Physics Courses

Program | Faculty | Master's | Doctoral | Courses

All courses carry 3 credits unless otherwise specified.

530 Radiation Physics

For science majors specializing in nuclear medicine, radiology, environmental sciences, radiation protection, and applied areas using ionizing radiations. Principles of atoms and nuclei, radioactivity, interaction of radiation with matter, radiation detectors and methods, applications of radioactive and stable nuclei as tracers. Special topics. Consent of instructor required. Credit, 4.

531 Electronics for Scientists I

Operation and use of the basic elements of modern electronics. Circuits designed and constructed in lab are tested using modern instrumentation. Principles of analog circuit analysis, filters, diodes, transistors, operational amplifiers, oscillators, power supplies, integrated circuits. A "hands-on" experience for those using electronic equipment in research, testing, and analysis. Recommended for majors in all pure and applied sciences and as preparation for digital electronics (Physic 532). Consent of instructor required. Credit, 4.

532 Electronics for Scientists II

Theory and practice of modern digital electronics. Topics include gate construction and families, flip-flops and flip-flop circuits, DAC and ADC, the 8086 microprocessor, assembly language, interrupts, DMA, digital communication, the 68000 microprocessor, machine language, and the building of a computer based on the 68000. Prerequisites: a course in electricity and magnetism; knowledge of basic dc and ac circuit concepts. Credit, 4.

535/6 Advanced Laboratory I, II

Experimental work in research lab setting. One or more experiments or an original research project. Available areas are atomic and molecular physics, nuclear physics, high energy physics, low temperature physics, optics, light scattering, radiation physics, and others. For majors in physics or astronomy. Consent of instructor required. Credit, 1-3.

553 Optics

Lecture, discussion, laboratory. Modern optics. Geometrical and classical physical optics. Matrix methods in optical design. Optical instruments. Interference and spatial coherence. Diffraction. Fourier transform spectroscopy. Prerequisites: Physic 422, 424. Credit, 4.

556 Nuclei and Elementary Particles

Nuclear properties and models, nuclear decays and reactions. Interactions of hadrons and leptons, internal symmetries and quantum numbers, quarks, unified interactions and gauge symmetry. Prerequisite: Physic 424.

558 Solid State Physics

Introduction to the properties of solids. Emphasis on the key role played by quantum mechanics in determining the electrical and thermal properties of metals, in-sulators, semiconductors, and magnets. For senior and graduate students in physics and astronomy, the physical sciences, and engineering. Prerequisites: Physic 423 and 424.

562 Advanced Electricity and Magnetism

Description of electric and magnetic fields in a dynamical context-electromagnetic radiation theory, optics, plasma physics, relativistic electrodynamics, cavity reso-nators, waveguides. Prerequisite: Physic 422.

564 Introductory Quantum Mechanics I

Breakdown of classical physics, wave mechanics including the Schroedinger equation and its interpretation, one-dimensional problems, uncertainty principle, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom. Prerequisites: Physic 422, 424.

601 Classical Mechanics

Lagrange's and Hamilton's equations, central force problem, rigid bodies, small oscillations, continuum mechanics, fluid dynamics. Prerequisites: Physic 421, 422.

602 Statistical Physics

Survey of thermodynamics. Boltzmann distribution, statistical interpretation of thermodynamics, Gibbsian ensembles and the method of Darwin, Fowler; quantum distributions and their applications, transport phenomena. Prerequisites: Physic 564, 601, 606 (the latter may be taken concurrently).

605 Methods of Mathematical Physics

Selected topics with application to physics in linear algebra and Hilbert space theory, complex variables, Green's functions, partial differential equations, in-tegral transforms, integral equations. Credit, 4.

606 Classical Electrodynamics I

Electrostatic and magnetostatic fields in vacuum and material medium. Maxwell's equations, radiation, and special relativity. Covariant formulation of the field equations. Fields of a moving charge, motion of particles, radiation reaction, applications to physical phenomena as time permits. Prerequisites: Physic 601, 605. Credit, 4.

614 Intermediate Quantum Mechanics II

Abstract quantum mechanics, Hilbert space, representation theory, three-dimensional problems, angular momentum, spin, vector coupling, bound state perturbation theory, variational method. Prerequisite: Physic 564, 605 (concurrently).

615 Intermediate Quantum Mechanics III

Angular momentum, time dependent and time independent perturbation theory, semi-classical and quantum treatment of radiation, scattering theory, Klein-Gordon equation, Dirac equation. Prerequisite: Physic 614.

696 Independent Study

Special study in some branch of physics, either theoretical or experimental, under direction of a faculty member.

699 Master's Thesis

Credit, 6.

