Spin Glasses

A comprehensive account of the theory, experimental work and computer modelling of spin glasses.

The study of spin glasses is a fascinating new topic in condensed matter physics that has attracted considerable attention over recent years. This book gives a comprehensive account of the subject, and will provide a valuable overview and reference to both newcomers and experts in the field. The authors discuss the most important developments in the theory, experimental work and computer modelling of spin glasses. The first chapters give a general introduction to the basic concepts, followed by a discussion of mean field theory, the only well-established spin glass theory so far. This book will be of interest primarily to condensed matter physicists, but because of the potentially wide applications of the theory involved, the book should also appeal to researchers in other disciplines, including theoretical physics, metallurgy and computational neuroscience.

1. Introduction; 2. Models, order parameters, and systems; 3. Mean field theory I: Ising model, equilibrium theory; 4. Introduction to dynamics; 5. Mean field theory II: Ising dynamics; 6. Mean field theory III: vector spins; 7. Short-range interactions: low-temperature properties; 8. Beyond mean field theory; 9. Dynamics on many time scales; 10. Specific heat, sound propagation and transport properties; 11. Competition between spin glass and ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic order; 12. One-dimensional models; 13. Random fields and random anisotropy; 14. The physics of complexity; 15. A short history of spin glasses.

This book gives a comprehensive account of the subject, and will provide a valuable overview and reference to both newcomers and experts in the field. The authors discuss the most important developments in the theory, experimental work and computer modelling of spin glasses.