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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2016/2017

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Physics and Astronomy : Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Undergraduate Course: Quantum Condensed Matter Physics (PHYS11052)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Physics and Astronomy CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Year 5 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThis 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.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics (PHYS10099)
It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Solid State Physics (PHYS10095)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2016/17, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
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 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 80 %, Coursework 20 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) To be confirmed
Feedback Not entered
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)Quantium Condensed Matter Physics2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Appreciation of the properties of superconductors and superfluids
  2. Ability to work with second-quantisation
  3. Ability to use the BCS theory to estimate quantities such as the superconducting transition temperatures
  4. Appreciation of the link between Bose-Einstein condensation and superfluidity
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsQCMP
Contacts
Course organiserProf Andrew Huxley
Tel: (0131 6)51 7053
Email: a.huxley@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Siobhan Macinnes
Tel: (0131 6)51 3448
Email: Siobhan.MacInnes@ed.ac.uk
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