Field Theory in Condensed Matter

Prof. J. Cardy - Hilary Term 2009

This 16-lecture course will cover several important applications of field theoretic methods to condensed matter physics. Previous exposure to the path integral approach to quantum field theory, and Feynman diagrams, will be assumed, but there will be some revision of these ideas at the beginning of the course if necessary.

• Field theory, renormalisation group and critical behaviour
  • Relation between Euclidean QFT and classical critical behaviour
  • Renormalised field theory and critical behaviour
  • Critical exponents and the epsilon-expansion
  • Other renormalisation group schemes
  • Large N
• Critical behaviour in 2d
  • 2d Gaussian model
  • Relevant and irrelevant perturbations: the 2d XY model and the roughening transition
  • Conformal invariance: finite-size and finite-temperature scaling of correlation functions
• Applications (some selection of the topics below)
  • Bosonization in 1+1 dimensions and Luttinger liquid theory
  • Quantum critical behaviour
  • 1d quantum spin chains
  • Kondo problems

Lectures will take place on Mondays and Thursdays 12-1 in the Fisher Room beginning in Week 1 (Monday January 19.) There will be no lecture on Monday February 2.

Last updated 17 January 2009.