Introduction to Quantum Field Theory

This text aims to provide an introduction to the subject of quantum field theory without the complication of featuring its application areas such as elementary particle physics or statistical physics at the same time. This text explains the features of quantum and statistical field systems that result from their field-theoretic nature and are common to different physical contexts. It supplies the practical tools for carrying out calculations and discusses the meaning of the results. The central concept is that of effective action (or free energy), and the main technical tool is the path integral, although other formalisms are also mentioned. The author emphasizes the simplest models first, then progresses to discussions of real systems before addressing more general and rigorous conclusions. The book is structured around carefully selected problems, which are solved in detail.