Soft Matter Physics Course Notes

中文版：软物质物理课程笔记

These notes are split by teaching unit. Each page keeps the relevant instructor, core concepts, formulas, and exam cues together instead of placing the whole course into one long page.

Units

Topic	Instructor	Notes
Introduction: The Challenges, Relevance and Fun of Soft Matter	Zhang Hepeng	English / 中文
Fluid dynamics	Zhang Hepeng	English / 中文
Elasticity	Zhang Jie	English / 中文
Brownian Motion, Thermal Fluctuations and Diffusion	Cao Xin	English / 中文
Soft Matter Phases	Cao Xin	English / 中文
Polymers	Xu Heng	English / 中文
Liquid Crystals	Yao Zhenwei	English / 中文
Interfaces, Surfaces and Membranes	Yao Zhenwei	English / 中文

Suggested Review Order

1. Start with Introduction for the shared language: k_B T, mesoscopic scale, entropy, and fluctuations.
2. Read Fluid dynamics and Brownian Motion together to connect low-Reynolds-number flow, damping, and diffusion.
3. Use Elasticity, Polymers, and Liquid Crystals for solid deformation, chain conformation, and orientational order.
4. Use Soft Matter Phases and Interfaces/Membranes for phase behavior, self-assembly, surfaces, and curved membranes.

Shared Formula Thread

thermal=$k_B T$ sets the fluctuation scale

viscous=$\sigma_{ij}=-p\delta_{ij}+\eta(\partial_i v_j+\partial_j v_i)$

elastic=$S_{ij}=2\mu e_{ij}+\lambda e_{kk}\delta_{ij}$

diffusion=$\langle\Delta r^2\rangle=2dDt$

interfaces=$\Delta p=\gamma\left(\frac{1}{R_1}+\frac{1}{R_2}\right)$