Conceptual and methodical introduction to theoretical physics by taking the example of classical mechanics. Discussion of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian descriptions as well as symmetries and conserved quantities.

This course focuses on discussing concepts particular to theories of spacetime, especially general relativity, that are typically beyond the scope of introductory lectures on the subject.

The course discusses the quantisation of relativistic fields towards formulating Quantum Electrodynamics. It introduces the notion of scalar, spinor and vector fields and it describes their elementary interactions in terms of correlation functions and scattering amplitudes including radiative corrections.

Introduction to Electrodynamics. Discussion and formulation of Maxwell’s equations in vacuum and with matter. Connection to the special theory of relativity.

Introduction to Electrodynamics. Discussion and formulation of Maxwell’s equations in vacuum and with matter. Connection to the special theory of relativity.

Introduction to the theory of general relativity. The course puts a strong focus on the mathematical foundations of the theory as well as the underlying physical principles and concepts. It covers selected applications, such as the Schwarzschild solution and gravitational waves.

General structure of quantum theory: Hilbert spaces, states and observables, equations of motion, Heisenberg uncertainty relation, symmetries, angular momentum addition, EPR paradox, Schrödinger and Heisenberg picture.Applications: simple potentials in wave mechanics, scattering and resonance, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, and perturbation theory.

Many-body quantum physics rests on symmetry considerations that lead to two kinds of particles, fermions and bosons. Formal techniques include Hartree-Fock theory and second-quantization techniques, as well as quantum statistics with ensembles. Few- and many-body systems include atoms, molecules, the Fermi sea, elastic chains, radiation and its interaction with matter, and ideal quantum gases.

This course aims to introduce the concepts and methods of quantum information theory. It starts with an introduction to the mathematical theory of quantum systems and then discusses the basic information-theoretic aspects of quantum mechanics. Further topics include using information-theoretic methods to analyse foundational questions in physics.

General structure of quantum theory: Hilbert spaces, states and observables, equations of motion, Heisenberg uncertainty relation, symmetries, angular momentum addition, EPR paradox, Schrödinger and Heisenberg picture.Applications: simple potentials in wave mechanics, scattering and resonance, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, and perturbation theory.

Many-body quantum physics rests on symmetry considerations that lead to two kinds of particles, fermions and bosons. Formal techniques include Hartree-Fock theory and second-quantization techniques, as well as quantum statistics with ensembles. Few- and many-body systems include atoms, molecules, the Fermi sea, elastic chains, radiation and its interaction with matter, and ideal quantum gases.

This course unit is an alternative if no suitable "Proseminar Theoretical Physics" is available of if the proseminar is already overbooked.

This course unit is an alternative if no suitable "Proseminar Theoretical Physics" is available of if the proseminar is already overbooked.

The first (longer) part of the course treats phenomenological thermodynamics. This comprises basic notions such as heat and entropy, as well as the laws of thermodynamics. The second (shorter) part of the course is devoted to classical statistical mechanics. It discusses basic notions such as statistical ensembles.

Thermodynamics and its applications, and basics of the kinetic theory of gases and of statistical mechanics: equilibrium, work and heat, laws of thermodynamics, Carnot process, absolute temperature, entropy, ideal gas, thermodynamic potentials, phase transitions, multicomponent systems; Boltzmann equation, H-Theorem, Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution; statistical ensembles.