Strongly correlated systems in condensed matter physics

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session

The aim of the course is two-fold. First, we shall discuss topics of interest for both condensed matter and atomic physics, focussing on the effects of quantum statistics, interactions, and correlations in many-particle systems. Our second goal will be to provide a gentle introduction to the methods of quantized fields and their applications in many-body physics. We shall try to emphasize the physical and visualizable aspects of the subject. While the course is intended for students with a wide range of interests, many examples will be drawn from condensed matter physics.

Statistical Mechanics and Quantum Mechanics, introductory level courses, such as 8.044 (Statistical Physics I), 8.08 (Statistical Physics II), and 8.04 (Quantum Physics I).

Stone, Michael. The Physics of Quantum Fields. Springer, 2000.

Weekly, 13 problem sets in total, due the first session of the week, in class (at the beginning of the lecture).

A list of term paper topics will be provided and discussed in class.

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