Aspects of Non-Relativistic Quantum Field Theories

Abstract

Non-relativistic quantum field theory is a framework that describes systems where the velocities are much smaller than the speed of light. A large class of those obey Schrödinger invariance, which is the equivalent of the conformal symmetry in the relativistic world. In this review, we pedagogically introduce the main theoretical tools used to study non-relativistic physics: null reduction and $c \rightarrow \infty$ limits, where $c$ is the speed of light. We present a historical overview of non-relativistic wave equations, Jackiw-Pi vortices, the Aharonov-Bohm scattering, and the trace anomaly for a Schrödinger scalar. We then review modern developments, including fermions at unitarity, the quantum Hall effect, off-shell actions, and a systematic classification of the trace anomaly. The last part of this review is dedicated to current research topics. We define non-relativistic supersymmetry and a corresponding superspace to covariantly deal with quantum corrections. Finally, we define the Spin Matrix Theory limit of the AdS/CFT correspondence, which is a non-relativistic sector of the duality obtained via a decoupling limit, where a precise matching of the two sides can be achieved.