Schwartz and QFT Following Tong's Notes

[doggydan42]

Hello,

I have been following Tong's notes on QFT and have found them to be a great introduction. I am almost at the end and am trying to figure out how to proceed. I have seen recommendations on David Skinner's notes, but I think I want to use a textbook either with Skinner's notes or maybe even without.

I was wondering if Schwartz's book on QFT would be a good next step. It seemed to be a lot clearer than Peskin, but I have not read it.

If not, are there any other recommendations? Also, it may be useful to know that I am very particular about details and small steps, so something that motivates a lot of the math and physics in QFT would be great, but Weinberg's book is a bit too advanced for me. Additionally, I'm interested in QFT for particle physics.

Thanks in advance.

 

[vanhees71]

I like Schwartz's book best as an introductory textbook, but I think Tong's manuscripts are great too. Maybe you can already jump to Weinberg's Quantum Theory of Fields (vols. 1+2 for Standard-model physics, vol. 3 for SUSY) and as a complementary equally great source the book by Duncan, The conceptual framework of QFT.

 

[Demystifier]

Also, it may be useful to know that I am very particular about details and small steps, so something that motivates a lot of the math and physics in QFT would be great

What do you mean by "particular about details and small steps", does it mean that you want them or that you don't?

 

[doggydan42]

What do you mean by "particular about details and small steps", does it mean that you want them or that you don't?

I meant I want the details. I can sometimes figure them out, but there were some steps in Tong's notes that I unfortunately could not. Luckily, only for this semester I have the opportunity to ask someone who's taken QFT about it.

 

[doggydan42]

I like Schwartz's book best as an introductory textbook, but I think Tong's manuscripts are great too. Maybe you can already jump to Weinberg's Quantum Theory of Fields (vols. 1+2 for Standard-model physics, vol. 3 for SUSY) and as a complementary equally great source the book by Duncan, The conceptual framework of QFT.

Do you think Schwartz's book might be good for continuing with topics that should follow Tong's notes? Also, I've heard that his book covers topic in a different order than standards like Peskin and Schroeder, is that beneficial?

 

[vanhees71]

Hm, I don't know whether the order is so different between Schwartz and Peskin and Schroeder. I only think that Schwartz is a bit more reliable than Peskin and Schroeder concerning typos. I think both books match good as follow-up studies starting with the content of Tong's lecture notes (which ends with the beginnings of QED). I'd go on with learning more about QED, particularly also renormalization and all that and then also the non-Abelian gauge theories and the Standard Model. For this Schwartz is pretty good.

 

[doggydan42]

Hm, I don't know whether the order is so different between Schwartz and Peskin and Schroeder. I only think that Schwartz is a bit more reliable than Peskin and Schroeder concerning typos. I think both books match good as follow-up studies starting with the content of Tong's lecture notes (which ends with the beginnings of QED). I'd go on with learning more about QED, particularly also renormalization and all that and then also the non-Abelian gauge theories and the Standard Model. For this Schwartz is pretty good.

Schwartz sounds like the right next step. Out of curosity, are both Peskin and Schroeder, and Schwartz on the same level, or is Peskin more advanced?

 

[vanhees71]

I think they are on the same level.

 

[doggydan42]

I think they are on the same level.

Awesome. Thanks for the advice!