Physics 850 - Soft Condensed Matter

variety of systems are driven out of equilibrium by converting energy to momentum at the constituent particle level. Self-propelling particles then interact and spontaneously organize into large-scale patterns. These active matters exhibit exotic properties such as collective motion, zero and negative viscosity, and production of net work from noise. Examples of active matter cover many orders of amplitude on length scale, ranging from microtubules in cells (nm) to schools of fish and flocks of birds(m). The class will cover a list of topics from single-particle level to system level: hydrodynamics at microscopic scale, biological swimmers, synthetic active colloids, interactions between active particles and with boundaries, transition from random to collective motion, statistical physics of active matter, and mechanical properties at large scales.

Introduction to Active Matter

A variety of systems are driven out of equilibrium by converting energy to momentum at the constituent particle level. Self-propelling particles then interact and spontaneously organize into large-scale patterns. These active matters exhibit exotic properties such as collective motion, zero and negative viscosity, and production of net work from noise. Examples of active matter cover many orders of amplitude on length scale, ranging from microtubules in cells (nm) to schools of fish and flocks of birds(m).

The class will cover a list of topics from single-particle level to system level: hydrodynamics at microscopic scale, biological swimmers, synthetic active colloids, interactions between active particles and with boundaries, transition from random to collective motion, statistical physics of active matter, and mechanical properties at large scales.
Prerequisites: 600-level Mechanics and Stat Mech; continuum mechanics recommended but not required.