COURSE UNIT TITLE

: INTRODUCTION TO PHASE TRANSITIONS AND CRITICAL PHENOMENA *

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
PHY 4103 INTRODUCTION TO PHASE TRANSITIONS AND CRITICAL PHENOMENA * ELECTIVE 2 2 0 7

Offered By

Physics

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

PROFESSOR HAMZA POLAT

Offered to

Physics(Evening)
Physics

Course Objective

The subject introduces the Gibbs ensembles of classical statistical mechanics, the
relations to thermodynamics and the modern theory of phase transitions and critical
phenomena including the concepts of critical exponents, universality and scaling.
Applications include the ideal gas, mean field theories of fluids and ferromagnets and
Ising lattice spin models.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   Being able to comprehend basic concepts and facts in critical phenomena and phase
2   Know how to calculate equilibrium thermodynamic properties of physical interest
3   Being able to pursue further studies in this and related areas
4   Being able to research the open problems in the literature
5   Being able to present the results that is obtained in this field

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 Introduction to critical phenomena
2 Experimental systems showing classical and quantum critical phenomena
3 Phases, Phenomenology of 1st order phase transitions, Continuous transitions
4 Criticality in spin systems
5 Criticality in classical field theories
6 Landau theory, Order parameters, Spontaneous symmetry breaking
7 Naive and constructive mean field theory of Ising model
8 Critical behavior, Scaling, Critical exponents, Relations between critical exponents
9 Mean field critical exponents of the Ising model
10 Tricriticaltiy and BEG Model
11 Naive and constructive mean field theory of BEG model
12 Global phase diagram

Recomended or Required Reading

Textbook:
Pathria R.K. (2001), Statistical Mechanics, Second Edition, Butterworth-
Heinemann ,Oxford
1. Principles of Condensed Matter Physics, by P. M. Chaikin, and T. C. Lubensky
(Cambridge University Press, 2000)
References
2. Landau , L.D., Lifshitz E.M. (1980), Statistical Physics, Third Edition, Part
1: Volume 5 (Course of Theoretical Physics, Volume 5), Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1. Lecturing
2.Question-Answer
3.Discussing
4.Homework

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 FIN FINAL EXAM
3 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE * 0.40 + FIN * 0.60
4 RST RESIT
5 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.40 + FIN * 0.60


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

1. The homework and mid-term exams of the student is assessed as the achievement of
them in the semester.
2. At %40 score of final examination is added directly to the others.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

1. It is obligated to continue at least 70% of lessons.
2. If the student do not make the homework and attend mid-terms, he does not access
the final exam

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

hamza.polat@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

Monday and Wednesday between 11:00-12:00 a.m.

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lecture 14 3 42
Preparations for mid-term exams 1 8 8
Preparations for final exam 1 8 8
Preparations for homework 12 3 36
Weekly preparations before/after course 14 5 70
Mid-term Exam 1 2 2
Final Exam 1 2 2
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 168

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12
LO.154
LO.244
LO.345
LO.445
LO.53