ICTS Graduate Courses (Jan - Apr 2017)

The schedule of ICTS courses for Jan - Apr 2017 are given below:

1.  Classical Fields - Elasticity Theory and Fluid Dynamics (Core)

Instructor: Abhishek Dhar

TA : Aritra Kundu

Prerequisites: Classical Mechanics

Summary: The course will be based almost entirely on the book "Applications of classical physics" by Roger D. Blandford and Kip S. Thorne. The focus will be on explaining the basics of elasticity theory and fluid dynamics, and  their applications to understanding  various physical phenomena, both from everyday life and from the laboratory.

Course contents: Chapters 11-15 of "Applications of classical physics" available in http://www.pmaweb.caltech.edu/Courses/ph136/yr2012/

Evaluation: There will be two exams and around 6 assignments. Equal weightage will be given to the exam and assignments in the final grading. 

NOTE: First class will be at 3:45 pm on Wednesday, Jan 11, 2017 in Emmy Noether Seminar Room, ICTS Campus, Bangalore. Those interested in attending the course should send an email to abhishek.dhar@icts.res.in expressing their interest and mentioning if they would like to credit/audit the course.

 

2.  Introduction to Statistical and Quantum Field Theory (Core)

Instructors: R. Gopakumar, S. Bhattacharjee

Prerequisites: Quantum Mechanics, Statistical Physics.

Tentative Topics:

  1. Statistical Mechanics - From the discrete to the continuum 
  2. Quantum Mechanics of particles to continuum Quantum Fields  
  3. Functional integral formulation of QM and QFT (Green's functions, Linear response)
  4. Parallels and Differences between continuum description of Stat. Mech. and Quantum systems.  
  5. Conventional renormalisation and its meaning
  6. Wilsonian RG - flows and fixed points.
  7. Illustration: Wilson-Fisher fixed points and critical phenomena/large N vector models
  8. Additional topics (time permitting)

Reference material will be mentioned in class topicwise. Registered students will have to read up and make a 30 min. presentation towards the end of the course on some additional topics selected by the instructor.  

Note:

  1. Classes will be held on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 2:00 to 3:30 PM (times will occasionally have to be adjusted ) at Emmy Noether room.
  2. The first class is going to be held on Thursday, 5th January, 2017.
  3. Everyone who wishes to attend the course, particularly those who want to credit the course, are requested to attend the first meeting.

 

3.  Open Quantum Systems (Elective)

Instructors: Manas Kulkarni, R Loganayagam

TA: Archak Purkayastha

Prerequisites: Quantum Mechanics, Statistical Physics.

Tentative Topics:

  1. Basic stochastic processes (Introduction to probability - Classical and Quantum) : 
  2. Density matrix (Markovian evolution equations, Decoherence) :   
  3. Hybrid quantum systems (Light-matter, Quantum optics, photon statistics) : 
  4. Driven dissipative systems (Cavity-QED, Circuit-QED systems) : 
  5. Beyond Markov Approximation (Nakajima-Zwanzig projection operator) : 
  6. Open Quantum field theory (Schwinger-Keldysh, Diagrammatic methods in open quantum systems) 

Textbooks :

  1. Heinz-Peter Breuer and Francesco Petruccione, The theory of open quantum systems [GoogleBooks Page]
  2. Howard Carmichael, An Open Systems Approach to Quantum Optics
  3. Howard Carmichael, Statistical Methods in Quantum Optics 1. Master Equations and Fokker-Planck Equations
  4. Esteban A. Calzetta, Bei-Llok B. Hu, Nonequilibrium Quantum Field Theory [GoogleBooks Page]

Grading Policy:

Homework 30%
Midterm - 20%
Final - 30%
End-term Presentations 20%
 

Time and Location

Tues & Thurs [4pm-5:30pm]
Emmy Noether Room (ICTS)
First Class to begin on January 5th, 2017 (Thursday).

 

4.  Physics of Living Matter​ (Elective)​​

Instructor:​  Vijay Kumar Krishnamurthy

TAs:  (a) Amit Kumar (RRI/NCBS)   (b) Alkesh Yadav (RRI/NCBS)

​​Prerequisites:​  A​ first course on statistical physics

​​​​​​Outline​:​  Basic phenomenology of living systems. Bionumbers. Stochastic processes. Sensing and signaling. Molecular motors. Active particles. Biopolymers. Membranes. Linear irreversible thermodynamics. Generalized hydrodynamics. Anisotropic fluids. Active matter. Hydrodynamics of the cytoskeleton. Biological pattern formation. Morphogenesis.

​​Time:​ Tuesdays and Thursdays in ICTS​, 09:45 - 11:15

​​Website:  <https://home.icts.res.in/~vijay/phys_living_matter.html>

​​N​ote:​ ​​Please​ see website​ ​for ​more details.​