Physics 215C (Spring 2013)

SYLLABUS: 

Physics 215C will be a continuation of 215B.  The hope is to finish up a few topics in quantum systems with a few degrees of freedom  (eg Bell's inqequality, quantum informaiton, Feynman single-particle path integral) before diving into more ambitious topics in many-body quantum systems.  Below is a loose syllabus, subject to modification as the quarter proceeds:

Miscellaneous: 

• Entanglement and Bell's Inequality 
• Quantum Computation (in brief)
• Feynman path integrals (instantons and tunneling)

 Many-body Topics:

• Quantum Transverse Field Ising Model (Jordan-Wigner in 1d)
• Second quantization for non-relatvistic Bosons/Fermions (revisited) 
• Weakly Interacting Bosons; Superfluidity and Symmetry breaking
• Non-relativistic Fermi gas (continuum and tight-binding model)
• Quantized Electromagnetic field
• Dirac Theory in 1d, 2d and 3d

Textbooks: For 215C there will be no official textbook.  During each of the topics I will try to suggest  possible books/sources to read. Please pester me on this, to make sure I follow thru - thanks!

Homework:  Again, roughly 5-7 homeworks throughout the quarter, available on the course web site.  Homework solutions also posted online.  You are encouraged to work together on the homeworks.