Course abstract

This course builds on the previous NPTEL course 'Special/Select Topics in Atomic Physics' given by Dr. P.C.Deshmukh and aims at preparing senior students for graduate research in some key areas of theoretical atomic physics. The course is covered in 7 Modules. The focus of this course is set on providing the tools that are necessary to study, and engage in, some frontier research areas of theoretical atomic physics. Methods of quantum collision theory, partial waves phase shift analysis, ingoing and outgoing boundary conditions, time-reversal symmetry etc. are introduced. The student is then taken through the methods of second quantization and approximation methods in addressing many-electron correlations, with a special emphasis on the random phase approximation. Feynman diagrammatic methods are introduced. An introduction to the quantum defect theory is provided and some applications of these techniques are summarized.