Renormalization group for mixed fermion-boson systems

We formulate a momentum-shell renormalization-group (RG) procedure that can be used in theories containing both bosons and fermions with a Fermi surface. We focus on boson-fermion couplings that are nearly forward scattering, i.e., involving small momentum transfer ((q) over right arrow approximate to 0) for the fermions. Special consideration is given to phase space constraints that result from the conservation of momentum and the imposition of ultraviolet cutoffs. For problems where the energy and momentum scale similarly (dynamic exponent z=1), we show that more than one formalism can be used and they give equivalent results. When the energy and momentum must scale differently (z not equal 1), the procedures available are more limited but a consistent RG scheme can still be formulated. The approach is applicable to a variety of problems, such as itinerant-electron magnets and gauge fields interacting with fermions.