Quantum field theories on noncommutative R^4 versus theta-expanded quantum field theories

Abstract

I recall the main motivation to study quantum field theories on noncommutative spaces and comment on the most-studied example, the noncommutative R^4. That algebra is given by the *-product which can be written in (at least) two ways: in an integral form or an exponential form. These two forms of the *-product are adapted to different classes of functions, which, when using them to formulate field theory, lead to two versions of quantum field theories on noncommutative R^4. The integral form requires functions of rapid decay and a (preferably smooth) cut-off in the path integral, which therefore should be evaluated by exact renormalisation group methods. The exponential form is adapted to analytic functions with arbitrary behaviour at infinity, so that Feynman graphs can be used to compute the path integral (without cut-off) perturbatively.