Conformal Invariance and Critical Phenomena /

This book provides an introduction to conformal field theory and a review of its applications to critical phenomena in condensed-matter systems. After reviewing simple phase transitions and explaining the foundations of conformal invariance and the algebraic methods required, it proceeds to the expl...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Henkel, Malte
Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 1999.
Series:Texts and monographs in physics.
Subjects:
Online Access:Connect to the full text of this electronic book
Description
Summary:This book provides an introduction to conformal field theory and a review of its applications to critical phenomena in condensed-matter systems. After reviewing simple phase transitions and explaining the foundations of conformal invariance and the algebraic methods required, it proceeds to the explicit calculation of four-point correlators. Numerical methods for matrix diagonalization are described as well as finite-size scaling techniques and their conformal extensions. Many exercises are included. Applications treat the Ising, Potts, chiral Potts, Yang-Lee, percolation and XY models, the XXZ chain, linear polymers, tricritical points, conformal turbulence, surface criticality and profiles, defect lines and aperiodically modulated systems, persistent currents and dynamical scaling. The vicinity of the critical point is studied culminating in the exact solution of the two-dimensional Ising model at the critical temperature in a magnetic field. Relevant experimental results are also reviewed.
Item Description:Electronic resource.
Physical Description:1 online resource (xvii, 417 pages)
ISBN:9783662039373 (electronic bk.)
3662039370 (electronic bk.)
ISSN:1864-5879