The quantum inverse scattering method is a means of finding exact solutions of two-dimensional models in quantum field theory and statistical physics (such as the sine-Gordon equation or the quantum non-linear Schrödinger equation). These models are the subject of much attention amongst physicists and mathematicians. The present work is an introduction to this important and exciting area. It consists of four parts. The first deals with the Bethe ansatz and calculation of physical quantities. The authors then tackle the theory of the quantum inverse scattering method before applying it in the second half of the book to the calculation of correlation functions. This is one of the most important applications of the method and the authors have made significant contributions to the area. Here they describe some of the most recent and general approaches and include some new results. The book will be essential reading for all mathematical physicists working in field theory and statistical physics.

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We consider the six-vertex model on an N × N square lattice with the domain wall boundary conditions. Boundary one-point correlation functions of the model are expressed as determinants of N × N matrices, generalizing the known result for the partition function. In the free fermion case the explicit answers are obtained. The introduced correlation functions are closely related to the problem of enumeration of alternating sign matrices and domino tilings.

The correlation functions for a strongly correlated exactly solvable one-dimensional boson system on a finite chain as well as in the thermodynamic limit are calculated explicitly. This system which we call the phase model is the strong coupling limit of the integrable q-boson hopping model. The results are presented as determinants.

Plane partitions naturally appear in many problems of statistical physics and quantum field theory, for instance, in the theory of faceted crystals and of topological strings on Calabi-Yau threefolds. In this paper a connection is made between the exactly solvable model with the boson dynamical variables and a problem of enumeration of boxed plane partitions -three dimensional Young diagrams placed into a box of a finite size. The correlation functions of the boson model may be considered as the generating functionals of the Young diagrams with the fixed heights of its certain columns. The evaluation of the correlation functions is based on the Yang-Baxter algebra. The analytical answers are obtained in terms of determinants and they can also be expressed through the Schur functions.