Summer Term 2026

1300112105
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

* Optical telescopes: optics and characteristic parameters, telescope types, diffraction, resolution, aberrations and corrections, applications
* Optical detectors: detector types, semiconductors and CCDs, quantum efficiency, readout, noise sources, multi-chip cameras, applications
* Imaging: techniques, photometry, data reduction and characterisation, signal-to-noise
* Atmospheric effects and corrections: extinction, turbulence, seeing, active and adaptive optics, laser guide stars, applications
* Spectroscopy: types of spectrographs and spectrometers, dispersive elements, integral field units, data reduction and characterisation, applications
* Infrared astronomy: detectors and techniques, sources, applications
* Radio astronomy: detectors and instrumentation, synthesis techniques, types of radiation and sources, applications
* Astronomical interferometry: wavelength regimes, instrumentation, applications
* X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy: detectors and instrumentation, types of radiation and sources, applications
* Astroparticle physics: neutrino and Cherenkov detectors, sources and acceleration mechanisms of neutrinos and cosmic rays, applications
* Gravitational-wave astronomy: detection, sources, applications.
* In-situ exploration and remote sensing.

Goal

After completing this course, the students have firm insight into the concepts, technologies, and the underlying physical principles and limitations of modern observational techniques along with scientific applications. They have knowledge of basic detector designs for different types of radiation and particles. They understand the environmental influence on astronomical observations. They are able to select and judge the adequate observational technique for studying an astronomical object of interest.

1300112200
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Content

- Astronomical basics: astronomical observations, methods and instruments;
orientation at the celestial sphere; fundamental terms of electromagnetic
radiation; distance determination, Earth-Moon system; terrestrial and gas
planets, small bodies; extra-solar-planets
- Inner structure of stars: state variables, stellar atmospheres and line
spectra; Hertzsprung-Russell diagram; fundamental equations, energy
transfer and opacity; nuclear reaction rates and tunnelling; nuclear fusion
reactions
- Stellar evolution: Main sequence, giants and late phases; white dwarfs,
Chandrasekhar limit; supernovae, neutron stars, Pulsars and supernova
remnants; binaries and multiple systems; star clusters
- Interstellar medium: cold, warm, hot gas phases dust, cosmic rays,
magnetic fields; ionization and recombination, Stroemgren spheres; heating
and cooling; star formation, matter cycle, chemical enrichment
- Galaxies: Structure and properties of normal galaxies and the Milky Way;
scaling relations; integrated spectra, luminosity function; cosmological
evolution of star formation; Black Holes in galaxies, active galaxies and their
properties, unified models
- Galaxy clusters: optical properties and cluster gas; hydrostatic model;
scaling relations; number densities and evolution
- Gravitational lensing: Concepts, mass distribution in galaxies and galaxy
clusters; cosmological lensing effect
- Large scale distribution of galaxies and gas: Structure in the spatial galaxy
distribution; redshift effects; biasing; Lyman-α-forest; Gunn-Peterson effect
and cosmic reionization
- Cosmology: Friedmann-Lemaître models, cosmological standard model;
origin and evolution of structures; halos of Dark Matter; Formation of
galaxies

Goal

The students have gained basic knowledge and understanding of astronomical objects, measuring units and methods, and the relevant astrophysical processes. They have a firm grasp of the fundamental interrelations of objects and processes on different scales. They are able to reproduce the basic features of the modern world view including the physical reasoning, and connect astronomical and astrophysical phenomena to previously acquired knowledge in physics.

1300112204
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

- Friedmann-Lemaître-cosmologies: cosmological redshift, parameter
set, effects of curvature and of the cosmological constant, Hubble
expansion and Cepheid-measurements
- Age of the Universe: age from the cosmological model, radiometric
dating and nuclear cosmochronology, age of the oldest cosmic
objects
- Distance-redshift relation of standard candles: distance-redshift
relations, calibration of supernovae, acceleration and dimming,
determination of densities and equations of state, evidence for dark
energy
- Abundance of chemical elements: thermal evolution, big bang
nucleosynthesis, other modes of nucleosynthesis (stellar, spallation,
explosive), reaction chains, element abundances
- Cosmic microwave background: formation of atoms, simplified
description of temperature anisotropies, measurement results and
conclusions from them (in particular spatial flatness), secondary
anisotropies
- Cosmic structures: linear growth, need for (nonbaryonic) dark
matter, large-scale distribution of galaxies, cosmic web
- Formation of galaxies: gravitational collapse, flat rotation curves
and virial equilibria, need for dark matter, abundance of haloes
- Gravitational lensing: gravitational light deflection, lens equation,
weak and strong lensing, measurements of lensing effects and their
inversion

Goal

In this course, students gain fundamental understanding of the cosmological standard model and the cosmological evolution, including the impact of the basic observations and the connection to the physical framework. They gain a solid overview of the empirical basis of modern cosmology.

