National Institute of Technology Rourkela

राष्ट्रीय प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान राउरकेला

ଜାତୀୟ ପ୍ରଯୁକ୍ତି ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠାନ ରାଉରକେଲା

An Institute of National Importance

Syllabus

Course Details

Subject {L-T-P / C} : PH6465 : Physics of Phase Transitions { 3-0-0 / 3}

Subject Nature : Theory

Coordinator : Prof. Suryanarayan Dash

Syllabus

Phase, phase diagrams, phase transitions, Phase equilibrium, Thermodynamics and
Statistical mechanics of phase transitions. Phase transitions in the Early Universe. Water-ice
(liquid-solid), Dielectric, Magnetic and Superconductive transitions etc. Phase
transformations in metals, alloys, fluids, Biopolymers (gelations). Liquid crystals and
Superfluidity (He3
-He4
).Phase Transitions under Extreme Conditions and in large natural and
technical systems. Formalism of first and second order phase transitions. Landau theory,
Mean-Field theory. Recent scenario. Kinetic arrest and Glass transition. Transitions in Thin
films, Microstructures and Nanostructures. Critical phenomena a survey of some basic
results

Course Objectives

  • Basic understanding of the phases and related transitions surrounds you
  • Idea of various thermodynamic as well as kinetic phase transitions and critical <br />phenomena
  • Theoretical approach of the phase transitions through Landau theory and their <br />classifications

Course Outcomes

Basic understanding of the phases and related transitions surrounds you, Idea of various thermodynamic as well as kinetic phase transitions and critical <br />phenomena, Theoretical approach of the phase transitions through Landau theory and their classifications

Essential Reading

  • P. M. Chaikin and T. C. Lubensky, Principles of condensed matter physics, Cambridge Univ. Press. New York,2000.
  • P. Papon, J. Leblond and P. H. E. Meijer, The physics of Phase Transitions” Concepts and Applications, 2nd Edition, Springer, 2006

Supplementary Reading

  • H. Eugene Stanley, Introduction to phase transitions and critical Phenomena”,, Clarendon Press, Oxford.
  • Ricard V. Sole, Phase transitions, Princeton University Press, 2011