The beta function of gauge theories at two loops in differential renormalization

Abstract: This PhD thesis is devoted to show that differential renormalization is a simple and useful renormalization method that we can use when dealing with gauge theories. In this work, it is shown how the one-loop results of Constraint Differential Renormalization can be fruitfully applied when renormalizing two-loop amplitudes. As an example of this procedure, the two-loop beta functions of various relevant gauge theories are obtained (QED, SuperQED, Yang-Mills and N=1 SuperYM) without making use of the Ward identities, which are mandatory in the standard differential renormalization procedure. Also, we study how to deal with expressions that have IR and UV divergences, showing that both are renormalized with independent scales. This result allow us to give new insight on the origin of the higher order corrections to the beta function of the N=1 SuperYM theory, as in this case we have both divergences due to the form of the gauge propagator. This is an advantage over usual dimensional regularization methods, where both divergences become mixed.