Office: 552 Reiss
Office Hours: Let me know at any time you need to discuss.
I am in most times except Mondays when I visit UMD and many Friday afternoons.
Email: freericks@physics.georgetown.edu
Telephone: (202) 687-6159
This course will teach many body physics from a modern perspective. We will begin with a discussion of equilibrium Green's functions for noninteracting models, followed by interacting models, using concrete examples from the dynamical mean-field theory solution to the Falicov-Kimball model. We will cover charge and heat transport, and ordered phase transitions. Next we will describe the theory of superconductivity, leading up to the strong-coupling theory for the transition temperature and for the tunneling conductance. We end with a discussion of path integrals and functional methods, leading up to a description of the Hirsch-Fye algorithm for quantum Monte Carlo. Our learning goals are for you to become proficient in using many-body physics techniques to the point where you can immediately engage in work at the research level upon completing the class. In addition, another goal is to make you practitioners of computational methods.
