Introduction to renormalization theory and renormalization group (RG)

Abstract A straightforward construction of a local, relativistic quantum field theory (QFT) leads to ultraviolet (UV) divergences and a QFT has to be regularized by modifying its short-distance or large energy momentum structure (momentum regularization is often used in this work). Since such a modification is somewhat arbitrary, it is necessary to verify that the resulting large-scale predictions are, at least to a large extent, short-distance insensitive. Such a verification relies on the renormalization theory and the corresponding renormalization group (RG). In this chapter, the essential steps of a proof of the perturbative renormalizability of the scalar φ4 QFT in dimension 4 are described. All the basic difficulties of renormalization theory, based on power counting, are already present in this simple example. The elegant presentation of Callan is followed, which makes it possible to prove renormalizability and RG equations (in Callan–Symanzik's (CS) form) simultaneously. The background of the discussion is effective QFT and emergent renormalizable theory. The concept of fine tuning and the issue of triviality are emphasized.