Duration
20h Th, 5h Pr
Number of credits
| Master in physics (120 ECTS) | 4 crédits | |||
| Master in space sciences (120 ECTS) | 3 crédits | |||
| Master in physics (60 ECTS) | 4 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The aim of this course is to familiarize the student with relativistic quantum mechanics. It essentially covers the relativistic wave equations (Klein-Gordon, Dirac, Maxwell) for spin 0, spin 1/2 or spin 1 particles. It is explained through the formalism of second quantization how such equations imply a bosonic or fermionic character of the associated particles.
Topics of the course in detail:
- special relativity
- Maxwell's equations
- quantization of fields
- Klein-Gordon equation
- Dirac equation
- Pauli equation and its relativistic corrections
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Principal objectives of this course: - to understand the notion of relativistic covariance and its implications - to get familiarized with the fundamental equations (Maxwell/Klein-Gordon and Dirac) that govern the dynamics of the elementary particles in our universe - to understand the association of the (integer or half-integer) spin with the (bosonic or fermionic) statistics of a particle - to understand how non-relativistic quantum mechanics emerges as limiting case of relativistic quantum mechanics - to prepare for the course "Quantum field theory"
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Having followed an introductory course on non-relativistic quantum mechanics
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)
The course will be given "ex cathedra" on the blackboard.
Recommended or required readings
Recommended literature: - J. Bjorken & S. Drell: "Relativistic Quantum Mechanics" (McGraw-Hill, 1964) - A.S. Davydov: "Quantum Mechanics" (chapter VIII) (Pergamon, 1965) - W. Greiner: "Relativistic Quantum Mechanics: Wave Equations" (Springer 1987) - L.D. Landau & E.M. Lifshits: "Relativistic Quantum Theory" (Pergamon, 1971)
Assessment methods and criteria
The evaluation will be done by an individual oral exam of 30 minutes on the contents of the course.
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
Contacts
Peter Schlagheck Département de Physique Université de Liège IPNAS, building B15, office 0/125 Sart Tilman 4000 Liège Phone: 04 366 9043 Email: Peter.Schlagheck@ulg.ac.be http://www.pqs.ulg.ac.be
Adaptation of teaching commitments following the COVID-19 pandemic for the May-June 2020 session
Teaching methods implemented : distance-learning
Assessment subjects
Assessment methods
Contacts
Adaptation of teaching commitments following the COVID-19 pandemic for the Aug-Sept 2020 session
Assessment subjects
The subject matter to be evaluated covers the entire course.
Assessment methods
The evaluation will be done by an individual oral exam via lifesize.
Contacts
Peter Schlagheck Département de Physique Université de Liège IPNAS, bâtiment B15, local 0/125 Sart Tilman 4000 Liège Tél : 04 366 9043 Email : Peter.Schlagheck@ulg.ac.be http://www.pqs.ulg.ac.be
Items online
lecture notes
lecture notes