Master's Track Theoretical Condensed Matter

We predominantly investigate the emergent collective behaviour of large aggregates of particles (or more complex “agents”) by trying to explain how their macroscopic properties arise from the micro-scale physics. The lectures and our ongoing research activities cover a diverse set of physical problems both in quantum and classical regimes, ranging from the understanding of how electrons superconduct electricity or how quantum spin liquids emerge in magnetic materials to how neurons form brains or how micro-swimmers flock. In other words, Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics is the study of why “more is different”, as illustrated, for example by the emergent particle-like excitations with fractional statistics in quantum Hall fluids or the entropy producing motile defects in non-reciprocal active matter systems. To tackle these problems, we employ a variety of mathematical and field theoretic techniques as well as advanced computational tools, and investigate a manifold of “hard” and “soft” many-body systems covering various length and time scales and conditions near and far from equilibrium.

Structure of the Course of Study

The master's course of study Physics is divided into two one-year phases: the expansion and advanced phase and the research phase.

	Modules
1st Sem.	Elective Area 1: Experimental Physics (10 CP)	Elective Area 2: Theoretical Physics (10 CP)	Elective Area 3: 12-PHY-MWPSWM Specialised Topics of Theoretical Physics (5 CP)	Elective Area 4: Physics-Related Electives (35 CP)
2nd Sem.
3rd Sem.	12-PHY-MFS1 Research Project 1 (15 CP)		12-PHY-MFS2 Research Project 1 (15 CP)
4th Sem.	Master's Thesis (30 CP)

For the elective area 1 (experimental physics), you choose a module from the following compulsory elective modules:

Sem.	Module No.	Module Title	CP
1/2	12-PHY-MWPE1	Advanced Solid State Physics	10
1/2	12-PHY-MWPE2	Soft Matter Physics	10
2	12-PHY-MWPASM	Soft Matter and Biological Physics	10

 

For the elective area 2 (theoretical physics), you choose a module from the following compulsory elective modules:

Sem.	Module No.	Module Title	CP
1	12-PHY-MWPT1	Advanced Quantum Mechanics	10
2	12-PHY-MWPT2	Advanced Statistical Physics	10

 

For the elective area 4 (physics-related electives), you choose modules with a total of 35 CP from the following elective modules for the master's course of study. You can also choose modules from elective areas 1 and 2 that you have not yet taken.

Master Modules

Sem.	Module No.	Module Title	CP
1/2	12-PHY-MWPTKS1	Stochastic Processes in Physics, Biology and Earth Sciences	10
1/2	12-PHY-MWPTKS2	Non-linear Dynamics and Pattern Formation	10
1/2	12-PHY-MWPTKS3	Practical Course: Complex Systems	5
1/2	12-PHY-MWPTKM3	Theory of Soft and Bio Matter	10
1/2	12-PHY-MWPTKM4	Practical Course: Condensed Matter Theory	5
1/2	12-PHY-MWPCQM1	Practical Course: Quantum Theory of Condensed Matter	5
1/2	12-PHY-MWPSTP1	Quantum Field Theory of Many-Particle Systems	10
1/2	12-PHY-MWPSTP2	Statistical Mechanics of Deep Learning	10
1/2	12-PHY-MWPTKM5	Practical Course: Quantum Statistical Physics	5
1/2	12-PHY-MWPXT1	Group Theory and Its Applications in Physics	10

Working Groups

The following working goups at our faculty are working in the area of theoretical condensed matter:

• Complex Quantum Systems
  Prof. Dr. Boris Fine
• Nonlinear and Stochastic Dynamics
  Prof. Dr. Jürgen Vollmer
• Quantum Condensed Matter Theory
  Prof. Dr. Inti Sodemann Villadiego
• Statistical Physics
  Prof. Dr. Bernd Rosenow
• Soft Condensed Matter Theory
  Prof. Dr. Klaus Kroy