Conformal Invariance: an Introduction to Loops, Interfaces and Stochastic Loewner Evolution

Download or read book Conformal Invariance: an Introduction to Loops, Interfaces and Stochastic Loewner Evolution written by Malte Henkel and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-04-05 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conformal invariance has been a spectacularly successful tool in advancing our understanding of the two-dimensional phase transitions found in classical systems at equilibrium. This volume sharpens our picture of the applications of conformal invariance, introducing non-local observables such as loops and interfaces before explaining how they arise in specific physical contexts. It then shows how to use conformal invariance to determine their properties. Moving on to cover key conceptual developments in conformal invariance, the book devotes much of its space to stochastic Loewner evolution (SLE), detailing SLE’s conceptual foundations as well as extensive numerical tests. The chapters then elucidate SLE’s use in geometric phase transitions such as percolation or polymer systems, paying particular attention to surface effects. As clear and accessible as it is authoritative, this publication is as suitable for non-specialist readers and graduate students alike.