Special Relativity

and an

Introduction to Quantum Field Theory

Spring-Summer 2026     Relativistic Quantum Field Theory is the fundamental framework underlying the description of how Nature works at her most microscopic level. It is the study of quantum variable-body physics that is simultaneously consistent with Special Relativity. This course is an introduction to its basic elements--starting with Euclidean symmetry of flat space; proceeding to the Poincare symmetry of flat spacetime (the basis of Special Relativity); then moving on to classical relativistic field theory of a scalar field; before spending the remaining time to quantize the latter--if time permits--in both the canonical and path integral points of view.
  1. Lecture Notes -- check for updates
    1. Sections 5.5 and 5.6; and 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.7 of Analytical Methods in Physics
    2. Chapters 1 and 2 of Lecture Notes on Field Theory
  2. Class Venue:TBA
  3. Class Times: TBA
  4. E-mail: yizen [dot] chu [at] gmail [dot] com
- Yi-Zen
Syllabus and Presentations

Time permitting, we shall cover the following topics; I hope to set aside 1/2 hour or so per class so that students can present the problems listed below each topic; where AM refers to Analytical Methods in Physics and Fields to Lecture Notes on Field Theory.
  • Spacetime Symmetries and Elements of Group Representations
    • AM 10.4, 10.12 (More updates to come)
  • (Semi-)Classical Field Theory in Minkowski Spacetime
  • Canonical Quantization
  • Path Integrals
  • Perturbative Scattering Theory
QFT Textbooks

QFT in Curved Spacetime

QFT Lectures

(Mostly links to amazon.com -- out of convenience; not an endorsement of their business practices.)

Acknowledgements

While developing this course, I have taken inspiration from several of the textbooks & video lectures listed above.

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of mine (Yi-Zen Chu). The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the National Central University.