Recent developments of the hierarchical reference theory of fluids and its relation to the renormalization group

Abstract

The Hierarchical Reference Theory (HRT) of fluids is a general framework for the description of phase transitions in microscopic models of classical and quantum statistical physics. The foundations of HRT are briefly reviewed in a self-consistent formulation which includes both the original sharp cut-off procedure and the smooth cut-off implementation, which has been recently investigated. The critical properties of HRT are summarized, together with the behavior of the theory at first order phase transitions. However, the emphasis of this presentation is on the close relationship between HRT and non perturbative renormalization group methods, as well as on recent generalizations of HRT to microscopic models of interest in soft matter and quantum many body physics.

Universal behavior of soft-core fluids near the threshold of thermodynamic stability

“…The Hierarchical Reference Theory (HRT) of fluids [21,23] is a genuine microscopic approach that implements renormalization-group considerations into a liquid-state theory.…”

Editorial

“…Other recent Topical Reviews include articles on photoelectron angular distributions in molecules [4], the structure and dynamics of water [5], the hierarchical reference theory of fluids [6], multireference explicitly correlated electronic structure methods [7], microscopic scale simulations of electrokinetics [8], the theory of non-electrolyte solutions [9], and spin dynamics of solid effect dynamic nuclear polarisation [10].…”

Editorial

“…Other recent Topical Reviews articles cover the quantum theory of reaction rates [15], polarisation effects in ionic solids and melts [16], photoelectron angular distributions in molecules [17], the hierarchical reference theory of fluids [18], the structure and dynamics of water [19,20], as well as many others.…”