Critical phenomena and renormalization-group flow of multi-parameter Φ4 field theories

In the framework of the renormalization-group (RG) approach, critical phenomena can be investigated by studying the RG flow of multi-parameter Φ4 field theories with an N-component fundamental field, containing up to 4th-order polynomials of the field. Some physically interesting systems require Φ4 field theories with several quadratic and quartic parameters, depending essentially on their symmetry and symmetry-breaking pattern at the transition. Results for their RG flow apply to disorder and/or frustrated systems, anisotropic magnetic systems, density wave models, competing orderings giving rise to multicritical behaviors. The general properties of the RG flow in multi-parameter Φ4 field theories are discussed. An overview of field-theoretical results for some physically interesting cases is presented, and compared with other theoretical approaches and experiments. Finally, this RG approach is applied to investigate the nature of the finite-temperature transition of QCD with N f light quarks.