No label defined (Q4490375)

This slim volume may be characterized as an elementary introduction to supermymmetry for physicists. Accordingly, it is written in a style that appeals to physical intuition rather than being mathematically deductive. There are two main parts of about equal length: Part I introduces the simplest version of supersymmetry -- encountered in systems with a finite number of degrees of freedom -- via the classical and pseudoclassical (involving Grassmann numbers) description of spin and ends with supersymmetric quantum mechanics (as introduced by Witten, however leaving out a thorough discussion of the concepts of fermion number and Witten index). Part II introduces space-time supersymmetry in the superspace formulation and ends with the sample calculation of a tree diagram in supersymmetric quantum electrodynamics. Only in this last chapter some knowledge (viz. acquaintance with Feynman rules) is required of the reader that goes beyond elementary field theory and quantum theory. In addition to the main text the book also contains several brief appendices mainly dealing with aspects of superanalysis in a more mathematical fashion. The book contains only very few misprints and uneven text passages, and serves its purpose as stated in the beginning very well.