Course Catalog : Graduate Courses
| Course | Title | Description | Offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| P506 (4 cr.) |
Electricity and Magnetism I | Three hours of lectures and one hour of recitation. Development of Maxwell's equations. Conservation laws. Problems in electrostatics and magnetostatics. Introduction to the special functions of mathematical physics. Time-dependent solutions of Maxwell's equations. Motion of particles in given electromagnetic fields. Elementary theory of radiation. Plane waves in dielectric and conducting media. Dipole and quadruple radiation from nonrelativistic systems.
Useful Information: Mathematical Methods Web Page |
Fall 2008 |
| P507 (4 cr.) |
Electricity and Magnetism II | Three hours of lectures and one hour of recitation. Further development of radiation theory. Fourier analysis of radiation field and photons. Scattering and diffraction of electromagnetic waves. Special relativity. Covariant formulation of electromagnetic field theory.
P: P506. Useful Information: Mathematical Methods Web Page |
|
| P508 (1 cr.) |
Current Research in Physics | Presentations by faculty members designed to give incoming graduate students an overview of research opportunities in the department. | |
| P510 (3 cr.) |
Environmental Physics | For biological and physical science majors. Relationship of physics to current environmental problems. Energy production, comparison of sources and byproducts; nature of and possible solutions to problems of noise, particulate matter in atmosphere.
Meets with P310. |
Fall 2008 |
| P511 (4 cr.) |
Quantum Mechanics I | Three hours of lectures and one hour of recitation. Basic principles, the Schrödinger equation, wave functions, and physical interpretation. Bound and continuum states in one-dimensional systems. Bound states in central potential; hydrogen atom. Variational method. Time-independent perturbation theory.
Useful Information: Mathematical Methods Web Page |
Fall 2008 |
| P512 (4 cr.) |
Quantum Mechanics II | Three hours of lectures and one hour of recitation. Time-dependent perturbation theory. Schrödinger, Heisenberg and interaction pictures. Elementary theory of scattering. Rotations and angular momentum. Other symmetries. Nonrelativistic, many-particle quantum mechanics, symmetry and antisymmetry of wave functions, and Hartree-Fock theory of atoms and nuclei.
P: P511. Useful Information: Mathematical Methods Web Page |
|
| P521 (3 cr.) |
Classical Mechanics | Vector and tensor analysis. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics. Conservation laws and variational principles. Two-body motion, many-particle systems, and rigid-body motion. Canonical transformations and Hamilton-Jacobi theory. Continuum mechanics with introduction to complex variables.
Useful Information: Mathematical Methods Web Page |
Fall 2008 |
| P522 (3 cr.) |
Advanced Classical Mechanics | Mathematical methods of classical mechanics; exterior differential forms, with applications to Hamiltonian dynamics. Dynamical systems and nonlinear phenomena; chaotic motion, period doubling, and approach to chaos. | |
| P535 (3 cr.) |
Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics | Survey of the properties and interactions of nuclei and elementary particles. Experimental probes of subatomic structure. Basic features and symmetries of electromagnetic, strong and weak forces. Models of hadron and nuclear structure. The role of nuclear and particle interactions in stars and the evolution of the universe.
P: P453 or equivalent. |
|
| P537 (3 cr.) |
Neutron Physics and Scattering | A broad, interdisciplinary survey of the physics of neutrons and the ideas and techniques of neutron scattering in biology, chemistry, geology, materials science, and physics. Topics include: (0) Overview of scientific questions addressed with neutrons (1) Properties of the neutron, (2) Strong, weak, electromagnetic, and gravitational interactions of the neutron, (3) Neutron sources and moderators, ultracold neutrons (4) Theory of neutron scattering and neutron optics (5) Elastic scattering: diffraction, small angle scattering and reflectometry, (6) Inelastic scattering, (7) Polarized neutrons and magnetic scattering, (8) neutron spin echo spectroscopy, (9) neutron instrumentation. | |
| P540 (3 cr.) |
Digital Electronics | Digital logic, storage elements, timing elements, arithmetic devices, digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversion. Course has lectures and labs emphasizing design, construction, and analysis of circuits using discrete gates and programmable devices. | Fall 2008 |
| P541 (3 cr.) |
Analog Electronics | Amplifier and oscillator characteristics feedback systems, bipolar transistors, field-effect transistors, optoelectronic devices, amplifier design, power supplies, and the analysis of circuits using computer-aided techniques. | |
| P548 (3 cr.) |
Mathematical Methods for Biology | Physical principles applied to modeling biological systems to obtain analytical models which can be studied mathematically and tested experimentally. Meets with Math M548. | |
| P551 (3 cr.) |
Modern Physics Laboratory 1 | Graduate-level laboratory; experiments on selected aspects of atomic, condensed-matter, and nuclear physics. Meets with P451 | |
| P556 (3 cr.) |
Statistical Physics | The laws of thermodynamics; thermal equilibrium, entropy, and thermodynamic potentials. Principles of classical and quantum statistical mechanics. Partition functions and statistical ensembles. Statistical basis of the laws of thermodynamics. Elementary kinetic theory.
