PHYS 752 (Elementary Particle Physics II: Theory), Spring 2014
 
(Check here frequently for important announcements related to the course)
 
 
General Information: 
 
Class location/time: Mondays and Wednesdays, 11.00 am. to 12.15 pm.,
Rm. 4102 Toll Physics Building
 
Instructor: Kaustubh Agashe, Rm. 3118, Physics Sciences Complex; Phone: (301) 405-6018; E-mail:
kagashe_at_umd.edu; Office Hours: just after class or by appointment
 
Goal of course: 
 
This course will develop the theory of the Standard Model of particle physics (and if time 
permits, one of its extensions).
 
Who should take this course: The target audience is graduate students who wish to do 
research in the broad area of theoretical particle physics, including cosmology/gravity and nuclear physics. 
It might also be useful for those planning to work on related experiments.
 
Background: (required) introductory course on quantum field theory (QFT) (for example, Phys 624)
and (recommended) a course on ``phenomenology’’ (or survey) of SM (for example, Phys751) .
 
Textbooks (all are on reserve in library):
 
Required: A First Book of Quantum Field Theory, by Amitabh Lahiri and Palsh B. Pal
 
The following are recommended:
 
An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory, by Michael E. Peskin and Daniel V. Schroeder
 
Quantum Field Theory by F. Mandl and G. Shaw
 
Gauge Theory of Elementary Particle Physics by Ta-Pei Cheng and Ling-Fong Li
 
Weak Interactions and Modern Particle Theory, Howard Goergi (also online here) 
 
(The above textbooks are useful for learning the theory of the SM.)
 
Dynamics of the Standard Model by John F. Donoghue, Eugene Golowich and Barry R. Holstein 
 
(The last textbook is more about the phenomenology of the SM, although it has a nice
summary of the theory of the SM in the beginning chapters.) 
 
Grading
 
The course grade will be based on homeworks (75%) assigned here on 
a bi-weekly basis (roughly) and a term paper, including its presentation during 
finals week (25%) (some suggestions for topics for term paper will be posted here: date 
of presentation will be decided later).
 
Homework solutions will be posted here. Some notes to supplement the lectures
are here.
 
Probable Syllabus
 
The parts I and II will roughly follow Chapters 12 through 15 of A First Book of Quantum 
Field Theory, by Lahiri and Pal, suitably supplemented by material from other books
listed below. 
 
Part I: QFT topics
 
Renormalization in Quantum Electrodynamics (QED); Renormalizable theory for massive
Gauge bosons (i.e.,Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking and Higgs mechanism); Non-abelian (gauge) 
Theories (including possibly their quantization)
 
Part II: Theory (and resulting phenomenology) of SM
 
Particle content and gauge symmetries; Higgs mechanism and “bottomline” interactions; Specific
Processes 
 
Part III: Beyond the SM
 
Time permitting, we will discuss one of the extensions of the SM, either extra dimensions
(typed-up notes for which will be provided later) or grand unified theories (roughly
following chapter of Gauge Theory of Elementary Particle Physics by Cheng and 
Li).
 
Topics such as “anomalies” and other extensions of the SM (such as supersymmetry) might be covered 
in more advanced courses such as PHYS 851 (being offered this semester).
 

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