Algebraic and Diagrammatic Methods in Many-Fermion Theory

Book excerpt: This text on the use of electron correlation effects in the description of the electronic structure of atoms, molecules, and crystals is intended for graduate students in physical chemistry and physics. Modern theories of electronic structure and methods of incorporating electron correlation contributions are developed using a diagrammatic and algebraic formulation, and the methods developed in the text are illustrated with examples from molecular and solid state quantum mechanics. A brief Introduction is followed by chapters on operator algebra, the independent-particle model, occupation-number formalism, and diagrams. Additional topics include the configuration-interaction method, the many-body perturbation theory, and the coupled-cluster method.