Useful Information: Mathematical Methods Web Page |
|
| P557 (3 cr.) |
Solid State Physics | Atomic theory of solids. Crystal and band theory. Thermal and electromagnetic properties of periodic structures.
P: P453 or equivalent. |
Fall 2008 |
| P570 (3 cr.) |
Introduction to Accelerator Physics | Overview of accelerator development and accelerator technologies. Transverse phase space motion and longitudinal synchrotron motion of a particle in an accelerator. Practical accelerator lattice design. Design issues relevant to synchrotron light sources. Basics of free electron lasers. Spin dynamics in cyclic accelerators and storage rings.
P: approval of instructor. |
|
| P575 (3 cr.) |
Introduction to Biophysics | Physics P575 presents an introduction to Biophysics. Topics include: Properties of biomolecules and biomolecular complexes. Biological membranes, channels, neurons. Diffusion, Brownian motion. Reaction-diffusion processes, pattern formation. Sensory and motor systems. Psychophysics and animal behavior, statistical interference. | Fall 2008 |
| P582 (3 cr.) |
Biological and Artificial Neural Networks | Biological details of neurons relevant to computation. Artificial neural network theories and models, and relation to statistical physics. Living neural networks and critical evaluation of neural network theories. Students' final projects will consist of programming networks and applying them to current research topics. | |
| P583 (3 cr.) |
Signal Processing & Information Theory in Biology | Probability and statistics. Filtering.Correlation functions and power spectra. Time invariant and time-varying systems. Shannon Information.Coding and decoding. Processing of sensory signals and other applications to Neurobiology and Psychophysics. | |
| P607 (3 cr.) |
Group Representations | Elements of group theory. Representation theory of finite and infinite compact groups. Study of the point crystal, symmetric, rotation, Lorentz, and other classical groups as time permits.
P: consent of instructor. Generally offered in alternate years; see also MATH M607-M608. |
|
| P609 (3 cr.) |
Computational Physics | Designed to introduce students (1) to numerical methods for quadrature, solution of integral and differential equations, and linear algebra; and (2) to the use of computation and computer graphics to simulate the behavior of complex physical systems. The precise choice of topics will vary. | |
| P610 (3 cr.) |
Computational Physics II | Second semester of computational physics focusing on more advanced topics, e.g., fractals, kinetic growth models, models in statistical mechanics, quantum systems and fast fourier transforms, parallel computing | |
| P615 (3 cr.) |
Physics of the Solid State I | Mechanical, thermal, electric, and magnetic properties of solids; crystal structure; band theory; semiconductors; phonons; transport phenomena; superconductivity; superfluidity; and imperfections.
P: P512. Usually given in alternate years. |
|
| P616 (3 cr.) |
Physics of the Solid State II | Mechanical, thermal, electric, and magnetic properties of solids; crystal structure; band theory; semiconductors; phonons; transport phenomena; superconductivity; superfluidity; and imperfections.
P: 615. Usually given in alternate years. |
|
| P621 (4 cr.) |
Relativistic Quantum Field Theory I | Introduction to quantum field theory, symmetries, Feynman diagrams, quantum electrodynamics, and renormalization.
P: P512. |
Fall 2008 |
| P622 (4 cr.) |
Relativistic Quantum Field Theory II | Non-Abelian gauge field theory, classical properties, quantization and renormalization, symmetries and their roles, and nonperturbative methods.
P: P621. |
|
| P625 (3 cr.) |
Quantum Many-Body Theory I | Elements of nonrelativistic quantum field theory: second quantization, fields, Green's functions, the linked-cluster expansion, and Dyson's equations. Development of diagrammatic techniques and application to the degenerate electron gas and imperfect Fermi gas. Canonical transformations and BCS theory. Finite-temperature (Matsubara), Green's functions, and applications.
