Search result: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2022
Physics Master  | ||||||
 Electives | ||||||
| Electives: Physics and Mathematics | ||||||
| Selection: Theoretical Physics | ||||||
| Number | Title | Type | ECTS | Hours | Lecturers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 402-0461-00L | Quantum Information Theory | W | 8 credits | 3V + 1U | J. Renes | |
| Abstract | The goal of this course is to introduce the concepts and methods of quantum information theory. It starts with an introduction to the mathematical theory of quantum systems and then discusses the basic information-theoretic aspects of quantum mechanics. Further topics include applications such as quantum cryptography and quantum coding theory. | |||||
| Learning objective | By the end of the course students are able to explain the basic mathematical formalism (e.g. states, channels) and the tools (e.g. entropy, distinguishability) of quantum information theory. They are able to adapt and apply these concepts and methods to analytically solve quantum information-processing problems primarily related to communication and cryptography. | |||||
| Content | Mathematical formulation of quantum theory: entanglement, density operators, quantum channels and their representations. Basic tools of quantum information theory: distinguishability of states and channels, formulation as semidefinite programs, entropy and its properties. Applications of the concepts and tools: communication of classical or quantum information over noisy channels, quantitative uncertainty relations, randomness generation, entanglement distillation, security of quantum cryptography. | |||||
| Lecture notes | Distributed via moodle. | |||||
| Literature | Nielsen and Chuang, Quantum Information and Computation Preskill, Lecture Notes on Quantum Computation Wilde, Quantum Information Theory Watrous, The Theory of Quantum Information | |||||
| 402-0580-00L | Superconductivity | W | 6 credits | 2V + 1U | M. Sigrist | |
| Abstract | Superconductivity: thermodynamics, London and Pippard theory; Ginzburg-Landau theory: spontaneous symmetry breaking, flux quantization, type I and II superconductors; microscopic BCS theory: electron-phonon mechanism, Cooper pairing, quasiparticle spectrum, thermodynamics and response to magnetic fields. Josephson effect: superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID) and other applications. | |||||
| Learning objective | Introduction to the most important concepts of superconductivity both on phenomenological and microscopic level, including experimental and theoretical aspects. | |||||
| Content | This lecture course provides an introduction to superconductivity, covering both experimental as well as theoretical aspects. The following topics are covered: Basic phenomena of superconductivity: thermodynamics, electrodynamics, London and Pippard theory; Ginzburg-Landau theory: spontaneous symmetry breaking, flux quantization, properties of type I and II superconductors; mixed phase; microscopic BCS theory: electron-phonon mechanism, Cooper pairing, coherent state, quasiparticle spectrum, thermodynamics and response to magnetic fields; Josephson effect, superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID)and other applications. | |||||
| Lecture notes | Lecture notes and additional materials are available. | |||||
| Literature | M. Tinkham "Introduction to Superconductivity" P. G. de Gennes "Superconductivity Of Metals And Alloys" A. A. Abrikosov "Fundamentals of the Theory of Metals" J.B. Ketterson & S.N. Song "Superconductivity" H. Stolz "Supraleitung" (German) K. Fossheim & A. Sudbo "Superconductivity: Physics and Applications" | |||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | The preceding attendance of the scheduled lecture courses "Introduction to Solid State Physics" and "Quantum Mechanics I" are mandatory. The lectures "Quantum Mechanics II" and "Solid State Theory" provide the most optimal conditions to follow this course. | |||||
| 402-0490-00L | Advanced Methods in Quantum Many-Body Theory Does not take place this semester. | W | 8 credits | 3V + 1U | E. Demler | |
| Abstract | Advanced theoretical methods for analyzing quantum many-body systems will be reviewed. We will discuss equilibrium Green's functions, Keldysh formalism for nonequilibrium phenomena, variational approaches. Specific models that will be considered include systems with dissipation, polarons, interacting electrons, electron-phonon systems, transport in mesoscopic systems, superconductivity, cavity QED | |||||
| Learning objective | Introduce advanced theoretical methods for analyzing quantum many-body systems including Green’s functions and variational approaches. | |||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | This class assumes familiarity with quantum mechanics, including second quantization, and condensed matter physics. | |||||
| 402-0809-00L | Introduction to Computational Physics | W | 8 credits | 2V + 2U | A. Adelmann | |
| Abstract | This course offers an introduction to computer simulation methods for physics problems and their implementation on PCs and super computers. The covered topics include classical equations of motion, partial differential equations (wave equation, diffusion equation, Maxwell's equations), Monte Carlo simulations, percolation, phase transitions, and N-Body problems. | |||||
