Selected Topics in Contemporary Physics

Enrollment into the program.

Topics of A. Gomboc: Challenges in modern high-energy astrophysics, contemporary view on evolution of galaxies, models of planetary systems and exoplanets formation.
Topics of T. Zwitter: Galactic archaeology; dynamics, history and formation of our Galaxy and its components, including interstellar matter and dark matter; population properties of basic stellar parameters (age, mass, size, rotation, activity and detailed chemical composition) from the first stars in the Universe to the ones today and in the future. Population properties of single, double, multiple stellar systems, and of planets in such systems.
Topics of S. Fajfer: Physics beyond standard model, origin of neutrino masses, grand unified theories of fundamental interactions, supersymetric theories, theories in extra dimensional space.
Topics of P. Križan and B. Golob: contemporary experimental methods in nuclear and particle physics, research results from energy and intensity frontier experiments; measurements of rare processes in underground experiments; research results in astroparticle physics.
Topics of J. Bonča: Model with strongly correlated electrons, spin and frustrated spin systems, Mott insulators, Kondo systems, topological insulators, nonequilibrium systems, relaxation dynamics of correlated electron systems, driven many body systems; numerical metods: Lanczos method, metod of numerical renormalisation group, dynamical mean field method, time-dependent methods.
Topics of I. Muševič: Physics of liquid crystal surfaces and colloids – surfaces and structure of liquid crystal interfaces. Experimental techniques: structural forces, AFM, STM, nonlinear optical spectroscopy. Nematic colloids, topological defects in liquid crystals, topology of nematic and chiral nematic colloids. Experimental techniques: confocal fluorescent microscopy, optical tweezers and nonlinear microscopy methods in soft matter.

Topics of R. Podgornik, M. Ravnik and P. Ziherl:
Liquid crystals: elasticity of nematic, lamellar, columnar, and smectic phases; nematodynamics; dislocations, disclinations, and topological point defects; phase transitions in liquid crystals.
Polymers: polymer statistics; Edwards theory; polymer scaling; self-consistent field theory; Flory theory and segregation; polymer-surface interctions; dynamics of single chain and many-chain systems; Rouse and Zimm dynamics, entanglement effects.
Colloids: effective interactions in colloids; colloidal glasses and arrested states of matter; hydrodynamics of colloids.
Topics of I. Drevenšek Olenik: modern optical spectroscopy, time-resolved methods, optical techniques based on light scattering, selected nonlinear optical phenomena, optical communications, optical signal processing, special materials for applications in photonics, integrated photonics units.
Topics of R. Jeraj: Advanced methods in medical physics; advanced methodologies in medical imaging (PET, SPECT, MRI, CT) and biomedical optics; advanced methodologies in therapy (radiotherapy, targeted therapies); results of clinical studies in oncology, neurology and cardiology; modeling of biological systems (tumors, neuro, cardiovascular systems)

S. Rosswog, M. Bruggen, Introduction to High-Energy Astrophysics, (Cambridge University Press), 2007.
M. van Putten, A. Levinson, Relativistic Astrophysics of the Transient Universe, (Cambridge University Press), 2012.
H. Mo, F. van den Bosch, S. White,Galaxy Formation and Evolution, (Cambridge University Press), 2010.
P.J. Armitage, Astrophysics of Planet Formation, (Cambridge University Press), 2013.
B.W.Carroll, D.A.Ostlie: An introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Addison-Wesley, 2006.
D.F. Gray: The Observation and Analysis of Stellar Atmospheres, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2005.
A.G.G.M Tielens: The Physics and Chemistry of the Interstellar Medium, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2005.
K.Freeman, J. Bland-Hawthorn: The New Galaxy: Signatures of its Formation, Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics (2002) 40, 487.
Y. Nagashima, Beyond the standard Model of Elementary Particle Physics Wiley/VCH, 2012;
O.M.Boyarkin, The Standard Model and Beyond II, CRC Press 2011.
The Physics of the B Factories, Bevan, A., Golob, B., Mannel, Th., Prell, S., Yabsley, B. (Eds.), Springer 2015;
LHC Phenomenology, Einan Gardi, Nigel Glover, Aidan Robson (Eds.), Springer 2015
Y. Nagashima, Beyond the standard Model of Elementary Particle Physics Wiley/VCH, 2012;
O.M.Boyarkin, The Standard Model and Beyond II, CRC Press 2011.
Gerald. D. Mahan, Many-Particle Physics, Plenum Press, New York 1990
A. Avella, F. Mancini, Strongly Correlated Systems, Springer Series in Solid-State Sciences 176, Spinger-Verlag Berlin Heilderberg 2013.
J. Israelachvili, Intermolecular and Surface Forces, Academic Press, 1992.
P. G. de Gennes, J. Prost, The Physics of Liquid Crystals, Oxford Science Publications, 1993.
P. M. Chaikin, T. C. Lubensky, Principles of condensed matter physics, Cambridge University Press, 1995.
M. Kleman in O. Lavrentovich, Soft Matter - An Introduction (Springer, Berlin, 2003).
T. A. Witten (s P. A. Pincusom), Structured Fluids: Polymers, Colloids, Surfactants (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2004).
M. Daoud in C. E. Williams (ur.), Soft Matter Physics (Springer, Berlin, 1999).
P. G. de Gennes in J. Prost, The Physics of Liquid Crystals (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2003).
P. G. de Gennes, Scaling Concepts in Polymer Physics (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 1979).
M. Muthukumar, Polymer Translocation (CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2011).
G. R. Strobl, The Physics of Polymers (Springer, Berlin, 2007).
C. Bechinger, F. Sciortino in P. Ziherl (ur.), Physics of Complex Colloids (IOS Press, Amsterdam, 2013).
W. Demtroder, Laser Spectroscopy, 2. izdaja, Springer, 1995.
G. H. Rieke, Detection of Light, Cambridge University Press, 2003.
A. Yariv, Optical Electronics in Modern Communications, Oxford University Press, 1997.
Y. R. Shen, Principles of Nonlinear Optics, John Wiley & Sons, 2002.
R.  Weissleder, B. Ross, A. Rehemtulla, S Gambhir, Editors, 2009, Molecular Imaging, People's Medical Publication House, ISBN: 978-1607950059
J. Van Dyk, Editor. 2013, The Modern Technology of Radiation Oncology, Medical Physics Publishing, ISBN: 978-1930524576
V. Cristini and J. Lowengrub, 2010, Multiscale Modeling of Cancer: An Integrated Experimental and Mathematical Modeling Approach, Cambridge University Press, ISBN: 978-0521884426

Presentation of current challenges and acquaintance with recent achievements in various fields of physics.

Knowledge and understanding:
Student acquires an overview of open scientific questions in various fields of physics and understanding of theoretical and experimental methods to solve those.

Application:
Obtained knowledge can be applied in doctoral thesis scientific research.

Reflection:
Usage of acquired knowledge to interconnection of related problems and scientific methods not directly involved in the field of doctoral thesis.

Transferable skills:
Deepened insight into contemporary scientific state-of-the-art in various fields provides knowledge that enables interconnection of theoretical and experimental methods.

Lectures, consultations.

Active attendance at lectures and in discussions
Discussion
passed / not passed (according to the Statute of UL)