Field Theories for Low-Dimensional Condensed Matter Systems

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.The use of field-theoretic techniques and methods has witnessed an impressive growth in recent years. A wealth of new and important results have emerged in condensed-matter physics, mainly in connection with low-dimensional systems such as quantum Hall systems, quantum wires and quantum dots and spin chains and/or ladders. This book gathers together in a coherent and up-to-date fashion the contributions of some of the most prominent scientists in the field. It will be of great benefit to both senior scientists and young researchers active in condensed-matter theory.