A Lie algebraic approach to the Kondo problem

The Kondo problem is approached using the unitary Lie algebra of spin-singlet fermion bilinears. In the limit when the number of values of the spin N goes to infinity the theory approaches a classical limit, which still requires a renormalization. We determine the ground state of this renormalized theory. Then we construct a quantum theory around this classical limit, which amounts to recovering the case of finite N.