Convenor: Karolos Potamianos (Warwick)

Module Code: PP2

Duration (Hours): 10 hourly sessions

Start date and Commitments

Start: 02/10/2024

Wed 11-12 & Thurs 12-13 from 2nd Oct-31st Oct

Mon 13-14 & Wed 13-14 from 4th Nov-13th Nov

Break 14th & 21st October

Module Details

The module aims to provide an introduction to the calculation of scattering amplitudes in High Energy Physics. It is intended for particle physics PhD students. At the end of the module students should: have an appreciation for the nature of relativistic quantum mechanics; have an understanding of the Dirac equation and its significance; and understand how to calculate decay rates and cross-sections for simple scattering processes.

Course Syllabus:

Lecture 1: Special Relativity and Lorentz Invariance

Lecture 2: Examples of Lorentz Invariance: Maxwell and Klein Gordon Equations

Lecture 3: Perturbation Theory for Particle Scattering

Lecture 4: Coulomb Scattering of Charged Spin-0 Particles

Lecture 5: Invariant Amplitudes, Feynman Diagrams and Cross-Sections

Lecture 6: Calculating Cross-Sections for Spin-0 Scattering

Lecture 7: The Dirac Equation

Lecture 8: Dirac Equation: Spin, Antiparticles and Feynman Rules

Lecture 9: Coulomb Scattering of Charged Spin-1/2 Particles

Lecture 10: Spin Sums and Trace Techniques

Assessment:

The course assessment is based on returned solutions to two problems sets. The first problem set will be set at the half-way point in the course. The second problem set will be set at the end of the course. Solutions to the problem set 1 should be submitted by the 15th of November, and those to problem set 2 by the 22nd of November.

Recommended Texts:

The course is largely based on:

"Quarks and Leptons: An Introductory Course in Modern Particle Physics" by F. Halzen and A. Martin

Course Notes:

Detailed notes on the content of the course can be found hereLink opens in a new window.

Problem sets:

Problem set 1: Klein-Gordon equation and spin-less scattering

Problem set 2: Dirac equation and spin-1/2 scattering