Past exam of the quantum field theory course of the University of Oxford / 2020 / 1 / b / i / Solution

Label the initial species-1 and species-2 fermions by $(p_1,s_1)$ and $(p_2,s_2)$, and the final species-1 and species-2 fermions by $(p_3,s_3)$ and $(p_4,s_4)$. There is exactly one tree-level Feynman diagram: the $t$-channel scalar propagator joins the continuous species-1 line $1\to 3$ to the continuous species-2 line $2\to 4$. Its exchanged four-momentum $q_t$ determines $t$, in the notation of Mandelstam variables:The top row of the figure displays this Feynman diagram. A crossed attachment $1\to 4$ would change species at an interaction vertex and is forbidden. There is no initial antifermion for an annihilation channel.