Description:

A number of interesting properties of crystalline materials are directly related or significantly influenced by occurrence of specific phase transitions. The purpose of this course is to provide unifying view on various types phase transitions encountered in solid state physics, with the emphasize on continuous symmetry braking phase transitions.

Contents:

1. Classification schemes for phase transitions. 2. Thermodynamic description of phase transitions. 3. Phenomenological theories with order parameter. 4. Critical behaviour near phase transitions of second type within Landau theory. 5. Symmetry approach in Landau theory. 6. Ginzburg-Landau functional, dynamical interpretation and limits of Landau theory. 7. Models of nucleation and growth. 8. Realistic and simplified microscopic models for symmetry breaking. Ising model. 9. Classical/quantum and order-disorder/displacive crossovers. 10. Critical exponents, universality classes and failure of mean-field approximations. 11. Spinodal decomposition and martensitic phase transitions. 12. Domains and domain structures. 13. Investigations of phase transitions.

Recommended literature:

Key references: ^^[1]. L. D. Landau and E. Lifshitz: Physique Statistique, Editions Mir, Moscow, 1967. ^^Recommended references: ^^[2]. CH. Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics.

Keywords:

phase transitions, Landau theory, critical phenomena

Abbreviations used:

Semester:

• W ... winter semester (usually October - February)
• S ... spring semester (usually March - June)
• W,S ... both semesters

Mode of completion of the course:

• A ... Assessment (no grade is given to this course but credits are awarded. You will receive only P (Passed) of F (Failed) and number of credits)
• GA ... Graded Assessment (a grade is awarded for this course)
• EX ... Examination (a grade is awarded for this course)
• A, EX ... Examination (the award of Assessment is a precondition for taking the Examination in the given subject, a grade is awarded for this course)

Weekly load (hours per week):

• P ... lecture
• C ... seminar
• L ... laboratory
• R ... proseminar
• S ... seminar