with a spontaneously broken continuous symmetry, there is a natural separation between low and high energy scales, due to the universal presence and properties of Nambu-Goldstone modes. Effective field theory is therefore the natural language to describe Nambu-Goldstone modes and their interactions with other fields.
In this lecture series, we will begin by briefly reviewing some basic concepts of quantum field theory and group theory, and their application to spontaneous symmetry breaking. We then turn to the construction of the quantum effective action and low energy effective field theories. Deriving Goldstone’s theorem and the suppressed interactions with long-wavelength Nambu-Goldstone modes in this formalism will highlight its power, culminating in a thorough understanding of how the differences between type-A and type-B Goldstone modes arise, and what the origin of their gapped partner modes is.Lecture 1: Elements of Quantum Field Theory, Group Theory, and Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking.
Lecture 2: The quantum effective action, low-energy effective field theory, and revisiting Goldstone’s theorem.
Lecture 3: The coset space construction.
Lecture 4: Nambu-Goldstone modes with and without Lorentz symmetry, Adler zeroes, and conjugate fields.Recommended prior knowledge:
– [Necessary] Working knowledge of basic Quantum Field Theory.
– [Very useful] Familiarity with Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking in condensed matter theory.
– [Helpful] An understanding of the basics of Group Theory. - MODULE 2:
A renormalization group perspective on the Fermi liquid
Lars Fritz (Utrecht)
Lectures and exercises: Oct 14, 21, 28, Nov 4
Exam: November 11 (pass/fail)Location: TBA
Abstract:
In this part of the module, we will study properties of Fermi liquids which is the generally accepted theory for metals. In this process, we will resort to renormalization group ideas in the context of fermionic systems. The lecture and the exercises will heavily build on the seminal article by R. Shankar, https://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/9307009. - MODULE 3:
Why do we think that the Standard Model of particle physics is incomplete?
Alexey Boiarskyi (Leiden)
Lectures and exercises: Nov 18, 25, Dec 2, 9
Exam: December 16 (pass/fail)Location: TBA
Abstract:
I briefly review the SM of particle physics, comment on its origin and history and discuss available experimental evidence that the SM is incomplete. - Contact
Dr. Lars Fritz
Institute for Theoretical Physics
Utrecht University
Princetonplein 5
3584 CC Utrecht
tel: +31 30 253 3880
e-mail: l.fritz@uu.nlProf. Koenraad Schalm
Instituut-Lorentz for Theoretical Physics
Leiden University
Niels Bohrweg 2
2335 CA Leiden
email: kschalm@lorentz.leidenuniv.nlDr. Clelia de Mulatier
Institute for Theoretical Physics
University of Amsterdam
Science Park 904
1098 XH Amsterdam
e-mail: c.m.c.demulatier@uva.nl