M1 - Physics of Complex and Disordered Matter (SoftMat)

Fluids are all around us all the time, on every scale. To understand fluid mechanics is to understand the mechanics of what surrounds us: air and water in particular. As such, hydrodynamics is an essential part of any physicist's background.

EU Hydrodynamics provides an introduction to incompressible perfect (Euler) and viscous Newtonian (Navier-Stokes) fluid mechanics. Classical flows are presented, as well as the notion of boundary layer, instability and turbulence. Emphasis is placed more on physical ideas than on advanced mathematical or numerical resolution methods.

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TD courses in English for students in the Master 1 Physics program, who are aiming for professional autonomy in scientific English.

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This course is part of the foundation of modern physics. It provides a foundation of knowledge that is strictly necessary for all physics courses, since it lays the foundations for the theoretical description of the interaction between the electromagnetic field and elementary quantum elements such as two-level systems, atoms and molecules. It also provides the teaching needed to understand LASER, modern optical devices and spectroscopic methods and analyses.

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The aim of this module is to enable students to compare experimental reality with their theoretical knowledge. Particular attention is paid to writing up results and presenting them orally. Work is organized in eight-hour sessions, for which students choose a theme. They record their results and analyses in an experimental notebook modelled on the protocols used in laboratories. At the end of the semester, students choose a theme, which they develop in the form of a final report that they present orally. This course prepares students for the internships they will undertake during their studies.

Examples of experiments available: optical spectroscopy (IR, Visible), gamma spectroscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, acoustic spectroscopy; low-temperature photoluminescence; near-field spectroscopy (AFM, STM); electron microscopy...

The range of experiments on offer covers the areas of physics taught in the different Physics courses. Students are encouraged to choose the experiments that best match their interests. A major effort is made to integrate new data acquisition technologies and the use of computer tools to compare experiment and theory.

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Using two specific examples (X-ray diffraction and vibrations), this module shows in detail how to model the physical properties of a solid. The formalism will also be applied to finite systems, such as nanoparticles, and will remain valid for amorphous materials, but particular attention will be paid to periodic systems (from linear chains to protein crystals, via graphene and silicon). Associated with this periodicity will naturally appear the notion of reciprocal lattice.

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The course aims to give a general introduction to cellular and molecular biology, and to put into context the use of modern physics, with its quantitative methods and approaches, to describe biological systems and their complexity from the molecular to the cellular and tissue scales.

Quantifying phenomena, their physical interpretation and physico-mathematical modeling are also fundamental aspects of the course. The course opens up to philosophy and to the whole range of themes of this Master's program, centered on the study of the physical principles of the organization and dynamics of living, complex matter.

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This UE includes a refresher and a deepening of programming techniques as well as an introduction to numerical physics. We'll start with a review of procedural programming with the Python 3 language. Then we'll take an in-depth look at numerical methods relevant to physics, studying a selection of classical numerical analysis algorithms and applying them to physical problems.

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Introduction to advanced statistical physics: grand canonical set; quantum statistics; quantum fluids (Bose-Einstein condensation, thermal radiation; Sommerfeld theory); phase transitions; Ising model; mean-field theory; dynamics of complex systems.

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Carry out a research project in an academic or industrial laboratory.

Dates: May-June

Duration: 7 weeks minimum, extendable in July

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The mechanical and thermal properties of materials are at the heart of many applications in the field of materials for energy. After an introduction to these different fields of application, this course aims to define the different concepts needed to master both the mechanical and thermal properties of materials, with a focus on bulk materials.

Hourly volumes* :

            CM: 11H

            TD : 9H

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This course presents the concepts, foundations and orders of magnitude of the physics and physical chemistry of interfaces, which govern the mesoscopic scale of matter, and ultimately determine the behavior and properties of everyday objects: soil, milk, cheese, paints, inks, cosmetics, adhesives, lubricants, etc., as well as numerous technological processes and biological cells and membranes.

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Knowing how to acquire and process data is an essential skill in a professional scientific and/or technical context. The aim of this course is to address three types of know-how that are standard in the professional environment:

- Advanced use of spreadsheets (MS EXCEL, LO-CALC) for scientific and technical applications

- Network interconnections: infrastructures, TCP-IP protocol suite, security

- Introduction to relational databases (MS ACCESS, LO-BASE) - concepts & vocabulary, query creation, graphical reports, forms.

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