Topological phases (including long notes)

Until 1980, the ordered phases discovered in condensed matter systems could be understood via the concept of broken symmetry. Topological phases such as the quantum Hall effect and some spin liquids have a different origin, and we cover some key examples in the children of this node.

I am attaching 55 pages of notes on modern topics from a 6-lecture Les Houches course, and some additional details can be found at cmt.berkeley.edu/p250. The Chern-Simons discussion from the 4 pm recitation on March 30 starts around page 42.