Past exam of the quantum field theory course of the University of Oxford / 2017 / 3 / d / Solution

Use renormalized propagators of mass $m$ and tree vertex $-ig{\mu }^{ϵ}$. The interaction counterterms have Feynman factors $-i{\delta }_{m^2}$ for a two-leg mass insertion and $-i{\mu }^{ϵ}g{\delta }_g$ for a four-leg insertion. At one loop the two-point one-particle-irreducible vertex isThe directed tadpole has $S=1$: interchanging its two ends would reverse the field labels, so the real-scalar tadpole's factor $1/2$ does not apply. It is independent of external momentum, so no wave-function counterterm is required at this order.

For the four-point vertex, label the two unstarred incoming fields by $1,2$ and the starred ones by $3,4$, with all momenta incoming. The tree contact, the three oriented bubbles and the contact counterterm giveThe first bubble has two equivalent arrows along the same direction between its vertices, giving $S=2$. In the other two channels the arrows oppose one another, and interchanging the lines does not preserve their oriented attachments, giving $S=1$. This is the oriented complex-scalar quartic graph factors rule.

The mass tadpole is order $g{m}^2$, while the four-point loop is order $g^2$. In the multiplicative coupling convention of the source,The distinction between ${\delta }_g$ and the whole additive four-leg coefficient $g{\delta }_g$ matters for the requested order counting.