| Learning objective | Students learn to apply the following methods: Random number generators, Determination of percolation critical exponents, numerical solution of problems from classical mechanics and electrodynamics, canonical Monte-Carlo simulations to numerically analyze magnetic systems. Students also learn how to implement their own numerical frameworks in Julia and how to use existing libraries to solve physical problems. In addition, students learn to distinguish between different numerical methods to apply them to solve a given physical problem. | |||||
| Content | Introduction to computer simulation methods for physics problems. Models from classical mechanics, electrodynamics and statistical mechanics as well as some interdisciplinary applications are used to introduce modern programming methods for numerical simulations using Julia. Furthermore, an overview of existing software libraries for numerical simulations is presented. | |||||
| Lecture notes | Lecture notes and slides are available online and will be distributed if desired. | |||||
| Literature | Literature recommendations and references are included in the lecture notes. | |||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Lecture and exercise lessons in english, exams in German or in English | |||||
| 401-2813-00L | Programming Techniques for Scientific Simulations I  | W | 5 credits | 4G | R. Käppeli | |
| Abstract | This lecture provides an overview of programming techniques for scientific simulations. The focus is on basic and advanced C++ programming techniques and scientific software libraries. Based on an overview over the hardware components of PCs and supercomputer, optimization methods for scientific simulation codes are explained. | |||||
| Learning objective | The goal of the course is that students learn basic and advanced programming techniques and scientific software libraries as used and applied for scientific simulations. | |||||
| 402-0845-61L | Effective Field Theories for Particle Physics Special Students UZH must book the module PHY578 directly at UZH. | W | 6 credits | 2V + 1U | P. Stoffer | |
| Abstract | The focus of the course is on Effective Field Theories (EFTs) and their interplay with dispersion theory. These topics will be discussed both in general terms and with specific phenomenological applications in the context of physics beyond the Standard Model, effective description of the weak interaction, as well as the description of non-perturbative strong interaction at low energies. | |||||
| Learning objective | This course covers the basic concepts of effective field theories (EFTs) and dispersion theory. We will start by introducing the core concept of constructing EFTs and apply them to the low-energy description of the weak interaction and the effective description of heavy physics beyond the Standard Model. In the next part of the course, we will discuss Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT), the low-energy effective theory of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). We will briefly discuss the application of this concept to describe a class of theories beyond the SM in which the SM Higgs arises as a composite state of a new confining sector. The second focus of the course is on dispersion theory and its interplay with EFTs. We will discuss how to make use of the constraints from unitarity of the S-matrix and analyticity of scattering amplitudes, in order to extend the range of validity of the theoretical description compared to pure EFT methods. We will also discuss how to obtain constraints on EFT parameters from unitarity and analyticity. We will discuss the application of these methods both in the context of low-energy strong interaction and physics beyond the Standard Model. | |||||
| Content | - Introduction to Effective Field Theories - Decoupling and matching - Renormalization group resummation - The Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) - Chiral Lagrangians - Unitarity of the S-matrix - Analyticity and dispersion relations | |||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | QFT-I (mandatory) and QFT-II (highly recommended) | |||||
| 402-0484-00L | Experimental and Theoretical Aspects of Quantum Gases Does not take place this semester. | W | 6 credits | 2V + 1U | T. Esslinger | |
| Abstract | Quantum Gases are the most precisely controlled many-body systems in physics. This provides a unique interface between theory and experiment, which allows addressing fundamental concepts and long-standing questions. This course lays the foundation for the understanding of current research in this vibrant field. | |||||
| Learning objective | The lecture conveys a basic understanding for the current research on quantum gases. Emphasis will be put on the connection between theory and experimental observation. It will enable students to read and understand publications in this field. | |||||
| Content | Cooling and trapping of neutral atoms Bose and Fermi gases Ultracold collisions The Bose-condensed state Elementary excitations Vortices Superfluidity Interference and Correlations Optical lattices | |||||
| Lecture notes | notes and material accompanying the lecture will be provided | |||||
| Literature | C. J. Pethick and H. Smith, Bose-Einstein condensation in dilute Gases, Cambridge. Proceedings of the Enrico Fermi International School of Physics, Vol. CXL, ed. M. Inguscio, S. Stringari, and C.E. Wieman (IOS Press, Amsterdam, 1999). | |||||
| 402-0845-80L | Scattering Amplitudes Special Students UZH must book the module PHY577 directly at UZH. | W | 6 credits | 2V + 1U | V. Del Duca | |
