S-matrix Definition and 37 Threads

The first look at a scattering process is something like this: We define an initial state |\textrm{in}\rangle = \int dp_1dp_2 f_{\textrm{in,1}}(p_1) f_{\textrm{in,2}}(p_2) a_{p_1}^{\dagger} a_{p_2}^{\dagger} |0\rangle Here f_{\textrm{in,1}} and f_{\textrm{in,2}} are wavefunctions that define...

In scattering theory, the quantity of interest is the amplitude for the system—initially prepared as a collection of (approximate) momentum eigenstates—to evolve into some other collection of momentum eigenstates. For example, for ##m\to n## scattering, the amplitude we're interested in is...

Hello, i need help with the S-matrix. From what i understand, with the S-matrix i would be able to compute the scattering amplitude of some processes, is that correct? If so, how would i be able to do that if i have some field ##\phi(x,t)## in hands? Is that possible?

Hey there, This question was asked elsewhere, but I wasn't really satisfied with the answer. When I learned about Fermi's golden rule, ##{ \Gamma }_{ if }=2\pi { \left| \left< { f }|{ \delta V }|{ i } \right> \right| }^{ 2 }\rho \left( { E }_{ f } \right)##, it was derived from first order...

My question arises when we expand the S-matrix using Wick's theorem, there we need to compute time-ordered products, but is not the same to compute $$T\{\bar{\psi}(x_1)\gamma^\mu \psi(x_1) A_\mu(x_1)\}$$ or $$T\{:\bar{\psi}(x_1)\gamma^\mu \psi(x_1) A_\mu(x_1):\}$$ While the second one is simply...

I have been reading some papers from G.F. Chew and S. C. Frautschi and they do not even bother to introduce the concept of "Field" when they describe hadron interactions. My impression is that they do not need to because interactions seem to be described by single Regge-trajectories. However...

I am working on HFSS and designing Antennas for LOW RCS , in all previous works they calculate the S11 parameter for the unit cell then make an array form this unit cell and calculate the RCS , my question is what is the relation between S11 and RCS and why we calculate S11 for the unit...

Homework Statement Consider two real scalar fields \phi,\psi with masses m and \mu respectively interacting via the Hamiltonian \mathcal{H}_{\mathrm{int}}(x)=\dfrac{\lambda}{4}\phi^2(x)\psi^2(x). Using the definition of the S-matrix and Wick's contraction find the O(\lambda) contribution to...

I'm fairly new to QFT and I'm currently trying to understand perturbation theory on this context. As I understand it, when one does a perturbative expansion of the S-matrix and subsequently calculates the transition amplitude between two asymptotic states, each order in the perturbative...

Hi, I'm looking at the unitarity constraints for the Two-Higgs Doublet Model and I'm trying to follow what they do in the attached article, which can also be found here: https://arxiv.org/pdf/hep-ph/0312374v1.pdf. However I do not know how to get the scattering matrices in eq. (7). They say...

Consider the following extract taken from page 60 of Matthew Schwartz's 'Introduction to Quantum Field Theory':We usually calculate ##S##-matrix elements perturbatively. In a free theory, where there are no interactions, the ##S##-matrix is simply the identity matrix ##\mathbb{1}##. We can...

I am talking about perturbative quantum field theory. When calculating elements of correlation functions(which then I use to calculate S-matrix elements) one always comes up with connected and disconnected diagrams. These disconnected diagrams are usually dropped from the calculation and I...

I'm studying dispersion relations applied as alternative method to perturbation theory from Weinberg's book (Vol.1) Let's consider the forward scattering in the lab frame of a massless boson of any spin on an arbitrary target ##\alpha## of mass ##m_\alpha>0## and ##\vec{p}_\alpha = 0##...

Can someone please explain Heisenberg's S-Matrix theory in simple terms. Minimals maths please. Please be as expansive as possible.

Can somebody please explain to me how the S-Matrix of Heisenberg and others helped influence the birth of String Theory. I keep hearing people say that String Theory came as a result of S-Matrix but I don't see the connection. Please keep maths to a minimal. Thanks.

Homework Statement We have the lagragian L = \frac{m}{2} \dot{x}^2 - \frac{m \omega x^2}{2} + f(t) x(t) where f(t) = f_0 for 0 \le t \le T 0 otherwise. The only diagram that survives in the s -matrix expansion when calculating <0|S|0> is D = \int dt dt' f(t)f(t') <0|T x(t)x(t')|0>...

If you have a particle that is the lightest particle, then it cannot decay into other particles. As a consequence of this, its T-matrix amplitude on-shell should be zero, since the S-matrix is S=1+iT, and the amplitude for the particle to be found with the same quantum numbers and momentum is 1...

A lot of textbooks give the definition of an S-matrix element as: \langle \beta_{out}| \alpha_{in}\rangle = \langle \beta_{in}| S| \alpha_{in} \rangle=\langle \beta_{out}| S| \alpha_{out} \rangle=S_{\beta \alpha} and that S|\alpha_{out} \rangle =|\alpha_{in} \rangle I don't...

