THE USES OF QUANTUM-FIELD THEORY IN DIFFUSION-LIMITED REACTIONS

The techniques of quantum field theory on a lattice are used to examin e the diffusion and reaction processes of particles in a solid, such a s vacancies or interstitials, or chemical species of all kinds which m ove by discrete random hopping processes and react in a prescribed way when they are in proximity. First formulated by Doi in the 1970s, the quantum-field-theoretic solution of the ''master equation'' of statis tical physics allows a systematic investigation of any number of noneq uilibrium processes ranging from fluorescence to explosions. By formul ating the problem on the points of a space lattice in d dimensions one can control the ultraviolet divergences associated with short-range i nteractions. For illustrative purposes several models are solved in de tail. The authors include as an appendix a chronological list of semin al articles in the field. [S0034-6861 (98)00303-1].