TY - BOOK ID - 110932682 TI - The theory and applications of instanton calculations PY - 2018 SN - 110854763X 1316658740 1108548733 9781108548731 9781316658741 9781107155473 1107155479 PB - Cambridge, United Kingdom New York, NY DB - UniCat KW - Quantum field theory KW - Instantons. KW - Mathematics. KW - Field theory (Physics) KW - Gauge fields (Physics) KW - Renormalization (Physics) KW - Wave equation KW - Relativistic quantum field theory KW - Quantum theory KW - Relativity (Physics) UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:110932682 AB - Instantons, or pseudoparticles, are solutions to the equations of motion in classical field theories on a Euclidean spacetime. Instantons are found everywhere in quantum theories as they have many applications in quantum tunnelling. Diverse physical phenomena may be described through quantum tunnelling, for example: the Josephson effect, the decay of meta-stable nuclear states, band formation in tight binding models of crystalline solids, the structure of the gauge theory vacuum, confinement in 2+1 dimensions, and the decay of superheated or supercooled phases. Drawing inspiration from Sidney Coleman's Erice lectures, this volume provides an accessible, detailed introduction to instanton methods, with many applications, making it a valuable resource for graduate students in many areas of physics, from condensed matter, particle and nuclear physics, to string theory. ER -