Transport Theory

Seminar: Transport Theory (MVSEM)

The seminar takes an in-depth look at transport phenomena ranging from Brownian motion, superfluidity and superconductivity to advanced topics such as disordered systems, quantum critical transport and perfect fluidity.  With these phenomena we will introduce and illustrate different theoretical descriptions such as the Langevin equation, the Boltzmann equation, hydrodynamics and holographic duality.  This seminar counts as a compulsory master seminar (MVSEM) and is held in person with mandatory attendance.
 

Date and Location

Friday 11:15-13:00h, Philosophenweg 19 seminar room starting April 21 (introduction).
All seminar topics have now been assigned and registration is closed. If you are interested you are welcome to come and listen to the talks (without credit).
 

Format

• 60 minute talks on blackboard (you may use slides for illustration) followed by discussion
• 10-page writeup to be handed in 3 weeks after your talk
• attendance at all talks is mandatory
• 6 credit points with grade based on talk, writeup and discussion
• prerequisites: theoretical statistical physics (MKTP1)
   

Topics

• Brownian motion and Langevin equation
• Fokker-Planck equation
• The Kramers problem
• Kinetic theory and Boltzmann equation
• Hydrodynamics and conservation laws
• Linear response theory
• Superfluidity
• Superconductivity
• Josephson effect
• Disordered systems: Anderson localization, renormalization group
• Quantum critical transport
• Perfect fluidity and holographic duality
   

Literature

• A. Altland and B. Simons, Condensed Matter Field Theory, 2nd ed., Cambridge University Press 2010.
• K. Huang, Statistical Mechanics, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons 1987.

• C. Mudry, Lecture Notes on Field Theory in Condensed Matter Physics, World Scientific 2014.
• L. Pitaevskii and S. Stringari, Bose-Einstein Condensation, Oxford University Press 2003.
• S. Sachdev, Quantum Phase Transitions, 2nd ed., Cambridge University Press 2011.
• H. Smith and H.H. Jensen, Transport Phenomena, Oxford University Press 1989.
• M. Tinkham, Introduction to Superconductivity, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill 1996.
• R. Zwanzig, Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics, Oxford University Press 2001.
• W. Zwerger, Theory of Condensed Matter, Lecture Notes, Technical University Munich 2019.