Overview

Quantum dynamics underlies macroscopic systems exhibiting some kind of ordering, such as superconductors, ferromagnets and crystals. Even large scale structures in the Universe and ordering in biological systems appear to be the manifestation of microscopic dynamics ruling their elementary components. The scope of this book is to answer questions such as: how it happens that the mesoscopic/macroscopic scale and stability characterizing those systems are dynamically generated out of the microscopic scale of fluctuating quantum components; how quantum particles coexist and interact with classically behaving macroscopic objects, e.g. vortices, magnetic domains and other topological defects. The quantum origin of topological defects and their interaction with quanta is a crucial issue for the understanding of symmetry breaking phase transitions and structure formation in a wide range of systems from condensed matter to cosmology. Deliberately not discussing other important problems, primarily renormalization problems, this book provides answers to such questions in a unitary, self-consistent physical and mathematical framework, which makes it unique in the panorama of existing texts on a similar subject. Crystals, ferromagnets and superconductors appear to be macroscopic quantum systems, i.e. their macroscopic properties cannot be explained without recourse to the underlying quantum dynamics. Recognizing that quantum field dynamics is not confined to the microscopic world is one of the achievements of this book, also marking its difference from other texts. The combined use of algebraic methods, and operator and functional formalism constitutes another distinctive, valuable feature.

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9781848162808

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This book gives a very thorough treatment of a range of topics that are of increasing importance, from a rather unusual, and very instructive, point of view. -- Tom W Kibble Imperial College London, UK

This book succeeds in helping the reader to understand how the macroscopic properties are generated out of quantum dynamics in the QFT framework. The level is adequate for graduate students with a basic knowledge of QFT. -- Mathematical Reviews Mathematical Reviews This is perhaps the first book on quantum field theory whose aim is to grasp and describe with rigor and completeness, but at the same time in a compelling, fascinating way, all the facets of the complex challenge it faces scientists with. -- Mario Rasetti Politecnico di Torino, Italy This remarkable book dispels the common misconception that quantum field theory is 'just quantum mechanics with an infinite number of degrees of freedom', revealing vast new mathematical terrains, and new ways of understanding physical phenomena in both commonplace and exotic systems. -- John Swain Northeastern University, USA Most of the chapters share the typical flavor of the very intense personal research carried by the authors during the years, but the style of presentation is always perfectly coherent, and all topics are presented in a mature and well-organized way. -- Francesco Guerra Sapienza University of Rome, Italy This book gives a very thorough treatment of a range of topics that are of increasing importance, from a rather unusual, and very instructive, point of view. -- Tom W Kibble Imperial College London, UK

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