The aim of this book is to introduce a graduate student to selected concepts in condensed matter physics for which the language of field theory is ideally suited. The examples considered in this book are those of superfluidity for weakly interacting bosons, collinear magnetism, and superconductivity. Quantum phase transitions are also treated in the context of quantum dissipative junctions and interacting fermions constrained to one-dimensional position space. The style of presentation is sufficiently detailed and comprehensive that it only presumes familiarity with undergraduate physics.

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.

This topical volume contains five pedagogically written articles on the interplay between field theory and condensed matter physics. The main emphasis is on the topological aspects, and especially quantum Hall fluids, and superconductivity is treated extensively. Other topics are conformal invariance and path integrals. The articles are carefully edited so that the book could ideally serve as a text for special graduate courses.

Presenting the physics of the most challenging problems in condensed matter using the conceptual framework of quantum field theory, this book is of great interest to physicists in condensed matter and high energy and string theorists, as well as mathematicians. Revised and updated, this second edition features new chapters on the renormalization group, the Luttinger liquid, gauge theory, topological fluids, topological insulators and quantum entanglement. The book begins with the basic concepts and tools, developing them gradually to bring readers to the issues currently faced at the frontiers of research, such as topological phases of matter, quantum and classical critical phenomena, quantum Hall effects and superconductors. Other topics covered include one-dimensional strongly correlated systems, quantum ordered and disordered phases, topological structures in condensed matter and in field theory and fractional statistics.

This new expanded second edition has been totally revised and corrected. The reader finds two complete new chapters. One covers the exact solution of the finite temperature Schwinger model with periodic boundary conditions. This simple model supports instanton solutions – similarly as QCD – and allows for a detailed discussion of topological sectors in gauge theories, the anomaly-induced breaking of chiral symmetry and the intriguing role of fermionic zero modes. The other new chapter is devoted to interacting fermions at finite fermion density and finite temperature. Such low-dimensional models are used to describe long-energy properties of Dirac-type materials in condensed matter physics. The large-N solutions of the Gross-Neveu, Nambu-Jona-Lasinio and Thirring models are presented in great detail, where N denotes the number of fermion flavors. Towards the end of the book corrections to the large-N solution and simulation results of a finite number of fermion flavors are presented. Further problems are added at the end of each chapter in order to guide the reader to a deeper understanding of the presented topics. This book is meant for advanced students and young researchers who want to acquire the necessary tools and experience to produce research results in the statistical approach to Quantum Field Theory.

The introduction of quantum field theory methods has led to a kind of 'revolution' in condensed matter theory, resulting in the increased importance of Feynman diagrams or diagram technique. So, it has now become imperative for professionals in condensed matter theory to have a thorough knowledge of this method.The book is intended to teach students, postdocs and young theorists to use diagrammatic quantum field theory methods applied to different problems of modern condensed matter theory, using specific examples of such problems. This latest edition is extended by the inclusion of some new material on superconductivity and diagram combinatorics.

Lecture Notes on Condensed Matter Physics (A Work in Progress)By Daniel Arovas