FKA101 Statistical Physics 2004
F4/GU/Master/PhD, lp 1-2 2004/2005 (5 credit units)
Examiner: Lennart Sjögren
School of Physics and Engineering Physics
Lectures: Vitaly Shumeiko (lp1), Lennart Sjögren (lp2)
Exercises: Paata Kakashvili
Statistical Physics 2004/2005 starts:
Wednesday, 1 September at 13.15 in EB (EE building)
The course is spread over two quarters.
Schedule for 1-st quarter:
Wednesday 13.15-15.00 in EB
Friday 10.00-12.00 in EB
Schedule for 2-nd quarter:
Wednesday 13.15-15.00 in FL 64
Friday 10.00-11.45 in FL 62
Course content:
Statistical description of non-equilibrium systems.
Stochastic processes and random walks.
Master equation and Boltzmann equation.
Origin of irreversible evolution. Hierarchi of relaxation processes.
Hydrodynamics. Diffusion. Transport coefficients.
Brownian motion. Physics of noise.
Introduction to quantum kinetics. Quantum Liouville equation for density matrix.
Propereties of correlation functions. Linear response theory.
Fluctuation-dissipation theorem.
Phase transitions and critical phenomena.
Course textbook:
L. Reichle, A modern course in Statistical Physics, Wiley, 1999.
Additional material:
J. Kinaret, Lecture notes.
L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifshits, Statistical Physics, part I,
(Theoretical Physics v. 5).
E.M. Lifshits and L.P. Pitayevsky, Physical Kinetics ,
(Theoretical Physics v. 10).
P.M. Chaikin and T.M. Lubensky,
Principles of Condensed Matter Physics,
(Cambridge, Cambridge, 1995)
R. Kubo, Statistical Mechanics (North-Holland, Amsterdam 1965).
M. Plischke and B. Bergersen, Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics,
(World Scientific, Singapore, 1994)
Examination:
* Home problems
* midterm written examination
* final written examination
Grading:
Home problems - 30%
midterm exam - 40%
final exam - 30%
Lennart Sjögren (sjogren@fy.chalmers.se; ext. 3193; room O7108A in Origo)
Vitaly Shumeiko (vitaly@fy.chalmers.se; ext. 3144; room D613 in MC2)
Paata Kakashvili (paata@fy.chalmers.se; ext. 3173; room O7105B in Origo)