Applied Quantum and Statistical Physics
MIT's course from the Devices, Circuits, and Systems concentration covers elementary quantum mechanics and statistical physics with an emphasis on experimental grounding. Topics include the Schrodinger equation applied to free particles, tunneling, the harmonic oscillator, and the hydrogen atom, along with variational methods and the Fermi-Dirac, Bose-Einstein, and Boltzmann distribution functions. The course connects these concepts to simple models of metals and semiconductors, and to real devices including electron microscopes, scanning tunneling microscopes, atomic force microscopes, and thermionic emitters. Materials come through MIT OpenCourseWare and typically include lecture notes, problem sets, and exams, made available under a Creative Commons license for self-study at no cost. The course sits at the intersection of physics and electrical engineering, aimed at students who want to see how quantum theory underlies the instruments and devices used in experimental physics and engineering labs.