| Abstract | This course provides a pedagogical introduction to an advanced topic in Quantum Field Theories, which has undergone a tremendous progress in the new millennium: scattering amplitudes and on-shell methods. | |||||
| Learning objective | Students that complete the course will be able to understand the basics of the modern methods to compute scattering amplitudes, to perform simple calculations and to read modern publications on this research field. | |||||
| Content | This course covers the basic concepts of: -- spinor helicity formalism -- colour decompositions -- on-shell recursion relations -- colour-kinematics duality -- scattering equations -- unitarity: * optical theorem * uniqueness of Yang-Mills * uniqueness of General Relativity * unitarity method -- Feynman integrals: IBPs and differential equations -- analytic and algebraic structure of loop-level amplitudes: * Hopf algebra, symbols and coproducts * multiple polylogarithms (a.k.a. as iterated integrals on the Riemann sphere) * elliptic and modular-form integrals (a.k.a. as iterated integrals on the torus) | |||||
| Lecture notes | Will be provided at the Moodle site for the course. | |||||
| Literature | Will be provided at the Moodle site for the course. | |||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | A basic knowledge of Feynman rules in scalar field theories and in Yang-Mills theory is assumed. QFT-I, QFT-II and Introduction to Quantum ChromoDynamics are highly recommended. | |||||
| 402-0886-00L | Quantum Chromodynamics Does not take place this semester. Special Students UZH must book the module PHY564 directly at UZH. | W | 6 credits | 2V + 1U | T. K. Gehrmann | |
| Abstract | The course presents the quantum field theory of the strong interaction (quantum chromodynamics, QCD) and discusses its applications to particle physics observables. | |||||
| Learning objective | The course aims to familiarize its students with the concepts and applications of QCD and to introduce them to modern techniques for computations in QCD. | |||||
| Content | Contents: * Review of non-Abelian gauge theories and their quantization * Spinor-helicity formalism * Renormalization of QCD and running coupling constant * Basic strong interaction processes * Perturbation theory techniques: loops and phase space * QCD perturbation theory and applications * Proton structure in QCD * Resummation of large logarithmic corrections * Effective field theories * Non-perturbative methods | |||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | The course assumes prior knowledge of the content of the quantum field theory 1+2 lectures. | |||||
| 402-0897-00L | Introduction to String Theory Does not take place this semester. | W | 6 credits | 2V + 1U | ||
| Abstract | String theory is an attempt to quantise gravity and unite it with the other fundamental forces of nature. It is related to numerous interesting topics and questions in quantum field theory. In this course, an introduction to the basics of string theory is provided. | |||||
| Learning objective | Within this course, a basic understanding and overview of the concepts and notions employed in string theory shall be given. More advanced topics will be touched upon towards the end of the course briefly in order to foster further research. | |||||
| Content | - mechanics of point particles and extended objects - string modes and their quantisation; higher dimensions, supersymmetry - D-branes, T-duality - supergravity as a low-energy effective theory, strings on curved backgrounds - two-dimensional field theories (classical/quantum, conformal/non-conformal) | |||||
| Literature | D. Lust, S. Theisen, Lectures on String Theory, Lecture Notes in Physics, Springer (1989). M.B. Green, J.H. Schwarz, E. Witten, Superstring Theory I, CUP (1987). B. Zwiebach, A First Course in String Theory, CUP (2004). J. Polchinski, String Theory I & II, CUP (1998). | |||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Recommended: Quantum Field Theory I (in parallel) | |||||
| 402-0899-65L | Higgs Physics Special Students UZH must book the module PHY567 directly at UZH. | W | 6 credits | 2V + 1U | M. Donegà, M. Grazzini | |
| Abstract | This year we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the discovery of the Higgs boson. With this course the students will receive a detailed introduction to the physics of the Higgs boson in the Standard Model. They will acquire the necessary theoretical background and learn about the main experimental methods used to study the physics the Higgs boson. | |||||
| Learning objective | With this course the students will receive a detailed introduction to the physics of the Higgs boson in the Standard Model. They will acquire the necessary theoretical background to understand the main production and decay channels of the Higgs boson at high-energy colliders, and the corresponding experimental signatures. | |||||
| Content | Theory part: - the Standard Model and the mass problem: WW scattering and the no-lose theorem - the Higgs mechanism and its implementation in the Standard Model - radiative corrections and the screening theorem - theoretical constraints on the Higgs mass; the hierarchy problem - Higgs production in e+e- collisions - Higgs production at hadron colliders - Higgs decays to fermions and vector bosons - Higgs differential distributions, rapidity distribution, pt spectrum and jet vetoes - Higgs properties and beyond the Standard Model perspective - Outlook: The Higgs sector in weakly coupled and strongly coupled new physics scenarios. Experimental part: Introductory material: - basics of accelerators and detectors - reminders of statistics: likelihoods, hypothesis testing - reminders of multivariate techniques: Boosted Decision Trees and Neural Networks Main topics: - pre-history (pre-LEP) - LEP1: measurements at the Z-pole - Electroweak constraints - LEP2: towards the limit mH<114 GeV - TeVatron searches - LHC: -- main channels overview -- dissect one analysis -- combine information from all channels -- differential measurements -- off-shell measurements | |||||
