Light-front field theory of relativistic quark matter

Light-front quantization to many-particle systems of finite temperature and density provides a novel approach towards a relativistic description of quark matter and allows us to calculate the perturbative as well as the non-perturbative regime of QCD. Utilizing a Dyson expansion of light-front many-body Green functions we have so far calculated three-quark, quark and quark antiquark correlations that lead to the chiral phase transition, the formation of hadrons and color superconductivity in a hot and/or dense environment. Presently, we use an effective zero-range interaction, to compare our results with the more traditional instant form approach where applicable. (author)