PX446 - Condensed Matter Physics II
- Module code: PX446
- Module name: Condensed Matter Physics II
- Department: Physics
- Credit: 15
Content and teaching | Assessment | Availability
Module content and teaching
Principal aims
To offer an account of important electronic properties of materials. Topics covered will be magnetism, electronic transport, optical properties of matter and superconductivity. There should be an emphasis on the connection between theory and experiment, and emerging ideas such as quantum criticality and topology may be discussed.
Principal learning outcomes
Students should: Understand aspects of some magnetic, electrical, optical and superconducting properties of materials; Become aware of the existing range of functional materials and the experiments used to probe their properties; Have developed insight into areas of research interest in condensed matter physics
Timetabled teaching activities
30 Lectures
Departmental link
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/physics/current/teach/syllabi/year4/px446
Other essential notes
Many phenomena observed in condensed matter, like magnetism and superconductivity, are the result of interactions between electrons. This module looks at some of these phenomena, how to observe them and how to use them. An important concept in the modelling of these many-electron systems is Landau's idea of the quasiparticle. Excitations of a system of interacting particles can be put into one-to-one correspondence with excitations of non-interacting particles but with a finite lifetime. It's a brilliant idea and helps us understand many (almost all) measurable properties of interest. Landau also set up the most important models of the free energy of the magnets and superconductors in applied fields, which the module studies.
Module assessment
Assessment group | Assessment name | Percentage |
---|---|---|
15 CATS (Module code: PX446-15) | ||
B (Examination only) | 2 hour examination (April) | 100% |
Module availability
This module is available on the following courses:
Core
N/A
Optional Core
N/A
Optional
- Undergraduate Physics (BSc MPhys) (F304) - Year 4
- Undergraduate Mathematics and Physics (BSc MMathPhys) (FG33) - Year 4