1300112304
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1300112306
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

Besprechung von Themen der nicht-thremischen Astrophysik. Insbesondere theoretische Grundlagen von Teilchenbeschleunigung und Strahlung, sowie Interpretation von Beobachtungen diverser Quellen (u.a. Supernovaüberreste, aktive Galaxien, Binärsysteme).

Goal

Das Verstehen und Interpretieren von Beobachtungsdaten im Bezug zur Quelle

1300122203
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

We will treat the following topics:
• Spectroscopy and metrology
• Atom-light interactions
• Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics 
• Matter waves
• Cooling and trapping
• Mass measurements
• Quantum gases
• (Ultracold) Collisions
• Single atoms and molecules
• Quantum information
• Femto- and attosecond processes

Goal

After completing this course the students will be able to ¿ describe modern aspects of experimental research in atomic, molecular and optical physics, ¿ analyse standard experimental approaches of atomic, molecular and optical physics, ¿ design simple experimental set-ups in atomic, molecular and optical physics, ¿ apply the methods to simple practical examples.

1300122219
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

This lecture will provide an introduction to the fundamentals and current work in the research area of Attosecond Physics.  The pioneers of this field were awarded the Physics Nobel Prize in 2023 for providing the ultrashort flashes of light (attosecond pulses), and current opportunities to employ their techniques for the understanding and steering of electron motion in matter are quickly expanding.

The lecture will be accompanied by a tutorial (right after the lecture) for praticing our understanding of key concepts and physics pictures, also including (computational) experiments.

Important Dates:
- 14 OR 21 April 2026 (date to be communicated), 14:15: First Lecture and Tutorial intro

1300122221
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

Special lectures on the quantum electrodynamics of precision spectroscopic experiments, covering both theoretical and experimental aspects

1300122242
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1300132222
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Content

Subject: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Nuclear Medicine

See website:
https://medphysrad-teaching.dkfz.de/medphys2.html

1300132235
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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1300142101
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

* Structure of solids in real and reciprocal space
* Lattice dynamics and phonon band structure
* Thermal properties of insulators
* Electronic properties of metals and semiconductors: band structure and transport
* Optical properties from microwaves to UV
* Magnetism
* Superconductivity
(each chapter includes experimental basics)

Goal

After completing the course the students - have gained a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of condensed matter physics and can apply concepts of many-particle quantum mechanics to pose and solve relevant problems. - will be able to describe the priciples of formation of solids and can propose appropriate experimental methods to study structural properties. They are familiar with and can apply the concept of reciprocal space. - they can apply fundamental electronic models to explain and predict properties of crystalline materials as metals, semiconductors, and insulators. - they can ascribe optical, magnetic properties of matter to electronic and structure degrees of freedom. - they can describe and theoretically explain fundamental properties of superconductivity. - they are able to choose appropriate experimental methods for probing structural, optical, magnetic, and electronic properties of condensed matter and can analyse the experimental results.

1300142300
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Content

Siehe Webseite:

https://www.kip.uni-heidelberg.de/cmm/teaching/2025/ecm

1300152104
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

This lecture introduces all physical concepts of the fundamentals of Environmental Physics and it is accompanied by exercises and tutorials every week.
The content spans:
• The fundamentals about the Earth climate system and its compartments, flow, transport, and the global radiation balance.
• Geophysical fluid dynamics, i.e. the fundamental laws of free and forced fluid movement and vorticity, and a practical guide to the first principles of turbulence.
• Global circulation of atmosphere and ocean, boundary layer physics, and slow flow through porous media and of ice.
• Gas and heat exchange between ocean and atmosphere. Global fluxes and cycles (energy, water, carbon).
• Isotope fractionation and isotope methods to study the Earth environments, focus on water and carbon isotopes.
• Introduction to models of environmental systems, basic principles of numerical climate modelling.
• Basic principles of radiative transfer. Climate system radiative forcing and sensitivity. Global climate change past, present and future.

