Admission Requirements
Prior knowledge of Statistical Physics 1 and Quantum Mechanics 2.
Description
The goal of Statistical Physics 2 is to understand the physics behind phase transitions in systems of interacting particles using the statistical description of ensembles.
The course is structured in five connected themes of increasing complexity that discuss the physics of the different states of matter and the phase transition. Each theme consists of 2 lectures and exercise classes. Python exercises and numerical skills are an integral part of the course. One of the exercise classes will be devoted to a collaborative numerical exploration of the 2D-Ising model.
Themes in Statistical Physics 2:
1. Thermodynamics of Phase Transitions (liquid-gas phase transition, Maxwell construction)
2. Statistical Physics of Interacting Particles (cluster expansion of non-ideal gases)
3. Quantum Statistical Physics (interacting fermions and bosons, Bose-Einstein condensation)
4. Order-disorder Transitions (2D Ising model and mean-field interactions, Landau theory and critical exponents)
5. Far-from-equilibrium systems (Brownian motion, fluctuation-dissipation, Fokker Planck equation, Non-equilibrium free energy and fluctuation theorems)
The treatment of the topics inside these themes will build on prior knowledge from Statistical Physics 1 and Quantum Mechanics 2 with the goal to describe more realistic systems. This can only be achieved through the use of approximation methods or numerical experiments. Throughout the course a strong link is made between theoretical concepts, experimental observation and modern research directions. Examples will be spread across the various disciplines relevant to the research groups in the institute.
Course objectives
At the end of the course you will be able to:
apply the methods of statistical physics to simple examples in solid-state physics, biology.
describe interacting systems in the microcanonical, canonical and grand-canonical ensemble
give expressions for the equation of state of non-ideal gases in terms of cluster integrals (virial expansion)
explain the phenomenon of Bose-Einstein condensation
recognize and leverage universality in physics (very different systems exhibiting equivalent behaviors)
use the Metropolis algorithm to analyze phase transitions in the two-dimensional Ising model
construct a mean-field approximation for systems of interacting particles
explain the use of an order parameter and its role in phase transitions
analyze interacting systems close to a phase transition using Landau theory, critical temperature and critical exponents
describe out-of-equilibrium systems and systems where fluctuations become important on a macroscopic scale
Transferable Skills
Reasoning about and modelling complex systems, numerical simulation, problem-solving, team work, communication.
Timetable
Schedule
For detailed information go to Timetable in Brightspace
You will find the timetables for all courses and degree programmes of Leiden University in the tool MyTimetable (login). Any teaching activities that you have sucessfully registered for in MyStudyMap will automatically be displayed in MyTimeTable. Any timetables that you add manually, will be saved and automatically displayed the next time you sign in.
MyTimetable allows you to integrate your timetable with your calendar apps such as Outlook, Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and other calendar apps on your smartphone. Any timetable changes will be automatically synced with your calendar. If you wish, you can also receive an email notification of the change. You can turn notifications on in ‘Settings’ (after login).
For more information, watch the video or go the the 'help-page' in MyTimetable. Please note: Joint Degree students Leiden/Delft have to merge their two different timetables into one. This video explains how to do this.
Mode of instruction
See Brightspace
Lectures, Exercise Classes and Homework.
Assessment method
Written exam with homework bonus
Reading list
Linda E. Reichl, A Modern Course in Statistical Physics, 4th edition, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, Germany (2016), ISBN 978-3-527-41349-2
Robert H. Swendsen, An introduction to Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK (2012), ISBN 978-0-19-964694-4 (used in the Statistical Physics 1 course)
Registration
As a student, you are responsible for registering on time, i.e. 14 days before the start of the course. This can be done via Mystudymap. You do this twice a year: once for the courses you want to take in semester 1 and once for the courses you want to take in semester 2. Please note: late registration is not possible.
Registration for courses in the first semester is possible from July; registration for courses in the second semester is possible from December. For more information, see this page
In addition, it is mandatory for all students to register for exams. This can be done up to and including 10 calendar days prior to the exam or up to five calendar days in case of a retake exam. You cannot participate in the exam or retake without a valid registration in My Studymap.
Contact
Remarks
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