An Introduction to Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking
by Aron J. Beekman, et al.
Publisher: arXiv.org 2019
Number of pages: 149
Description:
In these lecture notes, starting from a careful definition of symmetry in physics, we introduce symmetry breaking and its consequences. Emphasis is placed on the physics of singular limits, showing the reality of symmetry breaking even in small-sized systems. Topics covered include Nambu-Goldstone modes, quantum corrections, phase transitions, topological defects and gauge fields. We provide many examples from both high energy and condensed matter physics. These notes are suitable for graduate students.
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