Past exam of the quantum field theory course of the University of Oxford 2018 4 b Solution 2026-10-25
Let be the action-consistent free propagator established in a. Write and putThe perturbative expansion isDivide numerator and denominator by the same free vacuum functional . For , they becomeFor , abbreviate and . Since only opposite-charge fields contract, Wick's theorem givesandThe first multiplicity is internal pairings. In the connected term, there are two choices for the vertex's contracted to the external and two for its contracted to the external ; the remaining pair forms a tadpole diagram. ThereforeExpanding the inverse denominator cancels the free-line times vacuum bubble term, leavingThe local quartic interaction vertex has factor , since cancels its denominator 4. The oriented tadpole diagram has Feynman-diagram symmetry factor 1; the isolated two-loop vacuum vertex has factor in its coefficient. Coincident kernels and the integrals require a common regularization; none is being assigned a finite numerical value here.
More generally, vacuum bubbles exponentiate and factor from every numerator. Here global U(1) symmetry also makes all one-point functions zero. Thus a surviving graph with the two external insertions in separate connected components would have a component with one unbalanced charge and vanish. This proves that only connected graphs contribute to this particular two-point function to all perturbative orders. Vacuum normalization alone would not remove disconnected components containing external legs in a general four-point function. If one formally chooses a different free kernel, the displayed Wick multiplicities are unchanged; replacing by gives a formal oscillator series, not the Gaussian integral of the action as printed.
Past exam of the quantum field theory course of the University of Oxford 2020 1 d Solution 2026-10-25
For a connected amputated Feynman diagram, write for the number of independent loop momenta. Each loop momentum integration scales as , each internal scalar propagator as , and each internal Dirac propagator as when both four-momenta and mass are scaled. The Yukawa coupling has mass dimension zero. ThusCounting the two fermion ends and one scalar end at each interaction vertex, and using connectedness, givesConsequently , , andThe requested exponent requires amputation and removal of the overall momentum delta function. An ordinary unamputated connected Green function has an additional external scalar propagators, giving mass dimension after stripping that delta function, or if it is retained. For a concrete check, the free two-point scalar propagator scales as , not . The exponent is the engineering result for the amputated object. A fixed renormalization scale introduces logarithms; the displayed homogeneity is a naive power counting statement rather than an exact quantum scaling law at fixed subtraction scale.
More generally, with external scalar ends and external fermion ends, the same counting gives the superficial degree of divergenceThis is an upper bound on the overall ultraviolet divergence. Numerator cancellations and Lorentz invariance may lower it; an apparently convergent whole Feynman diagram can still have ultraviolet subdivergences. Local subtraction of those ultraviolet subdivergences is required first.
For pure scalar ends, can require counterterms. Lorentz invariance reduces the two-point terms to a mass counterterm and wave-function renormalization; derivatives of a single scalar field are total derivatives, and a one-derivative cubic scalar term cannot be a Lorentz scalar. With two external fermions, requires their kinetic term and mass counterterm, while requires Yukawa coupling renormalization. Four external fermions give , so no independent four-fermion counterterm is required.
A complete counterterm Lagrangian consistent with the species symmetry can therefore be writtenThe vacuum energy density term matters for an unnormalized vacuum functional and cancels from normalized Green functions. The tadpole counterterm can impose . There is no symmetry of the massive Yukawa interaction, so linear, cubic and quartic scalar terms cannot be excluded. For instance, in a constant background the divergent fermion loop contribution contains , exhibiting all these powers. This is counterterm closure of a massive Yukawa theory.
The two species have identical couplings, so their common unitary flavour rotations preserve the Lagrangian density and their counterterms can be chosen species independent. Equality of the scalar and fermion masses, however, is not protected: and are independent. Including the displayed finite set of operators yields a renormalizable quantum field theory. Restricting the bare Lagrangian density to the terms printed in the question is not closed under renormalization.
Past exam of the quantum field theory course of the University of Oxford 2022 1 c Solution 2026-10-25
Set and . The superficial degree of divergence is then , independently of the number of cubic interaction vertices. After subtracting ultraviolet subdivergences, the divergent part of a one-particle irreducible Feynman diagram is a local polynomial in external momenta of degree at most . Lorentz invariance and momentum conservation leave the following possibilities:
- : a constant vacuum energy density.
- : a linear tadpole counterterm. The single external momentum is zero, so derivatives cannot generate further independent terms.
- : a mass counterterm and a wave-function renormalization, since the polynomial has the form .
- : a constant cubic interaction vertex.
- : no overall ultraviolet divergence, although ultraviolet subdivergences still require their lower-point counterterms.
Thus a finite set of counterterms closes under perturbation theory. In terms of renormalized coefficients, writeHere is a coefficient of squared mass, rather than a correction to itself. The tadpole counterterm fixes the chosen expansion point, for example ; it cannot be omitted merely because the original Lagrangian density lacks a linear term. The vacuum energy density term cancels out of normalized Green functions, but is required if the unnormalized vacuum functional is also to be renormalized. This establishes perturbative renormalizability; the unbounded scalar potential of a real cubic scalar field theory does not by itself define a stable nonperturbative vacuum state.
Past exam of the quantum field theory course of the University of Oxford 2022 1 d Solution 2026-10-25
Continue with the cubic scalar field theory of c, and use precisely its counterterm signs. Take to separate ultraviolet divergences from infrared divergences. Make a Wick rotation and impose the rotationally invariant cutoff regularization . PutFor example, spherical coordinates give . Polynomial division and then differentiation with respect to give the divergent partsThe derivative relations are and ; differentiation also generates finite terms, which are irrelevant here. The first supplied integral identity is consistent with these divergent parts after Wick rotation.
The second supplied expansion is incorrect. Write . Direct multiplication of the two denominators gives , so the correct Taylor expansion isA concrete counterexample is , , : the exact expression is , whereas the printed expansion gives . We therefore compute the self-energy without that identity.
For Euclidean external momentum , define the scalar bubble integralA Feynman parameter combines its denominators into one squared denominator with . Applying the radial result above and integrating yieldsOne can instead expand with the ultraviolet cutoff fixed on the unshifted loop momentum: the coefficient of the integrand is , using rotational averaging in six dimensions. Its leading radial term is , giving the same logarithm. Shifting a sharp integration boundary changes finite terms in this scalar bubble integral, and does not change the displayed divergent coefficients.
To fix all signs and symmetry factors together, expand the one-loop Euclidean effective action around a background scalar field:These terms are the tadpole diagram, the two-point bubble diagram, and the triangle Feynman diagram. The tadpole diagram has factor ; the two-point bubble diagram also has factor after two differentiations with respect to the background scalar field. The local three-point interaction vertex is . Thus their divergent contributions to the one-, two-, and three-point Euclidean one-particle irreducible vertices are respectivelyThe Euclidean counterterm Lagrangian is . Cancelling each divergent one-particle irreducible vertex therefore givesFor example, the two-point sum is and its divergent coefficients cancel separately. Finite counterterms depend on the chosen renormalization conditions. The zero-mass limit can use a positive subtraction scale in the logarithms after infrared regularization.
If unnormalized vacuum functionals are retained, specify the determinant measure byExpanding its radial integrand at large fixes the additional vacuum energy density counterterm:The purely mass-independent terms depend on the determinant normalization. Normalized Green functions eliminate this entire constant.
