  Phenomenological models of quantum gravity often consider the existence of
some form of minimal length. This feature is commonly described in the context
of quantum mechanics and using the corresponding formalism and techniques.
Although few attempts at a quantum field-theoretical description of a minimal
length has been proposed, they are rather the exception and there is no general
agreement on the correct one. Here, using the quantum-mechanical model as a
guidance, we propose a first-principle definition of a quantum field theory
including a minimal length. Specifically, we propose a two-step procedure, by
first describing the quantum-mechanical models as a classical field theory and
subsequently quantizing it. We are thus able to provide a foundation for
further exploration of the implications of a minimal length in quantum field
theory.