Goal

Students achieve a fundamental understanding of the key physical processes and interactions in the Earth surface system and its compartments, as well as of the human impact on these systems and the related societal implications. They are able to solve basic problems of environmental physics and interpret the results in the context of fundamental questions regarding the physics of the earth surface environments and the methodologies to observe and study those.

1300152203
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

• Fundamentals of physical oceanography, limnology, and hydrogeology 
• Heat and mass transfer between water and atmosphere 
• Flow and transport in surface and ground water  
• Tracer methods in the hydrological cycle

Goal

Students achieve an advanced understanding of the physical processes in aquatic systems, the methods to study them, and their role in the climate system. They are able to solve advanced problems and interpret the results in the context of current questions in research and application. They can assess and use current scientific literature to further develop their knowledge base, enabling them to conduct independent master research projects in physics of aquatic systems.

1300152212
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

1 week block lecture, language: English, Sep. 21-25, 2026, 9-18h, INF229, R108 (first floor), lecturer: Dr. Jochen Landgraf.

1300162201
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Course Information

Content

Lecture Homepage

The course consists of a lecture and an accompanying journal club

Focus of the lecture is the physics, the design and the application 
of particle detectors used in modern particle physics experiments. 
Covered topics are

- Interaction of particles with matter
- Scintillators and ToF detectors
- Gas detectors
- Silicon detectors
- Calorimeters
- Detector for particle identification
- Large detector systems
- ...

 

Goal

After completion of the course the student has gained basic knowledge  about interactions of particles with matter, the physics of particle detectors,  their working principles, and their applications in experiments. The course  consists of a lecture and an accompanying journal club  Lecture: Introduction into the physics and the technical realization  of particle detectors; 2 hours/week; Wednesday 9:15 to 11:00. Journal Club: Deepening of knowledge on the basis of recent  detector papers; discussion of particular detector research;  1 hour/week; Fridays 11:15. 

1300172103
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

* Manifolds
* Geodetics, curvature, Einstein-Hilbert action
* Einstein equations
* Cosmology
* Differential forms in General Relativity
* The Schwarzschild solution
* Schwarzschild black holes
* More on black holes (Penrose diagrams, charged and rotating black holes)
* Unruh effect and hawking radiation

Goal

After completing the course the students * have a thorough knowledge and understanding of Einstein's theory of General Relativity including the necessary tools from differential geometry and applications such as black holes, gravitational radiation and cosmology,  * have acquired the necessary mathematical tools from differential geometry, are trained in their application to physical situations with strong gravity and are familiar with their interpretation, * have advanced competence in the fields of theoretical physics covered by this course, i.e. the ability to analyze physical phenomena using the acquired concepts and techniques, to formulate models and find solutions to specific problems, and to interpret the solutions physically and communicate them efficiently, * are able to broaden their knowledge and competence in this field of theoretical physics on their own by a systematical study of the literature.

1300172201
Anmeldung ab 01.04.2026 möglich
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Content

• Non-Abelian gauge theories
• Path integral for fermions
• Renormalization in gauge theories
• Spontaneous symmetry breaking and Higgs mechanism
• Renormalization group, Wilson renormalization

Goal

After completing the course the students ¿ have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the regularisation and renormalisation programme in ¿4-theory, of renormalisation in QED and non-abelian gauge theories (1-loop order), of the effective action and the modern renormalisation group approach, ¿ have acquired the necessary mathematical knowledge and competence for an in-depth understanding of this research field, ¿ have advanced competence in the fields of theoretical physics covered by this course, i.e. the ability to analyze physical phenomena using the acquired concepts and techniques, to formulate models and find solutions to specific problems, and to interpret the solutions physically and communicate them efficiently, ¿ are able to broaden their knowledge and competence in this field of theoretical physics on their own by a systematical study of the literature.

