Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

1981

Abstract

Serious scientific interest in one-dimensional (1-D) physics arose in the early 1960’s. This interest was stimulated by exact as well as accurate numerical solutions to a variety of quantum spin chain problems [1]. The potential relevance of such solutions to real experimental systems was first demonstrated by Griffiths [2] in conjunction with workers at the Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratorium, Leiden. Theory and experiment were shown to be in excellent agreement for a naturally quasi-1-D Heisenberg spin 1/2 antiferromagnet, copper tetrammine sulphate [Cu(NH3)4SO4·H2O]. Further stimulus to the new field of quasi-1-D magnetism was provided by an annotated collection of reprinted papers on a variety of 1-D model systems, including lattice gases, dynamical disordered crystal lattices, many-fermion gases (electron gases) as well as magnets. The collection appeared in book form, and remains today an important introduction to 1-D theory [3].

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