Critical phenomena is one of the most exciting areas of modern physics. This 2007 book provides a thorough but economic introduction into the principles and techniques of the theory of critical phenomena and the renormalization group, from the perspective of modern condensed matter physics. Assuming basic knowledge of quantum and statistical mechanics, the book discusses phase transitions in magnets, superfluids, superconductors, and gauge field theories. Particular attention is given to topics such as gauge field fluctuations in superconductors, the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition, duality transformations, and quantum phase transitions - all of which are at the forefront of physics research. This book contains numerous problems of varying degrees of difficulty, with solutions. These problems provide readers with a wealth of material to test their understanding of the subject. It is ideal for graduate students and more experienced researchers in the fields of condensed matter physics, statistical physics, and many-body physics.

The relationship between liquids and gases engaged the attention of a number of distinguished scientists in the mid 19th Century. In a definitive paper published in 1869, Thomas Andrews described experiments he performed on carbon dioxide and from which he concluded that a critical temperature exists below which liquids and gases are distinct phase

The successful calculation of critical exponents for continuous phase transitions is one of the main achievements of theoretical physics over the last quarter-century. This was achieved through the use of scaling and field-theoretic techniques which have since become standard equipment in many areas of physics, especially quantum field theory. This book provides a thorough introduction to these techniques. Continuous phase transitions are introduced, then the necessary statistical mechanics is summarized, followed by standard models, some exact solutions and techniques for numerical simulations. The real-space renormalization group and mean-field theory are then explained and illustrated. The final chapters cover the Landau-Ginzburg model, from physical motivation, through diagrammatic perturbation theory and renormalization to the renormalization group and the calculation of critical exponents above and below the critical temperature.

The aim of this book is to familiarise the reader with the rich collection of ideas, methods and results available in the theory of critical phenomena in systems with confined geometry. The existence of universal features of the finite-size effects arising due to highly correlated classical or quantum fluctuations is explained by the finite-size scaling theory. This theory (1) offers an interpretation of experimental results on finite-size effects in real systems; (2) gives the most reliable tool for extrapolation to the thermodynamic limit of data obtained by computer simulations; (3) reveals the intimate mechanism of how the critical singularities build up in the thermodynamic limit; and (4) can be fruitfully used to explain the low-temperature behaviour of quantum critical systems.The exposition is given in a self-contained form which presumes the reader's knowledge only in the framework of standard courses on the theory of phase transitions and critical phenomena. The instructive role of simple models, both classical and quantum, is demonstrated by putting the accent on the derivation of rigorous and exact analytical results.

As an introductory account of the theory of phase transitions and critical phenomena, this book reflects lectures given by the authors to graduate students at their departments and is thus classroom-tested to help beginners enter the field. Most parts are written as self-contained units and every new concept or calculation is explained in detail without assuming prior knowledge of the subject. The book significantly enhances and revises a Japanese version which is a bestseller in the Japanese market and is considered a standard textbook in the field. It contains new pedagogical presentations of field theory methods, including a chapter on conformal field theory, and various modern developments hard to find in a single textbook on phase transitions. Exercises are presented as the topics develop, with solutions found at the end of the book, making the text useful for self-teaching, as well as for classroom learning.

A modern up-to-date introduction for readers outside statistical physics. It puts emphasis on a clear understanding of concepts and methods and provides the tools that can be of immediate use in applications.

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the theory of phase transitions and critical phenomena. The content covers a period of more than 100 years of theoretical research of condensed matter phases and phase transitions providing a clear interrelationship with experimental problems. It starts from certain basic University knowledge of thermodynamics, statistical physics and quantum mechanics. The text is illustrated with classic examples of phase transitions. Various types of phase transition and (multi)critical points are introduced and explained. The classic aspects of the theory are naturally related with the modern developments. This interrelationship and the field-theoretical renormalization group method are presented in details. The main applications of the renormalization group methods are presented. Special attention is paid to the description of quantum phase transitions. This edition contains a more detailed presentation of the renormalization group method and its applications to particular systems.

An important contributor to our current understanding of critical phenomena, Ma introduces the beginner--especially the graduate student with no previous knowledge of the subject-to fundamental theoretical concepts such as mean field theory, the scaling hypothesis, and the renormalization group. He then goes on to apply the renormalization group to selected problems, with emphasis on the underlying physics and the basic assumptions involved.

During July and August of 1976 a group of 90 physicists from 56 laboratories in 21 countries met in Erice for the 14th Course of the International School of Subnuclear Physics. The countries represented were Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, the German Democratic Republic, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Vietnam, and Yugoslavia. The School was sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Public Education (MPI), the Italian Ministry of Scientific and Technological Research (MRST), the North Atlantic Treaty Organi zation (NATO), the Regional Sicilian Government (ERS), and the Weizmann Institute of Science. The program of the School was mainly devoted to the elucida tion and discussion of the progress achieved in the theoretical and experimental understanding of the fundamental constituents of matter. On the theoretical front we had a series of remarkable lecturers (C. N. Yang, S. Weinberg, G. C. Wick) attempting a description of finite size particles. Another group of lecturers covered such topics as the understanding of the new particles (H. J. Lipkin), whether or not jets really exist (E. Lillethun), and the unexpected A-dependence of massive dileptons produced in high-energy proton- nucleus collisions (J. W. Cronin). Two other outstanding questions were covered by E. Leader and G. Preparata respectively: whether strong interactions are still within the Regge framework, and if it is really possible to master strong interactions. A. J. S.