University of Heidelberg

Tilman Enss | Teaching in previous semesters


Many-body physics with ultracold atoms (MVSeminar)

Winter term 2015/16


This theory seminar introduces key questions and concepts in the fast-evolving field of ultracold atomic gases.
Supervisor: Priv.-Doz. Dr. Tilman Enss
general objectives of advanced mandatory seminars (page 18)
Fri 9.15-11.00h, Philosophenweg 19, SR [LSF]

Seminar Topics

  1. 2015-10-30: Scattering of ultracold atoms and Feshbach resonances
    low-energy scattering can be characterized by an s-wave scattering length, which diverges at a Feshbach resonance, leading to strong interactions; this is described by single- and two-channel models
    Ketterle, ch. 4.1-4.2, parts of 5; Bloch/Dalibard/Zwerger, ch. I; Dalibard
  2. 2015-11-06: Bose-Einstein condensates and Bogoliubov theory
    many bosons can condense into a single quantum state to form a BEC; excitations in the BEC are described by Bogoliubov theory
    Pitaevskii, ch. 2, 4, 6.1-6.2
  3. 2015-11-13: Vortices in rotating Bose-Einstein condensates
    the dynamics of a BEC can be described by the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, which admits vortex solutions in a rotating BEC
    Pitaevskii, ch. 5
  4. 2015-11-27: Bose-Hubbard model and the Mott insulator transition
    with bosonic atoms in an optical lattice one can realize a Bose-Hubbard model, which exhibits a phase transition between a Mott insulator and a superfluid state
    Bloch/Dalibard/Zwerger, ch. IV; Diehl p. 138-172 (in particular 148-160, 168-172); (Jaksch)
  5. 2015-12-04: The BCS-BEC crossover and universal thermodynamics
    the interacting Fermi gas exhibits a smooth crossover from a weakly attractive BCS superfluid through the strongly interacting unitary regime to a weakly repulsive Bose-Einstein condensate of molecules
    Zwerger, ch. 3 (by Heiselberg); Ketterle, ch. 4.3++; Bloch/Dalibard/Zwerger, ch. VIII
  6. 2015-12-11: Fermi polarons, variational wavefunction and polaron-to-molecule transition
    a mobile impurity in a Fermi sea can bind into a molecule at strong attraction
    Chevy; Punk; Kohstall
  7. 2015-12-18: Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in two-dimensional systems
    in two dimensions, quantum fluctuations can be so strong that they destroy long-range order, but superfluidity is still possible
    Pitaevskii 6.7, 17.5; (Cardy 6.2, 6.4?)
  8. 2016-01-08: Nonequilibrium dynamics and integrability
    while a system brought out of equilibrium usually thermalizes, in one dimension there can be so many conservation laws that it keeps a memory of its initial state
    Kinoshita; Rigol; Polkovnikov, ch. III
  9. 2016-01-15: Transport in cold gases and perfect fluidity
    as quantum fluids are made strongly interacting, their friction (viscosity) is reduced; remarkably, there appears to be a universal minimum value for the viscosity in very different physical systems which characterizes perfect fluids
    parts of Schaefer

Literature

Prerequisites

  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Statistical Physics (recommended)
  • Condensed Matter Theory (useful)

Formalities

  • oral presentation max. 60 minutes, followed by discusssion
  • hand in writeup until 05 Feb 2016: an essay on your seminar topic, with full sentences, sketches/figures if you like, but not just your slides; max. 15 pages but you are very welcome to make it shorter
  • 6 credit points, grade composed of writeup, oral presentation, and participation in discussion
  • attendance is mandatory; please send me an email if you cannot come
  • it is recommended that we go over your talk together before your presentation; please make an appointment for, say, the Monday before your talk.




Condensed Matter Theory (MVTheo2)

Summer term 2015


This course introduces the concepts and methods of modern condensed matter theory. In the first part, Green's functions and the diagrammatic technique are used to discuss metals, Fermi liquids and superconductors. The second part covers several advanced topics such as Bose-Einstein condensation, quantum phase transitions, and the Kondo effect. The exercises also show how to compute experimental observables.

Description in the course handbook (page 67)

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Fermions, bosons, and second quantization
  3. Electrons in periodic crystals, band structure
  4. Green's functions and perturbation theory
  5. Metals: Jellium model, charge excitations, and phonons
  6. BCS theory of superconductivity
  7. Landau Fermi liquid theory, Luttinger liquids
  8. Bose-Einstein condensation, superfluidity and symmetry breaking
  9. Magnetism and quantum phase transitions

Lecture Notes (for participants)


Dates and Location

Lecture Monday 11.15-13.00h, Philosophenweg 12, kHS [LSF]
and Wednesday 11.15-13.00h, Philosophenweg 12, kHS.

Exercise (Dr. Michael Scherer) Friday 14.00-16.00h, Philosophenweg 12, R106.
Please register for the course at this URL for notifications and/or for taking part in the exam.


Prerequisites

  • Quantum Mechanics (PTP4)
  • Theoretical Statistical Physics (MKTP1) — recommended

Literature

  • Ashcroft and Mermin, Solid State Physics
  • Tinkham, Introduction to Superconductivity
  • Altland and Simons, Condensed Matter Field Theory
  • Fetter and Walecka, Quantum Theory of Many-Particle Systems
  • Negele and Orland, Quantum Many-Particle Systems

Further material

Exam

Students who do the homework and present their solution during the exercises will be admitted to the written exam. In order to participate in the exam you need to register for the course at this URL. The exam will be held on Wednesday, 22 July 2015, from 11:15-12:45h. The exam will be graded; those who pass will acquire 8 credit points.






