Field Theory Of Condensed Matter And Ultracold Gases Volume 1

This book provides a pedagogical introduction to the concepts and methods of quantum field theory necessary for the study of condensed matter and ultracold atomic gases. After a thorough discussion of the basic methods of field theory and many-body physics (functional integrals, perturbation theory, Feynman diagrams, correlation functions and linear response theory, symmetries and their consequences, etc.), the book covers a wide range of topics, from electron gas and Fermi-liquid theory to superfluidity and superconductivity, magnetic instabilities in electron systems, and dynamical mean-field theory of Mott transition. The focus is on the study of model Hamiltonians, where the microscopic physics and characteristic energy scales are encoded into a few effective parameters, rather than first-principle methods which start from a realistic Hamiltonian at the microscopic level and then make material-specific predictions. The reader is expected to be familiar with elementary quantum mechanics and statistical physics, and some acquaintance with condensed-matter physics and ultracold gases may also be useful. No prior knowledge of field theory or many-body problem is required.

This book provides a pedagogical introduction to the concepts and methods of quantum field theory necessary for the study of condensed matter and ultracold atomic gases. After a thorough discussion of the basic methods of field theory and many-body physics (functional integrals, perturbation theory, Feynman diagrams, correlation functions and linear response theory, symmetries and their consequences, etc.), the book covers a wide range of topics, from electron gas and Fermi-liquid theory to superfluidity and superconductivity, magnetic instabilities in electron systems, and dynamical mean-field theory of Mott transition. The focus is on the study of model Hamiltonians, where the microscopic physics and characteristic energy scales are encoded into a few effective parameters, rather than first-principle methods which start from a realistic Hamiltonian at the microscopic level and then make material-specific predictions. The reader is expected to be familiar with elementary quantum mechanics and statistical physics, and some acquaintance with condensed-matter physics and ultracold gases may also be useful. No prior knowledge of field theory or many-body problem is required.

This primer is aimed at elevating graduate students of condensed matter theory to a level where they can engage in independent research. Topics covered include second quantisation, path and functional field integration, mean-field theory and collective phenomena.

The rapidly developing topic of ultracold atoms has many actual and potential applications for condensed-matter science, and the contributions to this book emphasize these connections. Ultracold Bose and Fermi quantum gases are introduced at a level appropriate for first-year graduate students and non-specialists such as more mature general physicists. The reader will find answers to questions like: how are experiments conducted and how are the results interpreted? What are the advantages and limitations of ultracold atoms in studying many-body physics? How do experiments on ultracold atoms facilitate novel scientific opportunities relevant to the condensed-matted community? This volume seeks to be comprehensible rather than comprehensive; it aims at the level of a colloquium, accessible to outside readers, containing only minimal equations and limited references. In large part, it relies on many beautiful experiments from the past fifteen years and their very fruitful interplay with basic theoretical ideas. In this particular context, phenomena most relevant to condensed-matter science have been emphasized. Introduces ultracold Bose and Fermi quantum gases at a level appropriate for non-specialists Discusses landmark experiments and their fruitful interplay with basic theoretical ideas Comprehensible rather than comprehensive, containing only minimal equations

This volume provides a broad overview of the principal theoretical techniques applied to non-equilibrium and finite temperature quantum gases. Covering Bose-Einstein condensates, degenerate Fermi gases, and the more recently realised exciton-polariton condensates, it fills a gap by linking between different methods with origins in condensed matter physics, quantum field theory, quantum optics, atomic physics, and statistical mechanics.

The contributions in this book give a high-level coverage of many of the subjects and techniques needed to understand the physics of low-dimensional condensed matter systems. The topics presented include the use of conformal field theories, the Luttinger liquid approach to one-dimensional electron systems, and the use of random matrices in problems connected with quantum chaos. The contributions are authored by some of the most prominent physicists active in the field, among them the 1998 Nobel Prize laureate R. B. Laughlin. The book should become an extremely useful instrument for all those interested in theoretical condensed matter physics.

This book explores the physics of atoms frozen to ultralow temperatures and trapped in periodic light structures. It introduces the reader to the spectacular progress achieved on the field of ultracold gases and describes present and future challenges in condensed matter physics, high energy physics, and quantum computation.

The Thirty-First International Workshop on Condensed Matter Theories (CMT31) held in Bangkok focused on the many roles played by ab initio theory, modeling, and high-performance computing in condensed matter and materials science, providing a forum for the discussion of recent advances and exploration of new problems. Fifty-six invited papers were presented, of which 38 appear as chapters in this volume. Reports of recent results generated lively debate on two-dimensional electron systems, the metal-insulator transition, dilute magnetic semiconductors, effects of disorder, magnetoresistence phenomena, ferromagnetic stripes, quantum Hall systems, strongly correlated Fermi systems, superconductivity, dilute fermionic and bosonic gases, nanostructured materials, plasma instabilities, quantum fluid mixtures, and helium in reduced geometries.

Condensed Matter Theories, Volume 17

The advent of laser cooling of atoms led to the discovery of ultra-cold matter, with temperatures below liquid Helium, which displays a variety of new physical phenomena. Physics of Ultra-Cold Matter gives an overview of this recent area of science, with a discussion of its main results and a description of its theoretical concepts and methods. Ultra-cold matter can be considered in three distinct phases: ultra-cold gas, Bose Einstein condensate, and Rydberg plasmas. This book gives an integrated view of this new area of science at the frontier between atomic physics, condensed matter, and plasma physics. It describes these three distinct phases while exploring the differences, as well as the sometimes unexpected similarities, of their respective theoretical methods. This book is an informative guide for researchers, and the benefits are a result from an integrated view of a very broad area of research, which is limited in previous books about this subject. The main unifying tool explored in this book is the wave kinetic theory based on Wigner functions. Other theoretical approaches, eventually more familiar to the reader, are also given for extension and comparison. The book considers laser cooling techniques, atom-atom interactions, and focuses on the elementary excitations and collective oscillations in atomic clouds, Bose-Einstein condensates, and Rydberg plasmas. Linear and nonlinear processes are considered, including Landau damping, soliton excitation and vortices. Atomic interferometers and quantum coherence are also included.