Department of Physics

10ΕΚ412 Elementary Particles     

Course webpage: https://eclass.uoa.gr/courses/PHYS236

Course outline

Course content

• Review: Klein-Gordon equation, Dirac equation. Antiparticles and spin. Algebra of Dirac matrices. Feynman diagrams and invariant amplitude of a physical process. Decays, scattering, cross section. Phase space and its integration.
• Leptons and Quantum Electrodynamics: Interactions, gauge theories, “discovery” of electromagnetism. Electrodynamics of spinless particles: interaction of a pion with the electromagnetic field. Feynman diagrams and rules, photon propagator. The scattering processes π+Κ+ → π+Κ+, π+π+ → π+π+, π+π− → π+π−. Electrodynamics of particles with spin: interaction of an electron with the electromagnetic field. Feynman diagrams and rules. The processes e+e− → μ+μ−, e+e− → e+e−, e−μ+ → e−μ+. Compton scattering.
• Higher order corrections: Qualitative analysis of charge and mass renormalisation. The “running” coupling constant.
• Hadrons and Quantum Chromodynamics: Nucleon and meson phenomenology. Electron-proton scattering. Deep inelastic scattering. Parton model and structure functions. Scale evolution equations and fragmentation functions. Colour and SU(3). Feynman diagrams and rules. Parton scattering, the processes qq → qq, qg → qg, gg → gg. Drell-Yan process. Qualitative description of hadronic reactions.
• Weak interactions: Parity violation and V−A form of the weak current. Fermi model and weak decays of leptons and hadrons. Modern picture via W boson exchange. Lepton flavour universality. β decay. Partially conserved axial currents. Neutrino-quark scattering. Neutrino deep inelastic scattering. Weak currents. Elastic neutrino-electron scattering.
• The Standard Model: Electroweak theory: SU(2)×U(1), W±, Z and γ bosons. Spontaneous symmetry breaking, Nambu-Goldstone and Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanisms. The complete Standard Model, physics of W and Z bosons. Production and decay of b and t quarks. Discovery of the Higgs boson.
• CP and CPT symmetries: Heavy neutral meson mixing. Discovery of CP violation in neutral kaons. CP violation in other neutral mesons.
• Masses of neutrinos: Neutrino oscillations. Nature of neutrinos (Dirac/Majorana) and masses.