2024 Faculty Courses School of Science Department of Physics Graduate major in Physics
Superfluidity
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Physics
- Instructor(s)
- Satoshi Okuma
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- PHY.C442
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
When liquid helium is cooled to an extremely low temperature, the liquid enters a superfluid state in which it flows without viscosity. This superfluid state is an example of quantum phenomena appearing on the macroscopic level. This course will give an overview of the physics of superfluid, and go over how it can be understood and described as a quantum many-body problem. Specifically, students will learn about the properties of the superfluid state, Bose-Einstein condensate, quantized vortex/elemental excitation, the two-fluid model/sound waves, two-dimensional superfluid, etc.
Course description and aims
By completing this course, students will be able to:
1) Study how the superfluidity, which is a macroscopic quantum phenomenon seen at low temperatures, can be explained in terms of physics of the quantum many-body problem.
2) Understand that liquid helium shows the superfluidity at very low temperatures, where the helium behaves as a fluid with zero viscosity.
3) Understand and explain how the physics of the superfluidity is described as a quantum effect on a macroscopic scale.
Keywords
Bose-Einstein condensation, superfluidity, phase diagram, quantized vortex, elementary excitation, sound waves, two-fluid model
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Handouts will be distributed at the beginning of each class. Students are given exercise problems related to the lecture to better understand the contents.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Phase diagram of helium | Explain the phase diagram of helium 3 and helium 4. |
| Class 2 | Basic properties of superfluidity | Explain basic properties of superfluidity. |
| Class 3 | Bose-Einstein condensation | Explain Bose-Einstein condensation. |
| Class 4 | Quantized vortex and elementary excitation | Explain the relation between elementary excitations and superfluidity. |
| Class 5 | Two-fluid model and sound waves | Explain the various sound waves in helium 4. |
| Class 6 | Two dimensional superfluidity | Describe the characteristic of two dimensional superfluidity. |
| Class 7 | Other topics related to superfluidity | Explain other topics related to superfluidity you are interested in. |
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)
To be specified by the instructor.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
To be specified by the instructor. Handouts (pdf file) will be distributed.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Based on exams.
Related courses
- ZUB.Q204 ： Quantum Mechanics I
- ZUB.Q206 ： Quantum Mechanics II
- ZUB.S205 ： Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics I
- ZUB.S310 ： Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics II
- PHY.S440 ： Statistical Mechanics III
- PHY.Q438 ： Quantum Mechanics of Many-Body Systems
- PHY.C443 ： Superconductivity
Prerequisites
No prerequisites are necessary, but enrollment in the related courses is desirable.
Other
This course "Superfluidity" would be ended in 2024.