- Title Pages
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- General References
- 1 Algebraic Preliminaries
- 2 Euclidean Path Integrals In Quantum Mechanics
- 3 Path Integrals In Quantum Mechanics: Generalizations
- 4 Stochastic Differential Equations: Langevin, Fokker–Planck Equations
- 5 Path And Functional Integrals In Quantum Statistical Physics
- 6 Quantum Evolution: From Particles To Fields
- 7 Quantum Field Theory: Functional Methods and Perturbation Theory
- 8 Relativistic Fermions
- 9 Quantum Field Theory: Divergences and Regularization
- 10 Introduction to Renormalization Theory. Renormalization Group Equations
- 11 Dimensional Regularization, Minimal Subtraction: RG Functions
- 12 Renormalization Of Composite Operators. Short Distance Expansion
- 13 Symmetries And Renormalization
- 14 The Non-Linear σ-Model: An Example Of a Non-Linear Symmetry
- 15 General Non-Linear Models In Two Dimensions
- 16 St And Brs Symmetries, Stochastic Field Equations
- 17 From Langevin Equation To Supersymmetry
- 18 Abelian Gauge Theories
- 19 Non-Abelian Gauge Theories: Introduction
- 20 The Standard Model. Anomalies
- 21 Gauge Theories: Master Equation And Renormalization
- 22 Classical And Quantum Gravity. Riemannian Manifolds And Tensors
- 23 Critical Phenomena: General Considerations
- 24 Mean Field Theory For Ferromagnetic Systems
- 25 General Renormalization Group. The Critical Theory Near Dimension Four
- 26 Scaling Behaviour In The Critical Domain
- 27 Corrections to Scaling Behaviour
- 28 Non-Magnetic Systems and The (φ<sup>2</sup>)<sup>2</sup> Field Theory
- 29 Calculation Of Universal Quantities
- 30 The <i>O</i>(<i>N</i>) Vector Model For <i>N</i> Large
- 31 Phase Transitions Near Two Dimensions
- 32 Two-Dimensional Models and Bosonization Method
- 33 The <i>O</i>(2) Classical Spin Model In Two Dimensions
- 34 Critical Properties Of Gauge Theories
- 35 Uv Fixed Points In Quantum Field Theory
- 36 Critical Dynamics
- 37 Field Theory in a Finite Geometry: Finite Size Scaling
- 38 Quantum Field Theory At Finite Temperature: Equilibrium Properties
- 39 Instantons In Quantum Mechanics
- 40 Unstable Vacua In Quantum Field Theory
- 41 Degenerate Classical Minima And Instantons
- 42 Perturbation Series At Large Orders. Summation Methods
- 43 Multi-Instantons In Quantum Mechanics
- Index
Euclidean Path Integrals In Quantum Mechanics
Euclidean Path Integrals In Quantum Mechanics
- Chapter:
- (p.19) 2 EUCLIDEAN PATH INTEGRALS IN QUANTUM MECHANICS
- Source:
- Quantum Field Theory and Critical Phenomena
- Author(s):
JEAN ZINN-JUSTIN
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This chapter focuses on Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory in a euclidean formulation. This means that, in general, it discusses the matrix elements of the quantum statistical operator eβH (the density matrix at thermal equilibrium), where H is the hamiltonian and β is the inverse temperature. The chapter begins by first deriving the path integral representation of matrix elements of the quantum statistical operator for hamiltonians of the simple form p 2/2m + V (q). Comparing classical statistical physics in one space dimension and quantum statistical physics of the particle, it introduces statistical correlation functions and discusses their quantum interpretation. It then explicitly calculates the path integral corresponding to a harmonic oscillator in a time-dependent external force. This result can be used to reduce the evaluation of path integrals in the case of analytic potentials to perturbation theory. The chapter shows on a first example that path integrals are especially well suited to the study of the classical limit, by relating a quantum and classical partition function. The appendix explains some general properties of the two-point function, and use the semi-classical approximation of the partition function to derive Bohr–Sommerfeld's quantization condition.
Keywords: euclidean formation, path integrals, hamiltonians
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- Title Pages
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- General References
- 1 Algebraic Preliminaries
- 2 Euclidean Path Integrals In Quantum Mechanics
- 3 Path Integrals In Quantum Mechanics: Generalizations
- 4 Stochastic Differential Equations: Langevin, Fokker–Planck Equations
- 5 Path And Functional Integrals In Quantum Statistical Physics
- 6 Quantum Evolution: From Particles To Fields
- 7 Quantum Field Theory: Functional Methods and Perturbation Theory
- 8 Relativistic Fermions
- 9 Quantum Field Theory: Divergences and Regularization
- 10 Introduction to Renormalization Theory. Renormalization Group Equations
- 11 Dimensional Regularization, Minimal Subtraction: RG Functions
- 12 Renormalization Of Composite Operators. Short Distance Expansion
- 13 Symmetries And Renormalization
- 14 The Non-Linear σ-Model: An Example Of a Non-Linear Symmetry
- 15 General Non-Linear Models In Two Dimensions
- 16 St And Brs Symmetries, Stochastic Field Equations
- 17 From Langevin Equation To Supersymmetry
- 18 Abelian Gauge Theories
- 19 Non-Abelian Gauge Theories: Introduction
- 20 The Standard Model. Anomalies
- 21 Gauge Theories: Master Equation And Renormalization
- 22 Classical And Quantum Gravity. Riemannian Manifolds And Tensors
- 23 Critical Phenomena: General Considerations
- 24 Mean Field Theory For Ferromagnetic Systems
- 25 General Renormalization Group. The Critical Theory Near Dimension Four
- 26 Scaling Behaviour In The Critical Domain
- 27 Corrections to Scaling Behaviour
- 28 Non-Magnetic Systems and The (φ<sup>2</sup>)<sup>2</sup> Field Theory
- 29 Calculation Of Universal Quantities
- 30 The <i>O</i>(<i>N</i>) Vector Model For <i>N</i> Large
- 31 Phase Transitions Near Two Dimensions
- 32 Two-Dimensional Models and Bosonization Method
- 33 The <i>O</i>(2) Classical Spin Model In Two Dimensions
- 34 Critical Properties Of Gauge Theories
- 35 Uv Fixed Points In Quantum Field Theory
- 36 Critical Dynamics
- 37 Field Theory in a Finite Geometry: Finite Size Scaling
- 38 Quantum Field Theory At Finite Temperature: Equilibrium Properties
- 39 Instantons In Quantum Mechanics
- 40 Unstable Vacua In Quantum Field Theory
- 41 Degenerate Classical Minima And Instantons
- 42 Perturbation Series At Large Orders. Summation Methods
- 43 Multi-Instantons In Quantum Mechanics
- Index
