Random Matrix Theory and QCD at nonzero chemical potential

Abstract

In this lecture we give a brief review of chiral Random Matrix Theory (chRMT) and its applications to QCD at nonzero chemical potential. We present both analytical arguments involving chiral perturbation theory and numerical evidence from lattice QCD simulations showing that correlations of the smallest Dirac eigenvalues are described by chRMT. We discuss the range of validity of chRMT and emphasize the importance of universality. For chRMT's at $\mu \ne 0 $ we identify universal properties of the Dirac eigenvalues and study the effect of quenching on the distribution of Yang-Lee zeros.