Synopses & Reviews
Review
"...an excellent introduction to the research of the past two decades bearing on this test problem." American Scientist"It provides for the mathematician an introduction to this field of physics in a language and from a point of view which we quickly find familiar. The physicist will gain the conviction that this quantum field theory has a very sound mathematical basis." Sorin Marculescu, Mathematical Reviews
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [287]-301) and index.
Table of Contents
Preface; 1. A quick course in quantum mechanics; 2. Self-adjoint, elliptic differential operators and eigen-function expansions; 3. Quantisation of a static, scalar field theory; 4. Two-point functions; 5. The stress tensor and the Casimir effect; 6. Quantum field theory in general space-times; 7. Quantum field theory in an expanding universe; 8. Some geometrical apparatus; 9. Renormalisation of the stress tensor; Conclusion; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.