2021 Faculty Courses School of Science Department of Physics Graduate major in Physics
Quantum Transport
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Physics
- Instructor(s)
- Toshimasa Fujisawa
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- PHY.C444
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course focuses on quantum transport of electrons with electron spins in materials at low temperatures. While high-quality semiconductors will be considered as typical materials, quantum transport in other materials will be introduced as well. Quantum transport, such as in electrical transport, is attractive for studying non-equilibrium phenomena, where the system can be continuously varied from a nearly thermal equilibrium condition to a highly non-equilibrium situation. The lecture is organized to focus on interference effects, Coulomb interactions, spin-orbit interactions, and so on, in low-dimensional systems. Some exercises will be provided for each section.
Course description and aims
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand fundamental laws in quantum transport
- Understand basic transport characteristics of low-dimensional electron systems.
- Understand intriguing quantum transport associated with interactions.
Keywords
Quantum transport phenomena, low-dimensional electron systems, quanyum Hall effect, quantum dot
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Sufficient understanding will be reached by providing a lecture and an exercise for each section. The lecture includes fundamental concepts and laws as well as up-to-date research topics. Students will be asked to submit reports for the exercises.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | The objective of the course and overview of quantum transport. | Understand the overview of quantum transport. |
| Class 2 | Band structure and symmetry | Exercises (subject to change) |
| Class 3 | Single-electron transport and zero-dimensional electron systems | Exercises (subject to change) |
| Class 4 | Quantum transport based on the density matrix | Exercises (subject to change) |
| Class 5 | Quantum transport based on the scattering theory | Exercises (subject to change) |
| Class 6 | Quantum Hall effects | Exercises (subject to change) |
| Class 7 | Quantum interference effects | Exercises (subject to change) |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Lecture Note will be provided
Reference books, course materials, etc.
T. T. Heikkila, The Physics of Nanoelectronics, Transport and Fluctuation Phenomena at Low temperatures, Oxford Master Series in Condensed Matter Physics, ISBN-13: 978-0199673490
Yuli V. Nazarov and Yaroslav M. Blanter, Quantum Transport: Introduction to Nanoscience, Cambridge University Press, ISBN-13: 978-0521832465
Evaluation methods and criteria
Reports
Related courses
- PHY.C340 ： Basic Solid State Physics
Prerequisites
No requirements.