Lecture 6:Feynman diagrams and QED

0 Introduction to current particle physics

1 The Yukawa potential and transition amplitudes
2 Scattering processes and phase space
3 Feynman diagrams and QED
4 The weak interaction and the CKM matrix
5 CP violation and the B-factories
6 Neutrino masses and oscillations
7 Quantum chromodynamics (QCD)
8 Deep inelastic scattering, structure functions and scaling violations
9 Electroweak unification: the Standard Model and the W and Z boson
10 Electroweak symmetry breaking in the SM, Higgs boson
11 LHC experiments

1
 Recap
We have been working towards a systematic method of
calculating cross sections such as ABàCD mediated by
a given exchange particle.

We calculated a transition amplitude or ‘matrix element’

which consists of a propagator describing the exchange and
the two couplings of the exchnge to the scattering particles
(i.e. their `charges’). For a spin-less particle :

Fermi’s Golden Rule allows us to convert this to an event rate

prediction, given a knowledge of Lorentz Invariant Phase Space

2
 Finishing off from last time (à cross sections)
3 3
dΓfi 2π 2 2E 2E
C D d pC d pD
dσ = = M fi
(v A + v B ) (v A + v B ) (2π ) 6 2E C 2E D
C
Finally, work in
centre of mass A B
frame, such that …
D
pi s
- Kinematics … v A + v B =
EA EB
- Converting from d3pc d3pD to dΩ (Thomson 3.4.1, 3.4.2 or H&M 4.3) …
d 3 pC d 3 pD 3 pf
€ 2E A 2E B 2E C 2E D = (2π ) dΩ
2E C 2E D 4 s
… where dΩ is the element of solid angle around e.g. pC 3
 Putting ingredients together

… provides a method of comparing a theoretical calculation (of |Mfi|2)

with an experimental measurement (of dσ/dΩ).

1/s dependence from kinematics … (accelerators need to increase

luminosity to compensate for cross sections falling)

Mfi contains all the physics dynamics … couplings and propagators

Note that in the case of elastic scattering (AB=CD) or in the

ultra-relativistic case where all particle masses are negligible, pf=pi
Then …
dσ 1 2
= 2 M fi
dΩCM 64 π s 4
 Feynman Diagrams
Particle interactions described in terms of Feynman diagrams

scattering annihilation
e– e– e+ µ+
γ
γ
e– µ–
q q

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER:

INITIAL FINAL
•“time” runs from left – right, only in sense that: µ+
e+
s LHS of diagram is initial state γ
s RHS of diagram is final state
s Middle is “how it happened”
e– µ–
• anti-particle arrows in –ve “time” direction “time”

5
 Virtual Particles
- In quantum field theory, Feynman diagrams correspond to sums of
transitions abàcd over all possible time-orderings and polarisations

- They are mathematical constructs that correspond to the concept of

`virtual exchange particles’ … the reality of which you may like to debate
“Time-ordered QM” Feynman diagram
space
space

a c a c a c

b d b d
b d
time time

•Momentum conserved at vertices • 4-momentum (i.e. momentum AND

•Energy conserved overall, but not energy) absolutely conserved at
at individual vertices (uncertainty ppl) all interaction vertices
•Exchanged particle “on mass shell” •Exchanged particle “off mass shell”

6
VIRTUAL PARTICLE
 Mandelstam s, t and u
3
Scattering
1 2
All diagrams with a single force carrier can be
categorised according to the four-momentum 4
of the exchanged particle as s, t or u channel:

e– e– e–
e+ µ+ e–
γ
γ γ
e– µ– e– e–
e– e–
s-channel t-channel u-channel

… u channel processes only occur for identical outgoing particles. They exist
because the same final state can occur with two different exchange 4-momenta
Define kinematic variables: s, t and u s , t , u = squared
4-momentum of exchanged
particle in corresponding
s,t,u channel, though
definitions are process
7
Manifestly Lorentz-invariant independent
8
 Time-like and Space-like Virtual Particles
The four-momentum, , carried by the (virtual) particle is
determined from energy/momentum conservation at the vertices.

… four-momentum transfer squared can be either positive or negative.

a c Here “t-channel”

For elastic scattering:

b d
q2 < 0 termed “space-like”

Here “s-channel”
In CoM:

q2 > 0 termed “time-like” 9

 Feynman Rules for QED
- Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) is the quantum field theory of
electromagnetism. See eg Feynman: `QED: The Strange Theory
of Light and Matter’

- The matrix element for any QED process can be derived from a
simple set of `Feynman Rules’ starting from Feynman diagrams

- Rigorous derivation of Feynman rules is beyond scope of the course

Prescription:
- Draw all Feynman diagrams that correspond to your process
- Apply Feynman rules to get corresponding mathematical expression
- The resulting expression is equal to –iMfi where Mfi is matrix element
- Add matrix elements if there are multiple diagrams (interference!)
- In general, insert sum into Fermi’s Golden Rule
- For most cases we’ll encounter, simply apply our result:

10
 Feynman rules for QED of scalar particles + γ
- Scalar incoming / outgoing particles rather than spin-½ fermions,
so not quite reality … but close (see Dirac equation to go to spin-½)
- Strictly, these rules only apply to `tree level’ diagrams – i.e. no loops

Incoming & Exchange

outgoing photon
particles

Particle -
Initial or
antiparticle
final state
QED
photon
vertex
(s channel)

Particle -
Exchange
particle
fermion
QED
vertex
(t,u channel) 11
e.g. Spin-less e+e- →µ+µ-

12
Spin-less e+e- →µ+µ-

Single γ exchange

13
 Cross-section decomposed

Coupling strength

Kinematic factor Spin-dependent factor

One factor α for each vertex (due to a factor e in matrix

element at each vertex)

Higher order terms go as

Diminish rapidly as n increases - perturbation expansion

14
 Summary
- Mandelstam variables and their manipulation

- Feynman diagrams and their meaning, Feynman rules

- Example cross-section calculation for

spin-less scattering with one photon exchange

Next

More Feynman diagrams and cross-sections

with examples
A simple argument to include spin=1/2

15