P: P512. |
|
| P626 (3 cr.) |
Quantum Many-Body Theory II -- Nuclear | Continued development of nonrelativistic, many-body techniques, with an emphasis on nuclear physics: real-time, finite-temperature Green's functions, path-integral methods, Grassmann algebra, generating functionals, and relativistic many-body theory. Applications to nuclear matter and nuclei.
P: P625. |
|
| P627 (3 cr.) |
Quantum Many-Body Theory II -- Condensed Matter | Continued development of nonrelativistic many-body techniques with an emphasis on condensed-matter physics: properties of real metals, superconductors, superfluids, Ginzburg-Landau theory, critical phenomena, order parameters and broken symmetry, ordered systems, and systems with reduced dimensionality.
P: P625. |
|
| G630 (3 cr.) |
Nuclear Astrophysics | Fundamental properties of nuclei and nuclear reactions and the applications of nuclear physics to astronomy. The static and dynamic properties of nuclei; nuclear reaction rates at low and high energies. Energy generation and element synthesis in stars; the origin and evolution of the element abundancies in cosmic rays.
P: A451-A452, P453-P454, or consent of instructor. R: A550, P611. |
|
| P633 (3 cr.) |
Theory of the Nucleus I | Nuclear forces, the two-nucleon problem, systematics and electromagnetic properties of nuclei, nuclear models, nuclear scattering and reactions, theory of beta-decay, and theory of nuclear matter.
P: P512. |
|
| P634 (3 cr.) |
Theory of the Nucleus II | Nuclear forces, the two-nucleon problem, systematics and electromagnetic properties of nuclei, nuclear models, nuclear scattering and reactions, theory of beta-decay, and theory of nuclear matter.
P: P633. |
|
| P635 | Frontier Particle Physics I | This course focuses on the frontier of particle physics. Topics include Standard-Model physics, neutrino masses, tests of fundamental symmetries, anomalies, grand unified theories, higher-dimensional theories, supersymmetry, composite models, supergravities, string and superstring theory. | |
| P636 | Frontier Particle Physics II | This course focuses on the frontier of particle physics. Topics include Standard-Model physics, neutrino masses, tests of fundamental symmetries, anomalies, grand unified theories, higher-dimensional theories, supersymmetry, composite models, supergravities, string and superstring theory. | |
| P637 (3 cr.) |
Theory of Gravitation I | Introduction to the general theory of relativity, stress-energy tensor, parallel transport, geodesics, Einstein's equation, differential geometry, manifolds, general covariance, bending of light, perihelion advance. Modern cosmology: Robertson-Walker metric, equations of state, Griedmann equations, Hubble's law, redshift, cosmological constant, inflation, quintessence, cosmic microwave background. Big Bang nucleosynthesis, structure formation.
P: consent of instructor. See MATH M637. |
Fall 2008 |
| P638 (3 cr.) |
Theory of Gravitation II | Gravitation waves, Schwarzschild geometry and black holes, metric, Reissner-Nordstrom metric, extremal black holes, Penrose diagrams, Hawkins radiation, Lie derivative isometries and Killing vectors, variational principle and the Palatini formalism, spinors in general relativity, vierbeins, gravitation as a gauge theory, quantum gravity.
P: consent of instructor. See MATH M638. |
|
| P640 (3 cr.) |
Subatomic Physics I | Experimental methods and theoretic description of particle and nuclear physics: applied relativistic quantum mechanics, symmetries of fundamental interactions, experimental techniques, structure of the nucleon, electromagnetic and weak interactions, elementary particles and the Standard Model.
P: P512. C: P621 |
Fall 2008 |
| P641 (3 cr.) |
Subatomic Physics II | Quarks and gluons in QCD, the parton model, strong interactions at low energies, nuclear environment and models, nuclear thermodynamics and subatomic physics in cosmology and astrophysics.
P: P640. |
|
| P647 (3 cr.) |
Mathematical Physics | Topics vary from year to year. Integral equations, including Green's function techniques, linear vector spaces, and elements of quantum mechanical angular momentum theory. For students of experimental and theoretical physics.
P: P501 or P502, P521, or MATH M442. May be taught in alternate years by members of Departments of Physics or Mathematics, with corresponding shift in emphasis; see Mathematics M647. |
|
| P657 (3 cr.) |
Statistical Physics II | Topics include advanced kinetic and transport theory, phase transitions, and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics.
Continuation of P556. |
|
| P665 (3 cr.) |
Scattering Theory | Theoretical tools for analysis of scattering experiments. Electromagnetic theory, classical and quantum particle dynamics.
P: P506, P511. |
