Review of Electron-Electron Interaction Effects in Planar Dirac Liquids

Abstract

We review field theory studies devoted to understanding electron-electron interaction effects in condensed matter systems such as planar Dirac liquids, for example, graphene and graphene-like systems, surface states of some topological insulators, and possibly half-filled fractional quantum Hall systems. These liquids are characterized by gapless bands, strong electron-electron interactions, and emergent Lorentz invariance deep in the infrared. We address several important issues raised by experiments on these systems covering subjects of wide current interest in low-energy (condensed matter) and also high-energy (particle) physics. In particular, we consider the subtle influence of interactions on transport properties and their supposedly crucial influence on a potential dynamical mass generation. The resolution of these problems guide us from a thorough examination of the perturbative structure of gauge field theories to the development and application of nonperturbative approaches known from quantum electro/chromodynamics to address strong coupling issues.