710 Advanced Quantum Mechanics IV

Semiclassical radiation theory, non-relativistic second quantization, advanced scattering theory, relativistic wave-equations. Prerequisite: Physic 615.

714 Introductory High Energy Physics

Introduction to physics of elementary particles; treating the development of the field, the particle spectrum, symmetries, quarks, experimental methods, an introduction to theories of the strong, electromagnetic and weak interaction, and recent developments. Prerequisites: Physic 614, 606.

715 Introductory Solid State Physics

Solids treated as translational symmetry structures, their effect in x-ray and particle scattering, and thermal and vibrational properties of solids. Binding energy of solids, electronics in periodic potentials, and formation of bands. The free electron model of metals. Prerequisite: Physic 614.

716 Introduction to Superfluidity and Superconductivity

Description of fundamental experiments and properties of superfluid ^He, ¨He and superconductors. The two fluid model, elementary excitations, fluid structure, vortices, superfluid films and macroscopic quantum effects in superfluidity. Type I and II superconductors, the mixed state, the Meisner effect, superconducting junctions and an introduction to devices. Prerequisite: Physic 614.

718 Basic Physics of Atoms and Molecules

Quantum description of free atoms and molecules and their interactions with external fields, radiation, and electrons. Prerequisite: Physic 564.

719 Nuclear Physics

Basic concepts of nuclear physics, instruments and methods. Natural radioactivity, nuclear radiations their properties and interaction with matter, nuclear-radiation detectors, electrostatic and magnetic analyzers, mass spectrometry, charged particle accelerators, elementary discussion of alpha and beta decay, nuclear isomerism, internal conversion, nuclear reactions, neutron physics, fissions, nuclear spin and magnetic moments, cosmic rays and ele-mentary particles. Prerequisite: Physic 614.

723 Topics in Mathematical Physics

Subjects vary depending on instructor. Most recently has included topics in nonlinear dynamics. Prerequisites: Physic 605 and consent of instructor.

724 Group Theory in Quantum Mechanics

Finite dimensional groups and their representations; representations of the permutation group; representations of SU(n), tensor representations, decomposition of direct product representations; three-dimensional rotation group. Clebsch-Gordon and Racah co-efficients; the Lorentz group and its representations; applications to atomic, solid state, nuclear and high energy physics. Prerequisite: Physic 615.

811 Field Theory

Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations, formal scattering theory, field quantization, interacting fields, S-matrix, reduction formulae, perturbation theory and Feynman diagrams, renormalization, path integrals, and recent developments. Prerequisite: Physic 710.

813 High Energy Physics

Advanced study of particle physics. Topics vary with instructor; may include the theory of the weak interactions, deep inelastic scattering, phenomenology of the strong and weak interactions, quantum chromodynamics, gauge theory, attempts at unification, and recent developments. Prerequisite: Physic 714.

816 Solid State Physics

Transport phenomena in solids including semiconductors, optical properties of solids, superconductivity, superfluidity, magnetism. Topics vary with instructor. Prerequisite: Physic 715.

817 Advanced Statistical Physics

Phase transitions, including condensation; description of imperfect gases. Transport theory and other nonequilibrium phenomena. Irreversible processes. Field theoretic quantum statistical physics. Prerequisite: Physic 602.

818 Atomic Structure

Advanced course. Theory of complex spectra, fine structure, hyperfine structure, electron spin, Zeeman effect, the theory of atomic collisions, general theory of multiplets and magnetic and radiative properties of atoms. Prerequisite: Physic 615.

820 Nuclear Theory

Theoretical understanding of nuclear structure. Internucleon forces, the deu-tron and the two-body problem, nuclear models and structure of complex nuclei, electromagnetic properties of nuclei, theory of alpha and beta decay, theory of nuclear reactions. Prerequisites: Physic 615 and 719.

821 Relativity

Mathematical and conceptual aspects of the special and general theories of relativity. Lorentz transformations, covariant formulation of the laws of nature. The equivalence principle, curved spaces, solutions of the equations of relativity. Prerequisite: Physic 607.

850 Advanced Topics in Physics

One or more subjects of special interest covered in lectures. Consent of instructor required.

851 Special Topics in Nuclear Physics

Advanced and current topics in nuclear physics. Prerequisite: Physic 820.

852 Special Topics in High Energy Physics

Advanced and current topics in high energy physics. Prerequisite: Physic 813.

853 Special Topics in Solid State Physics

Advanced and current topics in solid state physics. Prerequisite: Physic 816.

854 Special Topics in Atomic Physics

Advanced and current topics in atomic physics. Prerequisite: Physic 818.

860 Seminar on Research Topics

Instruction via reading assignments and seminars on research topics not currently covered in regular courses. Consent of instructor required. Credit, 1-3.

899 Doctoral Dissertation

Credit, 18.