Equilibrium Polymerization As A Critical Phenomenon The N Symbol Indicating Approaching O Vector Model

Equilibrium Polymerization as a Critical Phenomenon, the N [symbol Indicating Approaching] O Vector Model

Equilibrium Statistical Physics

This textbook concentrates on modern topics in statistical physics with an emphasis on strongly interacting condensed matter systems. The book is self-contained and is suitable for beginning graduate students in physics and materials science or undergraduates who have taken an introductory course in statistical mechanics. Phase transitions and critical phenomena are discussed in detail including mean field and Landau theories and the renormalization group approach. The theories are applied to a number of interesting systems such as magnets, liquid crystals, polymers, membranes, interacting Bose and Fermi fluids; disordered systems, percolation and spin of equilibrium concepts are also discussed. Computer simulations of condensed matter systems by Monte Carlo-based and molecular dynamics methods are treated.

Finite-Size Scaling

Over the past few years, finite-size scaling has become an increasingly important tool in studies of critical systems. This is partly due to an increased understanding of finite-size effects by analytical means, and partly due to our ability to treat larger systems with large computers. The aim of this volume was to collect those papers which have been important for this progress and which illustrate novel applications of the method. The emphasis has been placed on relatively recent developments, including the use of the &egr;-expansion and of conformal methods.