Advanced Quantum Physics

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

This course is the culmination of the bachelor quantum mechanics curriculum. The course start with a brief recap, after which it discusses:
• Symmetries in Quantum Mechanics. How do symmetries work in QM? Con-
sequences of various symmetries (translations, rotations, parity). Selection rules.
Wigner-Eckart theorem.
• Time-dependent perturbation theory. Interaction of quantum systems with
electromagnetic radiation. Spontaneous emission/absorption, Fermi’s Golden Rule.
• Quantum information. Concepts of density matrices and entanglement; quan-
tum tricks.
• Scattering in quantum mechanics

Study materials

Literature

• Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (3rd edition), by Griffiths and Schroeter; other material will be announced later.

Objectives

• Students should develop physical intuition for the properties of quantum mechanical systems.
• Students should understand and be able to apply the basic properties of quantum information theory: entanglement between particles, the density matrix description, and related topics. 

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Self-study
• Exercise sessions
• Presentation/symposium

The material will be presented during lectures, with ample time for discussion. The exercise sessions provide an opportunity practice with the material and deepen understanding. There is an optional presentation on a topic beyond that covered in the course, that can improve your grade.

Learning activities

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (TER-B):

• Each student is expected to participate actively in each component of the programme that he/she signed up for. A student that does not attend the first two seminars of a course, will be administratively removed from the seminar group. A request for reregistration for the seminars can be applied to the programme coordinator.
• If a student cannot attend an obligatory component of a programme's component due to circumstances beyond his control, he must report in writing to the relevant teacher as soon as possible. The teacher, if necessary after consulting the study adviser, may decide to issue the student a replacing assignment.
• It is not allowed to miss obligatory commponents of the programme if there is no case of circumstances beyond one's control.
• In case of participating qualitatively or quantitatively insufficiently, the examiner can expel a student from further participation in the programme's component or a part of that component. Conditions for sufficient participation are set down in advance in the course manual.

Assessment

A grade of at least a 5 on the final exam is needed to pass the course. There is an optional midterm (20%) and presentation (20%) that only count if their grade is higher than the grade on the final exam. 

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. W.J. Waalewijn