Long-range correlations and generic scale invariance in classical fluids and disordered electron systems

Abstract

Long-ranged, or power-law, behavior of correlation functions in both space and time is discussed for classical systems and for quantum systems at finite temperature, and is compared with the corresponding behavior in quantum systems at zero temperature. The origin of the long-ranged correlations is explained in terms of soft modes. In general, correlations at zero temperature are of longer range than their finite-temperature or classical counterparts. This phenomenon is due to additional soft modes that exist at zero temperature.