A course in basic statistical mechanics or equivalent. Lecture notes will be provided.
Pattern formation arises in different contexts in a variety of systems.
Familiar examples of such pattern formation are found in binary mixtures of metals, fluids, polymers and liquid crystals which undergo phase segregation. The course will develop unified approaches which provide insights into the origin of such phenomena. The course will also discuss mechanisms responsible for pattern formation and pattern selection. The roles that interfaces and their motion play in determining the structure and dynamics of such patterns will be developed. Students should attend the first class before purchasing these books.