If the probability for a state α prepared initially to be in a state β at a later time is given by: S_{\beta \alpha} S_{\beta \alpha}^* and for a state β prepared intitially to become a state α is: S_{ \alpha \beta} S_{ \alpha \beta}^* then in order for the two to be equal (by...

Hi, I was wondering if I could test my understanding on the S-matrix and its role in evolving initial states of systems to final states (after some scattering process has occurred). Would it be correct to say the following: Given a system in an initial state \vert i \rangle, the final...

are there examples in non-relativistic scattering off a central potential where the S-matrix can be calculated exactly? Thanks!

How can we demonstrate that the symmetries of S-Matrix can be applyed to parts of Feynman diagrams?The S-Matrix is the sum of infinite diagrams,why we know each or part of each diagram has the same symmetries as the symmetries of S-Matrix?

Hi there! S-matrix is Path Integral with Vertex Operators inserted. I know how to compute Shapiro-Virasoro amplitude. So I don't have problems with calculations but with understanding. In this calculations formalism of 2-dimensional CFT is used. But there is no S-matrix in CFT, only...

Take a \lambda \phi^4 theory. To first order in λ, the 2x2 scattering amplitude is: iM=-iλ So the amplitude <f|S|i> is then <f|(1+iM)|i>=<f|i>+iM<f|i>. Letting f=i, the probability is greater than 1! It is equal to the norm |1+iM| which is sqrt[1^2+λ^2]. How is it that two particles in the...

Consider the S-matrix: <f|U(t,-t)|i> When going into the interaction picture, this becomes: <f_I|U_I(t,-t)|i_I> where the propagator is the interaction picture propagator, and the states are interaction states. Can you say that: <f_I|U_I(t,-t)|i_I>= <f|U_I(t,-t)|i> ? It...

Hi. I'm trying to understand a statement from the book Field Quantization on the evaluation of the S-matrix elements for a certain initial and final state in QED. The author states, if one is evalutating a matrix element on the form \langle k_1' \lambda_1', \ldots, \bar p_1' \bar s_1'...

Hi, I've read a lot of posts about how Weinberg describes the S-matrix invariance in his book, but none of theme answered my questions. At page 116, sec 3.3 - "Lorentz Invariance" of Quantum theory of fields vol.1 Weinberg says: "Since the operator U(\Lambda, a) is unitary we may write...

The S-matrix can be written as the sum of the Feynman diagrams, divided by a factor of 1/sqrt[E] for each particle, where E is the particle's energy. Does this mean at large energies, the probability amplitude to scatter is unlikely? But how can such a statement be made when no physics is...

Hi All, The S-matrix is defined as the inner product of the in- and out-states, as in Eq. (3.2.1) in Weinberg's QFT vol 1: S_{\beta\alpha}=(\Psi_\beta^-,\Psi_\alpha^+) When talking about the Lorentz invariance of S-matrix, the Lorentz transformation induced unitary operator U(\Lambda,a)...

At the beginning of section 3.3, he says lorentz invariance of S-matrix means the same unitary operator acts on both in and out states. I feel a bit blur about this since he doesn't give any concrete example. Say the eletron-positron annihilation process, we have 1 electron, 1 positron, 0 photon...

Please teach me this: Why do they only consider S-matrix(or Green functions) in Quantum Field Theory?How about other physics observations as considering in normal Quantum Mechanics,e.g angular momentum...of particles?If we consider the other physical observations,how could we represent them in...

Please teach me this: Why scattering matrix in relativistic collision still must be unitary?Because in relativistic regime,the probability is not conservable. Thank you very much in advanced.

Hi all, In chapter 3.2 of Weinberg's QFT text he asserts that one can derive the expression S_{\beta\alpha}=\delta(\beta-\alpha)-2\pi i\delta(E_\alpha -E_\beta)T_{\beta\alpha} for the S-matrix in terms of the matrix elements T^{\pm}_{\beta \alpha}=(\Phi_\beta , V\Psi^{\pm}_\alpha), where I'm...

I have a problem in deriving the formula : \left \langle p^\prime | iT | p \right\rangle = -2\pi i\widetilde{ V}(q)\delta(E_{p^\prime}-E_{p}) which is in Peskin's QFT book. How to derive it? Is there anything to do with \psi =...

In an interactive field theory we can compute the amplitude of a particle propagating from y to x by evaluating perturbatively expressions of the form <GS|o(x)o(y)|GS> where GS stands for ground state and o are the field operators. This can be extended to higher number of operators for more...

Hi, I am reading through Weinberg's "Quantum Theory of Fields" (vol. 1) and I am somewhat confused about the signs in the cluster decomposition of the S-matrix. Specifically, referring to eq. 4.3.2, let's say the term coming from the partition \alpha \to \alpha_1\alpha_2,\beta \to...

Does anyone know any books, websites, lecture notes etc that discuss on the poles of the S matrix being physically, the bound states?