Introduction to Statistical Field Theory
Knowledge of the renormalization group and field theory is a key part of physics, and is essential in condensed matter and particle physics. Written for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students, this textbook provides a concise introduction to this subject. The textbook deals directly with the loop-expansion of the free-energy, also known as the background field method. This is a powerful method, especially when dealing with symmetries, and statistical mechanics. In focussing on free-energy, the author avoids long developments on field theory techniques. The necessity of renormalization then follows.
- A concise introduction to a subject which remains central in condensed matter physics as well as particle physics
- Deals directly with the loop expansion of the free energy, avoiding long developments on field theory techniques
- Written by one of the most distinguished theoretical physicists alive today
Reviews & endorsements
'… a concise but clear introduction to this now-classic material. … a magisterial introduction to the subject … an excellent example of what such lectures should be: fast-paced, succinct and clear … an excellent concise treatment of the modern theory of phase transitions and the renormalisation group by an expert in the field.' Contemporary Physics
'… the author deals directly with the loop expansion of the free energy, also known as the background field method. This is a powerful method, especially when dealing with symmetries, and statistical mechanics.' Nenad Manojlovic, Zentralblatt MATH
Product details
July 2010Adobe eBook Reader
9780511784361
0 pages
0kg
28 b/w illus.
This ISBN is for an eBook version which is distributed on our behalf by a third party.
Table of Contents
- 1. A few well-known basic results
- 2. Introduction: order parameters, broken symmetries
- 3. Examples of physical situations modelled by the Ising model
- 4. A few results about the Ising model
- 5. High temperature and low temperature expansions
- 6. Some geometric problems related to phase transitions
- 7. Phenomenological description of the critical behaviour
- 8. Mean field theory
- 9. Beyond mean field theory
- 10. Introduction to the renormalization group
- 11. Renormalization group for the φ4 theory
- 12. Renormalized theory
- 13. Goldstone modes
- 14. Large n
- Index.