Subject Code: PH7L003 Subject Name: Non Equilibrium Phenomena in Physics L-T-P: 3-0-0 Credit: 3
Pre-requisite(s): Nil
Introduction: examples of non-equilibrium phenomena (i) glass transition;(ii) nucleation; (iii) phase separation; Experimental probes: dynamic scattering; inelastic neutron scattering; Theoretical tools: Two alternative theoretical approaches (a) Langevin equation - dissipation, non-linearity and noise; illustration with translational Brownian motion; (b) Fokker-Planck equation diffusion and drift; illustration with (i) translational Brownian motion, (ii) rotational Brownian motion; master equation - loss and gain of probabilities; concept of detailed balance;  metastability and bi-stability: Kramers’ theory of thermally activated barrier crossing , applications in (i)  chemical reactions (ii) rock magnetism; Stochastic resonance : enhancing signals with the help of noise - applications of stochastic resonance in (a) nonlinear optics, (b) solid state devices, (c) neuro-science, (d) molecular motors and biological locomotion; Driven diffusive systems : Non-equilibrium steady-states in driven system, driven systems of interacting particles - applications to vehicular traffic; The phenomenon of Surface Growth: Roughening, Dynamic Scaling, Significance of correlations; Growth models;  Random and Ballistic depositions.; Edward Wilkinson model.; Kardar-Parisi-Zhang model; Relaxation Phenomenon in nanomagnets: Relaxation of magnetic nanoparticles; superparamagnetism; spinglass phenomena; ageing; memory effects.
Text Books/Reference Books:
  1. Van Kampen N.G., Stochastic Processes in Physics and Chemistry, North-Holland.
  2. Risken H. & Frank T., b, Springer.
  3. Zwanzig R., Non-equilibrium Statistical Mechanics, Oxford University Press, USA.
  4. Lemons D. S., An Introduction to the Stochastic Processes in Physics, The Johns Hopkins University Press.
  5. Dattagupta S. & Puri S., Dissipative Phenomena in Condensed Matter Physics: Some Applications,Springer.
  6. Gardiner C. W., Handbook of Stochastic Methods: for Physics, Chemistry and Natural Sciences, Springer.
  7. Dattagupta S., A Paradigm Called Magnetism, World Scientific Publishing Company.