Introduction to Statistical Mechanics Course | IIT Guwahati | Prof. Setlur
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 46 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Core |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 8 weeks |
| Categories | Physics |
| Credit Points | 2 |
| Level | Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 19 Jan 2026 |
| End Date | 13 Mar 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 02 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 16 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 29 Mar 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
Introduction to Statistical Mechanics: An 8-Week Postgraduate Course
Delve into the fundamental principles that bridge the microscopic world of atoms and molecules with the macroscopic properties of everyday materials. This detailed 8-week postgraduate course, Introduction to Statistical Mechanics, is expertly designed and instructed by Prof. Girish S. Setlur from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati.
About the Instructor: Prof. Girish S. Setlur
Prof. Girish S. Setlur is a distinguished researcher in the field of Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics. His work focuses on deriving the properties of bulk materials from the fundamental laws governing their constituent particles. A renowned innovator, Prof. Setlur is the inventor of the non-chiral bosonization technique for studying strongly inhomogeneous systems and introduced the concept of a non-local particle-hole creation operator for diagonalizing interacting Fermi systems. His research interests also extend to the nonlinear optical properties of topological materials, ensuring the course content is informed by cutting-edge scientific inquiry.
Course Overview
This course serves as a rigorous introduction to both classical and quantum statistical mechanics. It is tailored for students seeking to understand how the collective behavior of vast numbers of particles gives rise to the thermodynamic laws we observe. The curriculum is structured to build a strong conceptual foundation before applying these principles to key physical systems.
Intended Audience: M.Sc. students, beginning Ph.D. students in Physics, and interested individuals with a strong background in core physics concepts.
Prerequisites: A solid understanding of Thermodynamics, Classical Mechanics, and Quantum Mechanics is required to fully engage with the course material.
Detailed 8-Week Course Layout
| Week | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Review of thermodynamics, Hamiltonian mechanics for classical and quantum systems. |
| Week 2 | Microcanonical ensemble and the statistical definition of entropy. State counting in systems with finite and infinite degrees of freedom. |
| Week 3 | Canonical ensemble, temperature, and the partition function. Relation between ensembles. Thermodynamic potentials and Legendre transformations. |
| Week 4 | Other ensembles (e.g., Grand Canonical). Concept of fugacity. Derivation of the ideal classical gas equation of state. |
| Week 5 | Equation of state for ideal Bose and Fermi gases. Exploration of Bose-Einstein condensation and Fermi degeneracy pressure. |
| Week 6 | Introduction to non-ideal gases: The Van der Waals equation of state and the concept of a phase diagram. |
| Week 7 | Magnetic systems: Ising model and Potts model. Exact solution on a 1D lattice using the transfer matrix method. Mean-field theory solution in high dimensions. |
| Week 8 | Applications: Pauli paramagnetism, electronic contribution to specific heat, and theories of lattice specific heat (Debye and Einstein models). |
Key Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Master the principles of microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical ensembles.
- Derive thermodynamic properties from partition functions.
- Understand and apply quantum statistics to ideal Bose and Fermi gases.
- Model phase transitions and critical phenomena using foundational models like the Ising model.
- Explain macroscopic phenomena like specific heat and magnetism from a statistical perspective.
Recommended Textbooks & Resources
To support your learning journey, the following textbooks are highly recommended:
- Heat and Thermodynamics by Zemansky and Dittman (7th Ed.)
- Principles of Thermodynamics by Hari Dass N.D.
- Statistical Mechanics by Pathria and Beale (3rd Ed.)
- Statistical and Thermal Physics: An Introduction by Lokanathan and Gambhir
- Fundamentals of Statistical Mechanics by B.B. Laud
Who Should Enroll?
This course is perfectly suited for:
- Postgraduate (M.Sc.) students in Physics seeking a strong foundation in statistical mechanics.
- Early-stage Ph.D. students in Condensed Matter Physics, Theoretical Physics, or related fields.
- Professionals and enthusiasts with the requisite background who wish to deepen their understanding of how microscopic physics dictates macroscopic reality.
Embark on this intellectual journey with Prof. Setlur to unravel the statistical laws that govern the material world, from ideal gases to magnetic phase transitions. Enroll today to build a powerful toolkit for advanced research in theoretical and condensed matter physics.
Enroll Now →