Course syllabus

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TIF290 / FYM290 Quantum mechanics lp1 HT24 (4.5 hp)

The course is offered by the department of Physics.

Contact details

Examiner:

Teachers:

Student representatives:

Course purpose

TIF290 / FYM290 is an advanced course on quantum mechanics. The purpose of the course is:

  • Develop an abstract understanding of quantum mechanics and the capability of modeling quantum systems
  • Interpret the implications of quantum mechanics and build an intuition for where quantum phenomena become relevant
  • Develop the connection of the abstract mathematical formalism and applications, such as quantum technology and matter

Schedule

TimeEdit

Course literature

Today, many fantastic books on quantum mechanics have been published and most of the course content can be found in several books.

Traditionally, this course is based on:

J.J. Sakurai, Jim Napolitano, Modern Quantum Mechanics, Third Edition, Cambridge University Press, 2021

Alternatives are

Horațiu Năstase, Quantum Mechanics, Cambridge University Press, 2023

Franz Schwabl, Quantum Mechanics, Fourth Edition, Springer, 2007

John S. Townsend, A modern approach to quantum mechanics, California University Science Books, Second edition, 2012

Course design

The course consists of the following main components

  • Lectures (14)
  • Exercise classes / homework assignments (3)
  • Research seminars (4)

Lectures

During the lectures, we will cover the main study material:

  • Foundations of quantum mechanics
  • Quantum dynamics
  • Matter in electromagnetic fields and light-matter interaction
  • Scattering theory

Exercise classes / homework assignments 

During the course, you will work on 3 homework assignments. By successfully solving a homework assignment, you can collect points. These points are relevant for the final exam. You need at least 6 points to participate in the final exam, and at least 9 points to qualify for passing the exam with grades 4 or 5 (Chalmers) or VG (GU), respectively.

The due dates for the homework assignments will be:

After submitting each homework assignment, there will be a dedicated exercise class, where the solutions of the assignments are discussed.

Research seminars

You will deepen your understanding of quantum mechanics throughout four research seminars. Here you will train lecture concepts by studying selected research articles. Participation in the research seminars is mandatory. The seminars are given by the TAs.

Learning objectives and syllabus

Foundations of quantum mechanics

  • Axioms of quantum mechanics
  • "bra-ket" and Hilbert space formalism
  • Quantum measurement (problem)
  • Density matrix and statistical ensembles

Quantum dynamics

  • Schrödinger and Heisenberg pictures
  • correspondence principle between classical and quantum mechanics
  • Path integral formalism

Many-body physics

  • second quantization / occupation number formalism
  • electrons / phonons / photons
  • interactions

Scattering theory

  • cross-section of quantum particles interacting with a potential, another particle, or a crystal

Matter in electromagnetic fields and light-matter interaction

  • Zeeman, Aharonov-Bohm effect, Landau levels
  • Spontaneous and stimulated emission and discuss their importance for lasers
  • Introduction to cavity QED and its applications

Additional skills:

  • Read scientific literature on the above topics

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen:

Examination form

The final exam will be an oral exam. The final grade depends on your performance during the homework assignments. In the homework assignments, you need to collect a total of 6 points to qualify for the exam and potentially passing the course. You require at least 9 points to qualify for passing the exam with grades 4 or 5 (Chalmers) or VG (GU), respectively. Every oral exam takes 30 minutes with about 20 minutes of questions.

  • Date and time: week 44 (Oct 28 - Nov 1st). Individual time agreed on later throughout the course.

Course summary:

Date Details Due