Gianni Blatter: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2020 |
| Name | Prof. em. Dr. Gianni Blatter |
| Field | Theoretical physics |
| Address | Institut für Theoretische Physik ETH Zürich, HIT K 43.3 Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 27 8093 Zürich SWITZERLAND |
| Telephone | +41 44 633 25 68 |
| johann.blatter@itp.phys.ethz.ch | |
| Department | Physics |
| Relationship | Professor emeritus |
| Number | Title | ECTS | Hours | Lecturers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 402-0501-00L | Solid State Physics | 0 credits | 1S | A. Zheludev, G. Blatter, C. Degen, K. Ensslin, D. Pescia, M. Sigrist, A. Wallraff | |
| Abstract | Research colloquium | ||||
| Learning objective | |||||
| 402-0861-00L | Statistical Physics | 10 credits | 4V + 2U | G. Blatter | |
| Abstract | The lecture focuses on classical and quantum statistical physics. Various techniques, cumulant expansion, path integrals, and specific systems are discussed: Fermions, photons/phonons, Bosons, magnetism, van der Waals gas. Phase transitions are studied in mean field theory (Weiss, Landau). Including fluctuations leads to critical phenomena, scaling, and the renormalization group. | ||||
| Learning objective | This lecture gives an introduction into the basic concepts and applications of statistical physics for the general use in physics and, in particular, as a preparation for the theoretical solid state physics education. | ||||
| Content | Thermodynamics, three laws of thermodynamics, thermodynamic potentials, phenomenology of phase transitions. Classical statistical physics: micro-canonical-, canonical-, and grandcanonical ensembles, applications to simple systems. Quantum statistical physics: single particle, ideal quantum gases, fermions and bosons, statistical interaction. Techniques: variational approach, cumulant expansion, path integral formulation. Degenerate fermions: Fermi gas, electrons in magnetic field. Bosons: photons and phonons, Bose-Einstein condensation. Magnetism: Ising-, XY-, Heisenberg models, Weiss mean-field theory. Van der Waals gas-liquid transition in mean field theory. General mean-field (Landau) theory of phase transitions, first- and second order, tricritical point. Fluctuations: field theory approach, Gauss theory, self-consistent field, Ginzburg criterion. Critical phenomena: scaling theory, universality. Renormalization group: general theory and applications to spin models (real space RG), phi^4 theory (k-space RG), Kosterlitz-Thouless theory. | ||||
| Lecture notes | Lecture notes available in English. | ||||
| Literature | No specific book is used for the course. Relevant literature will be given in the course. | ||||