Winter Semester 2020-2021

The 2020/2021 winter semester runs from October 1st 2020 - March 30th 2021. Owing to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, several courses will take place wholly or partly online. Lectures will run from October 26th-December 19th and then January 4th-February 6th.

The online platform used by TU Dresden is called Opal. If you do not already have an Opal account, you can register for one here. Once you have access you will be able to view the course materials for at least some of the courses listed here.

General lecture: Geometry and Topology in Quantum Physics

lecturer: Prof. Jan-Carl Büdich
time: Tuesdays 13:00-14:30; Wednesdays 14:50-16:20
location: Online lectures. 
content: In this lecture, we discuss the role of geometry and topology in quantum physics. We start with a both phenomenological and formal treatment of geometric (Berry) phases. Building up on these concepts, we study in the framework of quantum many-body physics the theory of topological phases such as topological insulators and superconductors as well as bosonic symmetry protected topological phases.
format: Every 4th lecture will be a tutorial session.

General lecture: Quantum information

lecturer: Prof. W. Strunz
time: Thursdays 13:00-14:30 , Tuesdays 14:50-16:20  
location: Thursdays BZW/A120, Tuesdays Virtual
content: 

1. Introduction 2. Quantum states, distance measures, entanglement, correlations, non-locality 3. Quantum communication 4. Quantum computation 5. Physical realization 6. Open Quantum Systems and Quantum Operations 7. Information, entropy and capacity

format: First lecture Tuesday 27th October. Every 4th lecture is a tutorial.

 

Special lecture: Methods for Quantum Many-Body Dynamics

lecturer: Drs. David Luitz and Francesco Piazza
time: Wednesdays 16:40-18:10.
location: 

Virtual

content: The lecture will cover basic methods to deal with time-dependent problems in quantum many-body dynamics far from equilibrium. Basic knowledge of quantum mechanics is required but advanced concepts starting from second quantization, path integrals and the Keldysh formalism will be covered in detail. The lecture includes both numerical and analytical state of the art techniques, ranging from exact diagonalization, Lanczos time evolution, time-dependent tensor network methods (in particular TEBD) to Kadanoff-Baym approaches, time dependent mean field theory and DMFT. In the end, we will arrive at quantum kinetic equations and discuss transport and quantum hydrodynamics.

Special lecture: Magnetism on the nanoscale

lecturer: Prof. B. Büchner, Dr. J. Dufouleur, Dr. T. Mühl
time: Mondays 16:40-18:10
location: Virtual
content: 

The aim of this lecture is to give an insight into the exiting research in the field of magnetism and magnetic materials on the nanoscale. We will start with an introduction in the basics of (ferro)magnetism and magnetic materials with particular focus on magnetic anisotropy, domains and exchange bias and we will give an introduction to magnetic microscopy. Using this knowledge, superparamagnetism and molecular magnets will be discussed. In addition, we will cover aspects of spin transport phenomena such as giant and tunneling magneto resistance, including e.g.a discussion on spin transfer torque.

Special lecture: Solid state spectroscopy

lecturer: Prof. Dmytro Inosov
time: Mondays 09:20-10:50 and Wednesdays 13:00-14:30.
location: 

Virtual

content: The goal of the lecture is to present modern spectroscopic methods with examples (e. g. in the area of magnetism). The methods presented are: photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray spectroscopy, neutron scattering, magnetic resonance techniques, Mössbauer spectroscopy, optical spectroscopy, ion beam analysis, mass spectroscopy, tunnel spectroscopy

Special lecture: Optical spectroscopy of quantum matter

lecturer: Dr. Aliaksei Charnukha
time: Wednesdays 16:40-18:10
location: IFW D2E.27
content: 

o Fundamentals of optical spectroscopy o Electromagnetic waves in vacuum and matter o Dielectric function and optical conductivity o Types of material response and their manifestations in optics o Sum rules and Kramers-Kronig relations o Optics of interfaces, surface modes o Screening and Lindhard response function o Modern experimental optical techniques

Special lecture:Collective Processes in Non-equilibrium Systems

lecturer:  Dr. Steffen Rulands
time: Tuesdays 16:40-18:10
location: SR3 MPI PKS (with possible Zoom stream)
content: 

Suppose someone gave you a terabyte of data on an epidemic. What are the theoretical concepts you need to know in order to understand collective behaviour in such a system? Technological breakthroughs in biology and the social sciences now give unprecedented access to microscopic states of non-equilibrium systems. These emerging technologies demand a rethinking about our approaches to understanding collective degrees of freedom in complex systems. In this lecture, we will take an interdisciplinary perspective on the concepts necessary to identify and understand collective order in space and time in non-equilibrium systems. We will begin by introducing core concepts from non-equilibrium statistical physics, such as field theory, renormalisation group theory and non-equilibrium phase transitions, and complement these tools with approaches from data science and machine learning that allow identifying collective degrees of freedom in high-dimensional measurements. We will synthesise these lessons using examples from current research.

Special lecture:Superconductivity II

lecturer:  Prof. Dr. B. Büchner, Dr. H.-J. Grafe, Dr. D. Efremov and Dr. S. Aswartham
time: Mondays 11:10-12:40
location: IFW D2E.27
content: 

The course will cover the most interesting topics of modern research in the field of unconventional superconductivity. We will discuss novel materials (pnictides, cuprates, ruthenates, etc.) where puzzling phenomena occur, the most advanced experimental methods (ARPES, STM, RXS, etc.) which probe their physical properties as well as the fundamental questions (symmetry of the order parameter, electronic correlations, Fermi surface instabilities, etc.) which stay on the way of complete theory of superconductivity.

Special lecture: Introduction to Semiconductor Physics

lecturer:  Prof. Karl Leo
time: Mondays 14:50-16:20
location: Virtual
content: 

Overview and fundamental properties of Semiconductors/Statistics, Transport, Generation and Recombination of Charge Carriers/Principles of Devices/Simple Devices/New Semiconductor Materials.