Quantum Harmonic Oscillator in the Path Integral Formulation and its relation to the Second Quantization

Abstract

This thesis investigates the quantum harmonic oscillator (QHO) through the path integral formulation. It begins with a review of classical dynamics and the standard operator approach to establish a foundational framework. The core of the work involves the systematic construction and evaluation of the QHO propagator, demonstrating how the transition amplitude naturally separates into a classical contribution and quantum fluctuations. Finally, the discussion extends to systems with infinite degrees of freedom, illustrating how the oscillator structure serves as a bridge to quantum field theory and the emergence of second quantization.