Conformal field theory

A conformal field theory (CFT) is a quantum field theory that is invariant under conformal transformations. In two dimensions, there is an infinite-dimensional algebra of local conformal transformations, and conformal field theories can sometimes be exactly solved or classified.

Conformal field theory has important applications^[1] to condensed matter physics, statistical mechanics, quantum statistical mechanics, and string theory. Statistical and condensed matter systems are indeed often conformally invariant at their thermodynamic or quantum critical points.

^ Paul Ginsparg (1989), Applied Conformal Field Theory. arXiv:hep-th/9108028. Published in Ecole d'Eté de Physique Théorique: Champs, cordes et phénomènes critiques/Fields, strings and critical phenomena (Les Houches), ed. by E. Brézin and J. Zinn-Justin, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.

[1] Paul Ginsparg (1989), Applied Conformal Field Theory. arXiv:hep-th/9108028. Published in Ecole d'Eté de Physique Théorique: Champs, cordes et phénomènes critiques/Fields, strings and critical phenomena (Les Houches), ed. by E. Brézin and J. Zinn-Justin, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.

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