ICTS Graduate Courses for Jan - Apr 2019

  1. Classical Field Theory (Reading)

    Instructor: Vijay Kumar Krishnamurthy  

    Venue: Feynman Lecture Hall, ICTS Campus, Bangalore

    Timings: Monday 11:00-12:30 pm, Thursday 4:00-5:30 m

    Topics:

    Elasticity theory and fluid dynamics with rudiments of the dynamics of anisotropic fluids and pattern formation in biology.  The course will also discuss developing finite element numerical codes in Python using FEniCS. The emphasis in the course will be on applications relevant to understanding the physics of living systems. 

    Prerequisites: Classical Mechanics and prior knowledge of the Python language. Exposure to numerical methods will be an advantage.

    Evaluation: There will be two exams and around 4 assignments which will also include coding assignments. Both the assignments and exams will carry equal weight.

    Interested people should send an email to <vijaykumar@icts.res.in> by 1700, 24th January 2019. Further details will be communicated by email.

    References:

    1. Modern Classical Physics <https://press.princeton.edu/titles/10157.html>
    2. Elasticity and Geometry <https://global.oup.com/academic/product/elasticity-and-geometry-9780198506256 >
    3. Pattern Formation and Dynamics in Nonequilibrium Systems <https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511627200>
    4. Soft Matter Physics <https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/b97416>

    FEniCS <https://fenicsproject.org/>

  2. Magnetism (Elective)

    Instructor: Subhro Bhattacharjee  

    Venue: Emmy Noether Seminar Room, ICTS Campus, Bangalore

    Timings: Wednesday and Friday, 6:00 - 7:30 pm

    First Class: Wednesday (4:00 - 5:30 pm), 16 January 2019, Chern Lecture Hall, ICTS Campus, Bangalore 

    Topics:

    1. Introduction to magnetism
    2. Magnetic materials
    3. Mean eld theory for magnetic ordering and fluctuations
    4. Spin path integral
    5. Magnetism in one-dimensional spin systems
    6. Quantum spin liquid and topological order
    7. Quantum Phase transitions in Magnetic systems

    For more details, see <PDF link>

    References:

    1.  Reference material will be mentioned in class topic-wise. General references include
    2. Quantum phase transition, Subir Sachdev
    3. Interacting electrons and quantum magnetism, Assa Auerbach
    4. Lectures on Many-body physics, P. Fazekas
     

    Grading:

    Assignments (50 %) : Typically one assignment every 2 weeks.

    End semester Exam (50%)

  3. Classical Electromagnetism (Core)

    Instructor: R.Loganayagam

    Tutors: Akhil Sivakumar and Srikanth Pai

    Venue: Feynman Lecture Hall, ICTS Campus, Bangalore

    Timings: Wednesday: 10:00 - 11:30 am

    Tutorials: Friday - 2:30 - 3:30 pm

    First Class: Wednesday (2:30 pm), 2nd January 2019,(Preliminary Test I); Emmy Noether Seminar Room, ICTS Campus; Bangalore

    For more details, see <PDF link>

    The grading policy will be based on the following weightage :

    1. Quiz/Tests during Tutorials: 15% for Int.PhDs, 10% for PhD. students
    2. Assignments: 25% 
    3. Midterm Exam: 30%
    4. End term Exam: 30%
    5. Term paper (a thorough review of a topic in electromagnetism not covered in textbooks below, see below for suggestions) : 5% Extra credit (Compulsory for PhD Students)

  4. Mathematical Methods for Physics (Core)

    Instructor: Parameswaran Ajith 

    Teaching Assistant: Rahul Kashyap (ICTS)  

    Venue: Chern Lecture Hall, ICTS Campus, Bangalore

    Timings: Tuesday 10:00 - 11:30 Hrs and Thursday 16:00 - 17:30 Hrs

    First Class: Tuesday, 8th January 2019

    Topics:

    Vector analysis in general coordinates, tensor analysis. Matrices, operators, diagonalization, eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Infinite series, convergence, Taylor expansion. Complex analysis, Cauchy’s integral theorem, Laurent expansion, singularities, calculus of residues, evaluating integrals. Partial differential equations, separation of variables, series solutions, Green’s function. Sturm-Liouville theory. Fourier and Laplace transforms.  

    References:

    G. Arfken & H. Weber: Mathematical Methods for Physicists (Academic) 

    B. F. Schutz, A First Course in General Relativity (Cambridge) 

    Evaluation:

    Assignments: 40%

    Midterm test: 30%

    Final test: 30%

    Course web page

  5. Advanced Statistical Physics (Core)

    Instructor: Anupam Kundu

    Venue: Emmy Noether Seminar Room, ICTS Campus, Bangalore

    Timings: Tuesday 4:00 - 5:30pm and Friday 3:00 - 4:30 pm (Tentative)

    First Class: Wednesday (4:00 - 5:30 Pm), 2nd January 2019

    Topics:

    1. Brief overview of the statistical mechanics
    2. Interacting systems: Thermodynamic limits, fields, Collective phenomena
    3. Phenomenological description of phase transition and critical phenomena
    4. Statistical fields: Mean-field theory, Variational problem, Landau-Ginzburg theory, Saddle point approximations, Continuous and discrete symmetry breaking, domain walls.
    5. Correlations and fluctuations, Distribution functions
    6. Lattice systems, exact and approximate methods (Series expansions, Bethe-Pierls approximation, Duality in two dimensions)
    7. Monte Carlo Simulations
    8. Scaling hypothesis (Homogeneity assumptions, divergence of correlation length, self-similarity)
    9. Renormalisation Group theory (Conceptual, Gaussian model, Perturbative RG)
    10. Dissipative dynamics

              Books:

    1. Statistical Physics of Fields, Mehran Karder
    2. Lectures on phase transitions and Renormalisation group, N. Goldenfeld
    3. Statistical field theory, G. Mussardo

  6. Condensed Matter Physics I (Elective)  

    Instructor: Chandan Dasgupta and Subhro Bhattacharjee  

    Venue: Chern Lecture Hall, ICTS Campus, Bangalore

    Timings: Tuesday and Thursdays, 2:30-4:00 pm

    First Class: Thursday (2:30 pm), 3rd January 2019

    Description: This course is aimed to introduce the basics of condensed matter physics. These ideas and techniques form the building blocks for studies in quantum many-body physics and a large class of quantum field theories that form the basis of our present understanding of materials around us. A detailed outline is attached and students interested in aspects of quantum many-body physics are strongly encouraged to credit/audit the course.

    Helpful Prerequisites:

    Quantum Mechanics II, Statistical Mechanics I.

             Tentative Topics:

    1. Topic 0: Introduction to quantum condensed matter (3-4 lectures) 
    2. Topic 1: Electron Gas (7 lectures)
    3. Topic 2: Lattice (8 lectures)
    4. Topic 3: Electrons in crystalline solids (6 lectures)
    5. Topic 4: Magnetism (2 lectures)
    6. Topic 5: Superconductivity (4 lectures)

               For more details, see <PDF link>

              Grading:

    1. Assignments (50%): Typically one assignment every 2 weeks.
    2. End semester Exam (50%)