One-dimensional quantum wires: A pedestrian approach to bosonization

Abstract

In these lecture notes we will consider systems in which the motion of electrons is confined to one dimension (1D). In these so-called quantum wires electron-electron interaction effects play an important role because the restricted dimensions enhance the scattering between the electrons and completely destroy the quasi-particle picture. New density wave excitations appear that are described by bosonic operators. Here, we will develop this bosonic description, following a pedestrian approach which does not require any previous knowledge in field theory methods. These notes therefore serve as a detailed introduction into bosonization by carefully deriving the most fundamental formulas.