Order Parameters, Broken Symmetry, and Topology
James P. Sethna
TL;DR
This paper presents a theoretical framework for understanding various phases in condensed matter physics, focusing on symmetry breaking, order parameters, elementary excitations, and topological defects.
Contribution
It introduces a comprehensive approach linking symmetry breaking, order parameters, and topology to classify and analyze phases in condensed matter systems.
Findings
Unified framework for phases based on symmetry and topology
Examples illustrating order parameters and elementary excitations
Topological theory of defects in condensed matter
Abstract
We introduce the theoretical framework we use to study the bewildering variety of phases in condensed--matter physics. We emphasize the importance of the breaking of symmetries, and develop the idea of an order parameter through several examples. We discuss elementary excitations and the topological theory of defects.
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Taxonomy
TopicsQuantum many-body systems · Cosmology and Gravitation Theories · Quantum Mechanics and Applications