Finite temperature dissipation and transport near quantum critical points

Abstract

I review a variety of model systems and their quantum critical points, motivated by recent experimental and theoretical developments. These are used to present a general discussion of the non-zero temperature crossovers in the vicinity of a quantum critical point. Insights are drawn from the exact solutions of quantum critical transport obtained from the AdS/CFT correspondence. I conclude with a discussion of the role of quantum criticality in the phase diagram of the cuprate superconductors

27 pages, 10 figures, Contributed chapter to the book "Understanding Quantum Phase Transitions," edited by Lincoln D. Carr (Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, 2010)