MPhys Physics

Superconductors and Superfluids

To describe and explain the unique properties of superconductors and superfluids and to show how they exhibit quantum mechanical phenomena on a macroscopic scale.

1. Weakly interacting Bose gases, Bose-Einstein condensation, ground state and excitations.

(2 lectures)

2. Liquid 4He and 3He, properties of superfluid 4He, macroscopic wave function, quantized circulation and vortices, excitations, Landau criterion for superfluidity, two-fluid hydrodynamics, first and second sound.

(6 lectures)

3. Microscopic theory of superconductivity, Cooper problem, elements of BCS theory, excitations, thermodynamic properties.

(6 lectures)

4. Superconductors, persistent current and Meissner effect, evidence for energy gap, London  electrodynamics and penetration depth, thermodynamics and critical field.

(4 lectures)

5. Ginzburg-Landau theory and coherence length, type I and type II behaviour, flux quantization, vortex state, flux pinning and applications.

(4 lectures)

6. Weakly coupled superconductors, Josephson effect, dc SQUID and applications.

(2 lectures)

Feedback will be available on students' comments on examples sheets, and model answers will be issued. 

Tilley, D.R. & Tilley, J. Superfluidity and Superconductivity, (Bristol: Hilger 1990);

Annett, J.F. Superconductivity, Superfluids and Condensates (Oxford 2004);

Schmidt, V.V. The Physics of Superconductors:  Introduction to Fundamentals and Applications, (Springer 1997);

Supplementary reading will be suggested throughout the course