Cohomology of Feynman graphs and perturbative quantum field theory

Abstract

An analog of Kreimer's coproduct from renormalization of Feynman integrals in quantum field theory, endows an analog of Kontsevich's graph complex with a dg-coalgebra structure. The graph complex is generated by orientation classes of labeled directed graphs. A graded commutative product is also defined, compatible with the coproduct. Moreover, a dg-Hopf algebra is identified. Graph cohomology is defined applying the cobar construction to the dg-coalgebra structure. As an application, L-infinity morphisms represented as series over Feynman graphs correspond to graph cocycles. Notably the total differential of the cobar construction corresponds to the L-infinity morphism condition. The main example considered is Kontsevich's formality morphism. The relation with perturbative quantum field theory is considered by interpreting L-infinity morphisms as partition functions, and the coefficients of the graph expansions as Feynman integrals.