| Literature | - Higgs Hunter's Guide (by S.Dawson, J. Gunion, H. Haber and G. Kane) - A. Djouadi, The Anatomy of electro-weak symmetry breaking. I: The Higgs boson in the standard model, Phys.Rept. 457 (2008) 1. - PDG review of "Passage of particles through matter" http://pdg.lbl.gov/2014/reviews/rpp2014-rev-passage-particles-matter.pdf - PDG review of "Accelerators" http://pdg.lbl.gov/2014/reviews/rpp2014-rev-accel-phys-colliders.pdf - "The searches for Higgs Bosons at LEP" M. Kado and C. Tully, Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 2002. 52:65-113 - "Combination of Tevatron searches for the standard model Higgs boson in the W+W- decay mode" HWW TeVatron combination - http://arxiv.org/abs/1001.4162 - "Evidence for a particle produced in association with weak bosons and decaying to a bottom-antibottom quark pair in Higgs boson searches at the TeVatron" http://arxiv.org/abs/1207.6436 - "Higgs Boson Studies at the Tevatron" http://arxiv.org/abs/1303.6346 - “Asymptotic formulae for likelihood-based tests of new physics” Cowan, Cranmer, Gross, Vitells http://arxiv.org/abs/1007.1727 - "Precise determination of the mass of the Higgs boson and tests of compatibility of its couplings with the standard model predictions using proton collisions at 7 and 8 TeV" https://arxiv.org/abs/1412.8662 - "Measurement of the Higgs boson mass from the H→γγ and H→ZZ∗→4ℓ channels with the ATLAS detector using 25 fb−1 of pp collision data" http://arxiv.org/abs/1406.3827 - "Combined Measurement of the Higgs Boson Mass in pp Collisions at √s=7 and 8 TeV with the ATLAS and CMS Experiments" http://arxiv.org/abs/1503.07589 - "Measurements of the Higgs boson production and decay rates and constraints on its couplings from a combined ATLAS and CMS analysis of the LHC pp collision data at √s=7 and 8 TeV" https://arxiv.org/abs/1606.02266 - "Projections of Higgs Boson measurements with 30/fb at 8 TeV and 300/fb at 14 TeV" https://twiki.cern.ch/twiki/bin/view/CMSPublic/HigProjectionEsg2012TWiki | |||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Prerequisites: Quantum Field Theory I, Phenomenology of Particle Physics I | |||||
| 402-0875-65L | Topological Aspects of Condensed Matter Physics | W | 4 credits | 3G | G. M. Graf | |
| Abstract | The course covers the quantum Hall effect from various perspectives (phenomenology, heuristic explanation, role of disorder, Landau Hamiltonian, Kubo formula, Chern numbers, index of a pair of projections, bulk and edge). Also discussed: Topological insulators and their indices; the Kitaev table; fibre bundles (mathematical digression). | |||||
| Learning objective | ||||||
| Content | The course covers the quantum Hall effect from various perspectives (phenomenology, heuristic explanation, role of disorder, Landau Hamiltonian, Kubo formula, Chern numbers, index of a pair of projections, bulk and edge). Also discussed: Topological insulators and their indices; the Kitaev table; fibre bundles (mathematical digression). | |||||
| 402-0869-00L | Qualitative Methods in Physics | W | 6 credits | 2V + 1U | V. Geshkenbein | |
| Abstract | We will discuss, how qualitative thinking allows to progress in different areas of physics, from classical to quantum mechanics, from phase transitions, to developed turbulence and Anderson localisation. | |||||
| Learning objective | The solution of most problems in theoretical physics begins with the application of the QUALITATIVE METHODS which constitute the most attractive and beautiful characteristic of this discipline. However, as experience shows, it is just these aspects which are most difficult for beginner. Unfortunately, the methods of theoretical physics are usually presented in a formal, mathematical way, rather than in the constructive form in which they are used in scientific work. The purpose of this lecture course is to make up this deficiency. | |||||
| Lecture notes | Lecture notes and additional materials are available. | |||||
| 402-0870-00L | Introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics | W | 6 credits | 2V + 1U | A. Lazopoulos | |
| Abstract | This course provides a pedagogical introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics. | |||||
| Learning objective | Students will be introduced to the theory of Quantum Electrodynamics, and to using Feynman diagrams to arrive at theoretical predictions for phenomena related to the interaction of light and matter. The course is designed to complement Quantum Field Theory I for those students with a special interest in elementary particle physics. | |||||
| Content | The course will cover - an introduction to QED as the quantum theory of interactions of light and matter. - Feynman rules for QED - An introduction to helicity and spinors - Amplitudes and cross sections for simple processes in QED - Infinities and Renormalization - The Hydrogen atom - The Lamb shift - Anomalous magnetic moments | |||||
| Lecture notes | Will be provided at the Moodle site for the course. | |||||
| Literature | Will be provided at the Moodle site for the course. | |||||
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