Quantum Field Theory and Critical Phenomena: 77 (International Series of Monographs on Physics) - Tapa dura

Over the last twenty years quantum field theory has become not only the framework for the discussion of all fundamental interactions but gravity, but also that for the understanding of second-order phase transitions in statistics mechanics. This advanced text is based on graduate courses and summer schools given over a number of years by the author. It approaches the subject in terms of path and functional integrals. A Euclidean metric has been adopted and the language of partition and correlation functions is used. Renormalization and the renormalization group are discussed. A major part of the book is then devoted to critical phenomena before the book concludes with a discussion of the role of instantons in quantum field theory.