1300172204
Anmeldung ab 01.04.2026 möglich
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Content

- Introductory materials: bosons, fermions and second quantisation
- Green's functions approach
- Exactly solvable problems: potential scattering, Luttinger liquids etc.
- Theory of quantum fluids, BCS theory of superconductivity
- Quantum impurity problems: Kondo effect, Anderson model, renormalisation group approach
Depending on the lecturer more weight will be given to solid state theories or to soft matter.

Goal

After completing the course the students - have a thorough knowledge and understanding, of the nowadays 'traditional' diagrammatic technique and the problems solved by this technique, including Landau's theory of quantum liquids and BCS theory of superconductivity, - of advanced non-perturbative approaches such as renormalization group transformations, bosonisation and Bethe Ansatz and there application to examples of quantum impurity problems such as potential scattering in Luttinger liquids, inter-edge tunneling in fractional quantum Hall probes and Kondo effect in metals and mesoscopic quantum dots, - have acquired the necessary mathematical knowledge and competence for an in-depth understanding of this research field, - have advanced competence in the fields of theoretical physics covered by this course, i.e. the ability to analyze physical phenomena using the acquired concepts and techniques, to formulate models and find solutions to specific problems, and to interpret the solutions physically and communicate them efficiently, - are able to broaden their knowledge and competence in this field of theoretical physics on their own by a systematical study of the literature.

1300172205
Anmeldung ab 01.04.2026 möglich
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Content

Contents:
1) Relativistic quantum theory (Dirac equation, relativistic light-matter
interaction)
2) Quantum theory of light and matter (quantized fields, interaction with
atoms)
3) Open quantum systems (matter and radiation, decoherence, Lamb-shift, natural line width)
4) Dynamics, time evolution and response theory
5) Many electron atoms and lattice models

1300172207
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

This course is MVBP2 in the modul handbook and is addressed to physics master students with an interest in biophysics. Motivated bachelor or PhD-students are also most welcome, as are students from neighboring disciplines. There are two lectures each week, each for 90 minutes, plus weekly homework and exercises. Together you can earn 6 credit points from this course. This lecture can be used for the oral master examination if combined with e.g. the lecture on statistical physics or the lecture on simulation methods, or with two short specialized lectures (like non-linear or stochastic dynamics). The details for the tutorial will be discussed in the first lecture, which is on Thu April 18.

1300172213
Anmeldung ab 01.04.2026 möglich
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Content

We derive the thermal ground state for the deconfining phase of SU(2) Yang-Mills Thermodynamics, discuss its thermal quasiparticle excitations, and compute the polarization tensor of the effective massless gauge mode. Next, we use these results under the postulate that thermal photon gases of sufficiently large spatial volumes are described by an SU(2) rather than a U(1) gauge principle. For the CMB this gives rise to a modified temperture-redshift relation with an interesting link to 3D Ising criticality. Moreover, we argue that the CMB large-angle anomalies may be traced to SU(2) screening effects and that an axial anomaly with chiral symmetry breaking at the Planck scale yields an ultralight axion particle whose temperature dependent mass essentially is determined by the SU(2) thermal ground state. The super-horizon sized condensate of these particles is a candidate for dark energy. To test the above postulate
recents results of a terrestial blackbody-cavity experiment are discussed and interpreted in the context of SU(2) Yang-Mills thermodynamics.

 Objectives: instanton, Matsubara sum, caloron, thermal ground state, thermal quasiparticle dispersion law, critical exponent, cosmological model, Veneziano-Witten, emissivity, Dicke switch, difference of dBm of noise power

1300172219
Anmeldung ab 01.04.2026 möglich
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1300172228
Anmeldung ab 01.04.2026 möglich
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Content

Effective Field Theories (EFTs) furnish an elegant means to take the first step towards the next quantum field theory of nature, because they allow to include physics beyond the standard model (SM) in a model-independent way via higher dimensional operators.
Beyond that, they are useful to tackle problems with separated scales, that arise in many areas of fundamental physics. EFTs allow to describe the important physics conveniently in terms of degrees of freedom that are most relevant at a given length-scale. In particular, they allow to consistently re-sum large logarithms of ratios of scales, that would otherwise spoil the perturbative expansion, and provide a modern notion of renormalization.
This lecture provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept of EFTs and modern applications, including the bottom-up approach to physics beyond the SM as a guide to the next theory of nature.

