PHY5670 Quantum Many-Body Physics, Spring 2017

Syllabus

Lectures: MW 2:30pm – 3:45pm, HCB 316.

Lecturer: Nick Bonesteel
Office: 410 Keen (Physics Department); A313 (Magnet Lab)
Tel.: (850) 644-2516 (Keen); (850) 644-7805 (Magnet Lab)
E-mail: bonestee@magnet.fsu.edu

Office Hours: Office hours will be held on MW from 1:00pm – 2:30pm. If these times are not convenient, please feel free to contact me at any time to arrange an appointment. (The best way to do this is by e-mail.)

Description: In this course we will develop the method of diagrammatic perturbation theory for the many-body problem and cover some basic applications.  Following the main text (Negele and Orland), the functional integral approach will be used.

Prerequisites: Quantum Mechanics A&B, Statistical Mechanics.

Main Text: John W. Negele and Henri Orland, Quantum Many-Particle Systems (Westview Press, 1998).  The course will cover Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 5 of this book.

Course Web Page: http://courses.physics.fsu.edu/~phy5670-spring17

Other Useful Texts:

• A.L. Fetter and J.D. Walecka, Quantum Theory of Many-Particle Systems, (McGraw-Hill, 1971).
• G.D. Mahan, Many-Particle Physics, (Plenum, 1990).
• A.A. Abrikosov, L.P. Gor'kov and I.E. Dyzaloshinski, Methods of Quantum Field Theory in Statistical Physics, (Oxford, 1965). 
• A. Atland and B. Simons, Condensed Matter Field Theory, (Cambridge University Press, 2010).

Course Work:  There will be 6 homework assignments (60% of course grade) and one take home final exam (40% of course grade).

Course Topics:  

• Second Quantization.
• Coherent States and Grassmann Algebra.
• Functional Integral Formulation of the Many-Body Problem.
• Wick's Theorem and Diagrammatic Perturbation Theory at Finite Temperature.
• The Zero Temperature Limit.
• Physical Meaning of the Self Energy for Fermions.
• Linear Response and the Random-Phase Approximation.
• Other Applications (Time Permitting): Impurity Averaged Perturbation Theory, Anomalous Green's Functions and Superconductivity, etc.

ADA Statement: Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should: (1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center; (2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. Please do this during the first week of class.

Honor Code: Students are expected to uphold the Academic Honor Code published in the Florida State University Bulletin and the Student Handbook. The Academic Honor Systems of Florida State University is based on the premise that each student has the responsibility to (1) uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in the student's own work, (2) refuse to tolerate violations of academic integrity in the university community, and (3) foster a high sense of integrity and social responsibility on the part of the university community.