Many-Body Theory (432-1-1)
Instructors
Venkat Chandrasekhar
847/491-3444
Technological Institute Building (2145 Sheridan Road), Room F-125, Evanston
Meeting Info
Technological Institute M177: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
This is the first quarter of a two-quarter sequence on non-relativistic quantum field theory with applications in statistical physics and condensed matter physics. The first half of the first quarter will be devoted to the development of the Feynman diagram technique. The second half of the first quarter will discuss simple applications relevant to electrons in metals, including the effect of external fields, two-particle interactions, impurity scattering, ensemble averaging and calculations of conductivity. At the end of the second quarter we will touch upon superfluidity in liquid helium 4.
The second quarter will be devoted to superconductivity, the development of the nonequilibrium (Keldysh) Green's function technique and the quasiclassical approximation, with specific applications in disordered superconductors.
Knowledge of statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics at the first- year graduate level will be assumed. In particular, it is expected that students are familiar with second quantization. Familiarity with topics covered in a graduate course in condensed matter physics would also be useful.
Registration Requirements
PHYS 412-1,2,3 or equivalent
Evaluation Method
Grades will be based only on weekly homework sets.
Class Materials (Required)
The class is based primarily on material presented during class. There is no assigned text.
Class Materials (Suggested)
The class is based primarily on material presented during class. There is no assigned text, but the following two texts might be useful references:
1. AGD: Abrikosov, Gorkov and Dzyaloshinski, Methods of Quantum Field Theory in Statistical Physics.
2. Rickayzen, Green's Functions and Condensed Matter.