Theory of Ultracold Atoms (MVSeminar)

Winter term 2014/15


The seminar introduces key questions and concepts in the fast-evolving field of ultracold atomic gases
Supervisor: PD Dr. Tilman Enss
general objectives of advanced mandatory seminars (page 18)

Fri 9.15-11.00h, Philosophenweg 19, SR [LSF]



Condensed Matter Theory (MVTheo2)

Summer term 2014


Course record in the university directory (LSF)
Description in the course handbook (page 67)


This course introduces the concepts and methods of modern condensed matter theory. In the first part, Green's functions and the diagrammatic technique are used to discuss metals, Fermi liquids and superconductors. The second part covers several advanced topics such as Bose-Einstein condensation, quantum phase transitions, and the Kondo effect. The exercises also show how to compute experimental observables.


Dates and Location

Lecture Monday 11.15-13.00h, Philosophenweg 12, kHS
and Wednesday 11.15-13.00h, Philosophenweg 12, kHS;
Exercise (Laura Classen) Thursday 11.15-13.00h, Philosophenweg 12, R105.
Please register for the course at this URL.


Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Fermions, bosons, and second quantization
  3. Electrons in the periodic crystal, band structure
  4. Green's functions and perturbation theory
  5. Metals: Jellium model, charge excitations, and phonons
  6. Landau Fermi liquid theory, Luttinger liquids
  7. BCS theory of superconductivity
  8. Bose-Einstein condensation, superfluidity and symmetry breaking
  9. Magnetism and quantum phase transitions

Prerequisites

  • Quantum Mechanics (PTP4)
  • Theoretical Statistical Physics (MKTP1) — recommended

Literature

  • Ashcroft and Mermin, Solid State Physics
  • Tinkham, Introduction to Superconductivity
  • Altland and Simons, Condensed Matter Field Theory
  • Fetter and Walecka, Quantum Theory of Many-Particle Systems
  • Negele and Orland, Quantum Many-Particle Systems

Further material


Exam

Students who do the homework and present their solution during the exercises will be admitted to the written exam. In order to participate in the exam you need to register for the course at this URL. The exam will be held on Wednesday, 23 July, from 14:15-15:45h. The exam will be graded; those who pass will acquire 8 credit points.



Spezielle Probleme der Quantenmechanik

Wintersemester 2013/2014

Tutor für das Seminar Spezielle Probleme der Quantenmechanik bei Prof. Thomas Gasenzer


Quantenmechanik

Sommersemester 2013

Lecture Assistant für Theoretische Physik PTP4 (Quantenmechanik) bei Prof. Thomas Gasenzer


Many-body methods in solid state physics (Dr. Tilman Enss)

Winter term 2012/2013

Course record in the university directory (LSF)
Course announcement

A system of many interacting particles can behave very differently from its constituents, "more is different" (Anderson). In this two-hour course the tools of quantum field theory are introduced (Green's functions, Grassmann algebra, path integrals) and applied to explain current and illustrative problems in solid state physics (superfluids, quantum phase transitions and the BCS theory of superconductivity). The exercises show how to compute experimental observables.

Contents

  1. Second quantization
  2. Green's functions
  3. BCS theory of superconductivity
  4. Coherent states and path integrals
  5. Perturbation theory and Wick's theorem, Self-energy and Dyson equation
  6. Interacting Bose gas, superfluidity and symmetry breaking
  7. Quantum phase transitions in the transverse Ising model

Evaluation

This course has been evaluated by the Fachschaft, which you can ask for the result (sorry I cannot publish it here).

Problem sets

Prerequisites

  • Quantum mechanics
  • Statistical physics

Literature

  • Altland und Simons, Condensed Matter Field Theory
  • Negele and Orland, Quantum Many-Particle Systems
  • Tinkham, Introduction to Superconductivity
  • Xiao-Gang Wen, Quantum Field Theory of Many-Body Systems

Dates and Location

Lecture Thursday 11.15-13.00h, Philosophenweg 12, kHS
Exercise Friday 09.15-11.00h, Philosophenweg 12, kHS

Credits/Exam

4 credit points can be obtained. An oral exam will be offered at the end of the course.


Quanten-Vielteilchentheorie (Dr. Tilman Enss)

Sommersemester 2012

Inhalt und Literatur

Quanten-Vielteilchentheorie (Dr. Tilman Enss)

Sommersemester 2011

Inhalt und Literatur

Statistische Mechanik und Thermodynamik (Prof. Wilhelm Zwerger)

Sommersemester 2010

Inhalt und Literatur

Quantenmechanik I (Prof. Wilhelm Zwerger)

Sommersemester 2009

Inhalt und Literatur

Quantenmechanik II (Prof. Thorsten Feldmann)

Wintersemester 2008/2009

Theoretische Festkörperphysik (Prof. Roland Netz)

Sommersemester 2008

Vorlesungen über Supraleitung (von Tilman Enss):

Vorlesung 1 (02.07.2008): Fröhlich-Transformation, Cooper-Instabilität
Vorlesung 2 (04.07.2008): BCS-Wellenfunktion, Gap-Gleichung, Bogoliubov-Transformation