We use the linear $delta$ expansion, or optimized perturbation theory, to evaluate the effective potential for the two dimensional Gross-Neveu model at finite temperature and density obtaining analytical equations for the critical temperature, chemic
al potential and fermionic mass which include finite $N$ corrections. Our results seem to improve over the traditional large-N predictions.
We study the chiral Ising, the chiral XY and the chiral Heisenberg models at four-loop order with the perturbative renormalization group in $4-epsilon$ dimensions and compute critical exponents for the Gross-Neveu-Yukawa fixed points to order $mathca
l{O}(epsilon^4)$. Further, we provide Pade estimates for the correlation length exponent, the boson and fermion anomalous dimension as well as the leading correction to scaling exponent in 2+1 dimensions. We also confirm the emergence of supersymmetric field theories at four loops for the chiral Ising and the chiral XY models with $N=1/4$ and $N=1/2$ fermions, respectively. Furthermore, applications of our results relevant to various quantum transitions in the context of Dirac and Weyl semimetals are discussed, including interaction-induced transitions in graphene and surface states of topological insulators.
A first principle derivation is given of the neutrino damping rate in real-time thermal field theory. Starting from the discontinuity of the neutrino self energy at the two loop level, the damping rate can be expressed as integrals over space phase o
f amplitudes squared, weighted with statistical factors that account for the possibility of particle absorption or emission from the medium. Specific results for a background composed of neutrinos, leptons, protons and neutrons are given. Additionally, for the real part of the dispersion relation we discuss the relation between the results obtained from the thermal field theory, and those obtained by the thermal average of the forward scattering amplitude.
In the framework of a (2+1)-dimensional P-even massive Gross-Neveu model, an external magnetic field is shown to induce a parity breaking first order phase transition. Possibility of applying the results obtained to description of magnetic phase tran
sitions in high-temperature superconductors is discussed.
Fluctuations of conserved charges in a grand canonical ensemble can be calculated as derivatives of the free energy with respect to the respective chemical potential. They are directly related to experimentally available observables that describe the
hadronization in heavy ion collisions. The same derivatives can be used to extrapolate zero density results to finite chemical potential. We review the recent lattice calculations in the staggered formalism and discuss its implications to phenomenology and resummed perturbation theory.