Best book for learning QFT and the SM?

[Aidyan]

I have the basics of CM, relativity and non relativistic QM but never went much beyond KG and the Dirac equation. So I need a good intro to QFT, particle physics and the SM. Ideally with an emphasis more on the theoretical side than only experimental.

I had a good feeling with "An Introduction to the Standard Model of Particle Physics", W. N. Cottingham, D. A. Greenwood. But I'm not sure.

What about "Introduction to Elementary Particles" of D. J. Griffiths, or "Introduction To High Energy Physics" of D. H. Perkins?

Others? Which would you suggest?

 

[George Jones]

I recommend the pedagogical two-volume set By Aitchison and Hey,

Gauge Theories in Particle Physics Volume I: From Relativistic Quantum Mechanics to QED

Gauge Theories in Particle Physics Volume II: QCD and Electroweak Theory

with Griffiths used for any background that might be necessary.

 

[mwalmasri]

I recommend the brilliant series by Stev Weinberg, Quantum Theory of Fields three volumes and Coleman lecture notes on QFT.
in other hand Griffiths book introduction to particle physics is a good text at the early stages in the field of High energy physics

 

[genneth]

Peskin and Schroeder. You should also find David Tong's lecture notes online, which are a sort of introduction to P&S.

 

[Lapidus]

"Symmetry and the Standard Model" by Matthew Robinson, after that Srednicki

 

[Hans de Vries]

I have the basics of CM, relativity and non relativistic QM but never went much beyond KG and the Dirac equation. So I need a good intro to QFT, particle physics and the SM. Ideally with an emphasis more on the theoretical side than only experimental.

I had a good feeling with "An Introduction to the Standard Model of Particle Physics", W. N. Cottingham, D. A. Greenwood. But I'm not sure.

What about "Introduction to Elementary Particles" of D. J. Griffiths, or "Introduction To High Energy Physics" of D. H. Perkins?

Others? Which would you suggest?

If you do this on your own (self study) then you'll prefer the pedagogical books:

"Introduction to Elementary Particles" by D. J. Griffiths

Maybe the best for a self study introduction with the minor disadvantage that it doesn't
uses the modern chiral representation. It gets you going in Feynman diagrams.

"Quantum Field Theory" by Lewis H. Ryder

Complementary to Griffiths in the sense that it handles the Poincaré group, Gauge theory
and so on in a good introductory way, subjects which aren't treated in Griffiths.

I do agree with George about the good pedagogical value of the set by Aitchison and Hey.

"Gauge Theories in Particle Physics Volume I: From Relativistic Quantum Mechanics to QED"
"Gauge Theories in Particle Physics Volume II: QCD and Electroweak Theory"


A newer up to date book which introduces most of the main topics of the SM is:

"A modern introduction to Quantum Field Theory" by Michele Maggiory

And for a number of subjects, especially as a path integral introduction,
there is of course:

"Quantum Field Theory in a nuthshell" by Anthony Zee

and not to forget that we finally have a reprint of Feynman's own path integral
book written together with Hibbs.


About books like those of Weinberg, Peskins and Schroeder, Itzykson and Zuber.
These are not the most appropriate for self study, you'll appreciate them later on.
(Weinberg's treatment of the Electroweak sector in volume II is a good exception
for self study though)

Hans.

 

[homeomorphic]

I'm a beginner at QFT, which, perhaps makes me MORE qualified to answer.

Definitely Aitchison and Hey out of all the books I've looked at.

It's a difficult subject, so I think it makes sense to pick the easiest book to start out with.

 

[Daverz]

Another vote for Aitchison & Hey.

 

[Aidyan]

Thanks so far. I only wonder why Aitchison & Hey get so many votes here, but on Amazon they have only two reviews (even tough very positive), while e.g. Zee got many more during the same period since 2007? Is this only due to commercial/visibility reasons or is there also some reason because of the style and contents?

 

[Daverz]

Thanks so far. I only wonder why Aitchison & Hey get so many votes here, but on Amazon they have only two reviews (even tough very positive), while e.g. Zee got many more during the same period since 2007? Is this only due to commercial/visibility reasons or is there also some reason because of the style and contents?

I think that's right. I think every B&N I've visited has a copy of Zee. And it has "Nutshell" in the title.

Zee always struck me as a book that might be more valuable after struggling through a few more traditional books. I'm really skeptical of the claims that people have learned QFT from it.

 

[Daverz]

Here's an interesting new book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/3642237274/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Though I can't imagine it can get into much depth in less than 300 pages.