QFT for Nuclear Physicists: Course Value & Weak Interaction

[eXorikos]

Is there any value in taking a course in QFT for a nuclear physicist student? I'd like to take a course on QFT just out of interest, but if it's more useful to take an extra course on solid state physics (I'm not sure if I want to do research in nuclear or nuclear solid state physics) I'm doing that instead.

However a knowledge of QFT might enable me to do research on weak interaction in nuclei. Or is a knowledge of QFT not necessary? This is basically the low-energy equivalent of the LHC in that it's looking for the same boundaries of the SM.

 

[Norman]

Yes I think QFT could be very useful to you as a nuclear physicist. There are plenty of research areas in nuclear which use field theories (take a look at chiral field theory, lattice gauge theory, the old school one boson exchange models for instance).

I am a little confused about why you think QFT would not be of use in solid state. There are plenty of examples in which QFT and second quantization is used in solid state physics (superconductivity comes to mind immediately, also quantum hall phenomena).

So, I would think QFT would be very useful to you. But I have no idea about your level of education or your goals, so it is hard to say.

 

[eXorikos]

That wasn't what I was saying. I'm already doing a master in nuclear physics and combining this with a couple of courses from solid state physics. So I would have to drop a course on solid state and take QFT instead.

 

[Vanadium 50]

You will need a course on field theory if you want a PhD in nuclear physics. Whether you take it now or later is really up to you.

 

[eXorikos]

And what do you mean by field theory? Mean field methods or quantum field theory?

Mean field methods is in a course next semester.
My current knowledge of QFT is limited to intro to elementary particles by Griffiths... So pretty non-existent.

Why would QFT be necessary for a PhD? Why would you need it for example in nuclear spectroscopy or nuclear moments?

Now I think of it, taking QFT makes my options broader for the future, because even if I take it, I will still have a good knowledge of solid state physics as well.

 

[eXorikos]

*bump*

 

[Vanadium 50]

And what do you mean by field theory? Mean field methods or quantum field theory?

Quantum field theory, like the title of the thread. I have never heard "field theory" used to describe mean field theory.

Why would QFT be necessary for a PhD? Why would you need it for example in nuclear spectroscopy or nuclear moments?

Reason 1 - because it's part of the general toolkit that all PhD's should be able to use.

Reason 2 - because the PhD-granting institute says it's necessary.

Reason 3 - "but when are we going to use geometry in real life?" is so high school.

Like I said, you're going to end up taking it sooner or later if you want a PhD. It's up to you when.

 

[eXorikos]

Reason 1 - because it's part of the general toolkit that all PhD's should be able to use.

Reason 2 - because the PhD-granting institute says it's necessary.

Reason 3 - "but when are we going to use geometry in real life?" is so high school.

Like I said, you're going to end up taking it sooner or later if you want a PhD. It's up to you when.

Reason 2 - In Belgium it isn't so.

Reason 3 - I didn't mean it like that. I was just implying that if solid state courses are more relevant, QFT can wait.

Anyway I'm incorporating it in my plan for next academic year. :)

 

[Vanadium 50]

Enjoy it!

 

[Kevin_Axion]

QFT, is usually necessary in Theoretical CMS. It's also an amazing tool kit and very interesting.

 

[eXorikos]

What is theoretical CMS?

 

[Kevin_Axion]

It's Condensed Matter Physics, a sub-field of Solid State Physics.

 

[Norman]

It's Condensed Matter Physics, a sub-field of Solid State Physics.

You have it backwards here. Solid State Physics (the study of bulk solids) is a sub-field of Condensed Matter Physics (the study of condensed phases of matter).

 

[Kevin_Axion]

"Historically, condensed matter physics grew out of solid-state physics, now considered one of its main subfields." -Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condensed_matter_physics
You're right though, wikipedia is wrong.

 

[Norman]

"Historically, condensed matter physics grew out of solid-state physics, now considered one of its main subfields." -Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condensed_matter_physics
You're right though, wikipedia is wrong.

The wiki article is ambiguous. Solid-state is considered one of CM's main subfields.