The topics covered include:
- General concept of EFTs and resummation
- EFT of weak interactions: Fermi-Theory and Flavor Physics
- EFT of QCD: Chiral Perturbation Theory
- EFTs and Electroweak Symmetry Breaking: the non-linear Sigma Model
- EFT of Axions / Axion-like particles
- EFTs and neutrino physics
- Bottom-up approach to a more fundamental theory of nature: SM-EFT and its variants
- EFT for Dark Matter

1300172231
Anmeldung ab 01.04.2026 möglich
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Content

Introduction to nonequilibrium quantum field theory with applications to particle physics/early universe cosmology and ultracold quantum gas dynamics: initial correlations, path integral formulation, resummation techniques, renormalization, dynamical instabilities, attractors, far-from-equilibrium scaling phenomena, non-thermal spontaneous symmetry breaking, thermalization.

1300172232
Anmeldung ab 01.04.2026 möglich
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Content

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the computational techniques used to model complex many-body systems at the atomic and molecular level. Acting as a bridge between theoretical statistical mechanics and experimental results, molecular simulation has become an indispensable tool in modern physics, chemistry, and materials science.

The course will be based on the textbook by Frenkel and Smit. We will cover the two main pillars of atomistic simulation: Molecular Dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo (MC) methods. Students will learn the rigorous statistical mechanical foundations underlying these methods and derive, analyze, and implement the algorithms themselves.

Topics Covered:
- Statistical Mechanics Foundations: Review of ensembles (Microcanonical, Canonical, Grand Canonical) and their connection to thermodynamics.
- Monte Carlo Methods: Importance sampling, the Metropolis algorithm, detailed balance, and trial moves for different ensembles.
- Molecular Dynamics: Integration of equations of motion (Verlet, Leap-frog), force field calculation, and managing constraints.
- Advanced Ensembles: Simulating at constant temperature and pressure (thermostats and barostats).
- Free Energy & Phase Transitions: Thermodynamic integration, particle insertion methods (Widom), and Gibbs ensemble simulations.
- Analysis: Computing structural properties (RDFs), transport coefficients (diffusion), and correlation functions.

1300172233
Anmeldung ab 02.04.2026 möglich
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1300172234
Anmeldung ab 02.04.2026 möglich
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Content

The class aims to discuss some topics in quantum field theory:
Part 1:
- axioms of Euclidean QFT, the path integral and the Feynman expansion
- non perturbative construction the phi^4 model in 0 dimensions, resurgence and all that
- stochastic quantization and the path integral measure
Part 2:
- generating functions
- perturbative renormalziation, Wick ordering in d=2, a taste of BPHZ
- The Wilson Fisher fixed point, 

Part 3:
- vector models at large N, the Bardeen Moshe Bender phenomenon, asymptotic freedom and mass generation in the Gross-Neveu model
- matrix models
- tensor models

1300182202
Anmeldung ab 01.03.2026 möglich
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Content

This lecture introduces students to basic methods and techniques in computational statistics and data analysis, as widely applicable to empirical problems in the natural sciences. It provides an overview of relevant concepts and theorems in probability theory and mathematical statistics to modern deep learning techniques. The lecture is accompanied by computational exercises in Python or Matlab. It will enable students to analyze small and large data sets and interpret the results from a solid, theoretically grounded statistical perspective, to devise statistical & machine learning models of experimental situations, to infer the parameters of these models from empirical observations, and to test hypotheses about them.

1300112207
Anmeldung ab 01.04.2026 möglich
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Content

This seminar is part of the master module MVAstro3 (Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy).  It supplements the lecture contents.  It is usually being held as a block event on three or four afternoons chosen in the course; typically on Saturdays.

1300112350
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1300112351
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Content

Durchführung von mehreren astrophysikalischen Versuchen je nach Kenntnisstand innerhalb einer Woche. Diese decken grosse Gebiete in der Astronomie ab. Dauer pro Versuch 1-1.5 Tage. Kein separates Protokoll oder Hausarbeit notwendig.

Goal

Selbstständige Bearbeitung experimenteller Fragestellungen. Kennenlernen und Vertiefung diverser astronomischer moderner Tools wie zB Datenreduktion, virtuelles Observatorium, Interpretation diagnostischer Diagramme.

1300152205
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