This 15-lecture course will cover several important applications of field theoretic methods to condensed matter physics, but, despite its title, it should also be of interest to particle theorists.
It will begin with an extended account of renormalisation, and the renormalisation group, in scalar (phi^4) field theories. This is essential background material for particle theorists wishing to understand these ideas in more complicated quantum field theories with spin and gauge symmetries. Moreover it is of direct relevance for applications to critical phenomena, where the lectures will make contact with the approach to the RG described in last term's lectures on Advanced Statistical Physics given by Professor Golestanian.
After this, a number of options are possible, depending on the interests of the students, for example: field theories for dynamical and quantum critical behaviour; 2d conformal field theory; integrable field theories in 2d.
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.
The lectures will take place (with a few exceptions) in the Fisher Room on Thursdays at 12.00 and Fridays at 11.00.
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Last updated 3 January 2012.