Quantum Field Theory

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8 domain-specific abstractions whose origin domain is Quantum Field Theory.

• Background field method — A quantum-field-theory method that splits a field into a prescribed background and a fluctuating quantum part so effective actions can be computed while preserving useful covariance or gauge symmetry.
• C-Theorem — Zamolodchikov's two-dimensional field-theory theorem supplies a monotone c-function along renormalization-group flow whose fixed-point value is the conformal central charge.
• Casimir effect — A force or pressure on macroscopic boundaries arising from changes in quantum-field fluctuations and mode structure imposed by geometry, materials and boundary conditions.
• Correlation function (quantum field theory) — A vacuum or state expectation value of an ordered product of quantum field operators at specified spacetime points.
• Feynman slash notation — A compact quantum-field-theory notation replacing contraction of a four-vector or derivative with gamma matrices by drawing a slash through its symbol.
• Pauli–Villars regularization — A field-theory regulator that subtracts auxiliary massive-field contributions to suppress ultraviolet divergences.
• Ultraviolet divergence — Identify a field-theoretic integral whose high-energy or short-distance contribution fails to converge as the ultraviolet cutoff is removed.
• Wave function renormalization — The rescaling of a quantum field that normalizes its propagator residue and absorbs interaction-dependent field-strength corrections.