ICTS Graduate Course (Aug-Nov 2016)

The schedule of ICTS courses for Aug-Nov 2016 is given below:

 

  1. Classical Physics (Aug 2016)
    Instructor: Samriddhi Sankar Ray
    Contact: ssray [at] icts . res . in
    Timings: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3.00 - 4.30 pm

    The First class is Scheduled for 2-August-2016 at Emmy Noether Seminar Room, ICTS campus, Bangalore.
     

  2. Statistical Physics 2 (Aug 2016)
    Instructor: Anupam Kundu and Abhishek Dhar
    Contact: anupam.kundu [at] icts . res . in, abhishek.dhar [at] icts . res . in
    Timings: Wednesdays and Fridays, 03.00 pm - 04.30 pm
    Venue: Emmy Noether Seminar Room, ICTS campus, Bangalore

    The First class is Scheduled on Wednesday, 3-August-2016 

    Course outline: 
    Thermodynamics (revision) & Probability
    Formulation of Statistical Mechanics,
    Gibbs distribution, Connection with thermodynamics,
    Rules of Calculation 

    Examples: Ideal gases, Magnet (classical)
    Quantum statistical mechanics, ideal gases (quantum) 

    Other examples: Harmonic crystals, Black body radiation, Diatomic molecules 

    Interacting gas
    Phase transitions: Criticality, Universality
    Mean field theoryExact models
    Landau Ginzburg Theory
    Correlations and fluctuations 

    Renormalization Group theory
    Kinetic theory of gases: BBGKY hierarchy,
    The Boltzmann equation, H-Theorem and Irreversibility
    Transport theory

    Random Processes: Markov Processes, Random walk, Brownian motion
    Master equation, Fokker-Planck equation

    Linear response theory

    Refs:
    1) Statistical Physics of particles, M. Kardar
    2) Statistical Mechanics, R. K. Pathria and P. D. Baule
    3) Statistical Physics, L.D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz
    4) Statistical Mechanics, F. Schwabl
    5) Applications of Classical Physics, R. G. Blandford and Kip S. Thorne 
     

  3. Quantum Mechanics II (Aug 2016)
    Instructor: Subhro Bhattacharjee
    Contact: subhro [at] icts . res . in
    Timings: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9.30 am - 11.00 am
    Venue: Emmy Noether Seminar Room, ICTS campus, Bangalore

    The First class is Scheduled for 4-August-2016

    Course outline:

    • Logistics
      • Tutorials and office hours: To be announced in the first class.
    • Mark allotment
      • Homework assignments : (typically one every two weeks) 40%
      • Examinations : mid-term 20%, end-term 30%
      • Term paper : (duration 10 weeks approximately) 10%
    • Syllabus
      1. Brief Review of quantum mechanics 1: Linear vector spaces, quantum states and operators, Superposition principle, Uncertainty principle, Schrodinger Equation, Schrodinger, Heisenberg and Interaction pictures, 1D Harmonic Oscillator, Hydrogen Atom, idea of a spin=1/2 systems.
      2. Symmetries in quantum mechanics: Implementation of symmetries and Conservation Laws in quantum mechanics, Space-time symmetries: Translation in space and time, Rotations and Angular Momentum algebra, Time reversal Invariance, charge conjugation.
      3. Approximation methods and perturbation theory: variational methods, WKB approximations, Stationary and time dependent perturbation theories, Sudden and Adiabatic approximations.
      4. Scattering theory: Partial wave expansion, Born Approximations, scattering by a coulomb field, S- Matrix.
      5. Geometric phases in quantum mechanics and coupling to a radiation field : Minimal coupling to a Maxwell field, gauge invariance in quantum mechanics, Aharonov- Bohm effect, Geometric phases
      6. Quantum mechanics for relativistic quantum particles: Klein-Gordon equation and wave equation for a photon field, Quantti Dirac equation, spin of an electron.
      7. Identical particles and second quantisation: Identical particles (fermions and bosons), Creation and annihilation operators for Harmonic oscillator, Coherent states, Fock space, second quantisation of for bosons and fermions, Scattering of identical particles.
    • References
      • (Principle Reference) Modern Quantum Mechanics, J. J. Sakurai and J. J. Napolitano.
      • Quantum Mechanics: Fundamentals, K. Gotfried and T.-M. Yan.
      • Quantum Mechanics, E. Merzbacher.
      • Quantum Mechanics, V. K. Thankappan.
      • Landau Lifshitz, Vol-3.
      • Advanced Quantum Mechanics, F. Schwabl. 
         
  4. Quantum aspects of black holes and the information paradox (Aug 2016)
    Instructor: Suvrat Raju
    Contact: suvrat [at] icts . res . in
    Timings: Wednesdays, 11.30 am - 1.00 pm and Fridays, 2.00 pm - 3.30 pm
    Venue: Raman Building, IISc, Bangalore

    (Meeting Times are subject to change. If this clashes with some other class or commitment, please try and come to the first lecture so that we can decide on a time that is convenient for everyone then.)

    The First class is Scheduled on Wednesday, 17-August-2016

    Course outline:

    Credits: 3 credits

    Pre-requisites: Quantum Field Theory, General Relativity

    Summary:
    Quantum fields in curved spacetime; Rindler quantization in flat space; notion of particles and Unruh detectors; classical aspects of black holes; black hole thermodynamics; Hawking radiation; the old information paradox and its resolution; modern versions of the information paradox; black-hole complementarity

    Textbooks:
    We will consult
    1) Wald, Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime and Black Hole Thermodynamics
    2) Birrel and Davies, Quantum Fields in Curved Space
    3) Wald, General Relativity.

    However, since a substantial fraction of the material to be covered is relatively recent, we will also consult a number of original papers and recent review articles.