Topology and New Kinds of Order in Condensed Matter Physics (PH2246)
Summer 2019

Lecturer: : Frank Pollmann

Lectures: Monday 10:00 - 12:00; Wednesday 10:00 - 12:00
Opern Tutorials: Thursday 12:15-14:00 
Tutorials: Friday 10:00 - 12:00 

With the discovery of the integer and fractional quantum Hall effect in the 1980s, it was realized that not all phases of matter occurring in nature can be understood using Landau’s theory. The quantum Hall state represents a distinct phase of matter which can occur even when there is no local order parameter or spontaneous breaking of a global symmetry. Phases of this new kind are now usually referred to as topological phases. This lecture course gives an introduction to different theoretical aspects of topological phases and their experimental signatures. The following topics are covered in the course

Outline:

Introduction
(1) Landau Theory, Kosterlitz Thouless transition [PDF]
(2) Quantum Phases of matter, second quantization, quantum-Ising model

Quantum Hall Effect 
(3) Phenomenology, Disorder, Laughlin’s argument, Berry Phase, TKKN

Topological Band structures
(4) Su-Schrieffer-Heeger Model: Edge modes, topological invariant
(5) Haldane model
(6) 2D TR-invariant topological insulators
(7) 3D TR-invariant topological insulators
(8) 3D Weyl semimetals
(9) Topological superconductors: Kitaev chain
(10) Periodic table of topological band structures

Topological order 
(11) Fractional quantum Hall effect
(12) Quantum spin systems and entanglement
(13) Toric code and anyons
(14) A glimpse at topological quantum computing
(15) Quantum Spin Liquids

Interacting Symmetry Protected Topological Phases 

(16) Symmetry Protected Topological Phases in 1D
(17) Symmetry Protected Topological Phases in 2D

Fractionalization and emergent electrodynamics 
(17) 3D Spin ice and monopoles 

[The files are protected by a password. I'll mail the password on request.] 

Literature:

Quantum Field Theory of Many-Body Systems, X.-G. Wen, Oxford.
Graduate Text Lecture notes by John Preskill: http://www.theory.caltech.edu/~preskill/ph219/topological.pdf.
Lecture notes by Alexei Kitaev and Chris Laumann: http://arxiv.org/pdf/0904.2771v1.pdf
Review article by Chetan Nayak et al.: http://arxiv.org/pdf/0707.1889v2.pdf.

TUM Course Website PH2246   

Also of interest: A complementary course focussing on the experimental aspects of topological phases in condensed matter physics "Topological Electronics and Materials" held by Dr. Christoph Kastl and Prof. A. Holleitner (Wednesdays from 12 pm to 2 pm, TUM Course Website