Undergraduate Course: Quantum Condensed Matter Physics (PHYS11052)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Year 5 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course is an introduction to many body physics in condensed matter. It aims to introduce the machinery needed to appreciate this field, such as second quantisation, in an intuitive way. The course will focus on applying this to understand the microscopic physics of superconductors, namely the BCS theory. This theory, in its simplest form, is remarkable in allowing nearly all properties of a superconductor to be understood in terms of just three parameters, the coherence length, penetration depth and Tc.
The subject of vortices illustrates the formation of topologically stable structures in condensed matter and will be explored in some detail. Finally some examples from current research in strongly correlated electron physics will be touched on. |
| Course description |
The course will introduce second quantisation to the extent needed to appreciate BCS theory. The Ginzburg-Landau description of superconductivity will be derived and this will be used to understand the formation of vortices and the flux-line-lattice in the mixed state of superconductors.
The last part the course will touch on examples taken from research studies in superconductivity and magnetism as well as other quantum states encountered in condensed matter.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 10,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Revision Session Hours 4,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
62 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
80 %,
Coursework
20 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
To be confirmed |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Appreciation of the properties of superconductors and superfluids
- Ability to work with second-quantisation
- Ability to use the BCS theory to estimate quantities such as the superconducting transition temperatures
- Appreciation of the link between Bose-Einstein condensation and superfluidity
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | QCMP |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Andrew Huxley
Tel: (0131 6)51 7053
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Siobhan Macinnes
Tel: (0131 6)51 3448
Email: |
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