Courses
PHYS 456
PHYS 495
Work on the research proposal resulting from PHYS 390 with the guidance of an instructor, culminating in a research paper suitable for presentation or publication.
PHYS 503
Spin. Complex vector spaces. Quantum dynamics. Bound state perturbation theory. Time dependent perturbation theory. Identical particle systems.
PHYS 506
Review of Thermodynamics, Classical Statistical Mechanics, Ensemble Theory, Quantum Statistical Mechanics, Fermionic systems, Bosonic systems, Special topics (time permitting): Quantum Thermodynamics, Theory of Phase Transitions.
PHYS 509
Free electron theory of metals. Crystal lattices. Reciprocal lattice. Classification of Bravais lattices. X-ray diffraction and the determination of crystal structures. Electrons in a periodic potential. Tight binding method. Band structures. Semi-classical theory of conduction in metals. Fermi surface. Surface effects.
PHYS 491
Available to students with a GPA equal to or greater than 3.00 and with consent of the instructor.
PHYS 502
Boundary-value problems in electrostatics and magnetostatics. Maxwell's equations. Conservation laws. Electromagnetic waves and wave propagation in different media. Waveguides and resonant cavities. Radiating systems.
PHYS 505
Selected experiments in physics. Single component and integrated solid state electronic device characteristics and applications in electronic circuits. Use of coherent and incoherent electromagnetic waves in modern physics experiments and contemporary technology applications with transmission, absorption, diffraction, and spectroscopic measurements. Laboratory technique, data recording and analysis, communication of results through written and oral reports.
PHYS 508
Interaction of electromagnetic radiation with atoms and molecules, rotational spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy, spectroscopic instrumentation, lasers as spectroscopic light sources, fundamentals of lasers, nonlinear optical spectroscopy, laser Raman spectroscopy.
PHYS 513
Linear algebra: Vector and inner product spaces, linear operators, eigenvalue problems; Vector calculus: Review of differential and integral calculus, divergence and Stokes' theorems. Ordinary differential equations: Linear equations, Sturm-Liouville theory and orthogonal functions, system of linear equations; Methods of mathematics for science and engineering students.
PHYS 490
Work on the research proposal resulting from PHYS 390 with the guidance of an instructor, culminating in a research paper suitable for presentation or publication.
PHYS 501
Variational principles.Lagrange?s equations. 2-body central force problems. Kinematics of rigid body motion. Rigid body equations of motion. Hamilton?s equations. Canonical transformations. Hamilton-Jacobi theory. Small oscillations.
PHYS 504
Rotations and angular momentum. Discrete symmetry operations. WKB approximation.
PHYS 507
Phase diagrams. Critical phenomena and universal scaling. Mean field and Landau theories. Kadanoff scaling theory. Position space and momentum space renormalization. Chaotic renormalization groups and spin-glass order. Quenched disordered and frustrated systems. Phase diagrams of quantum spin and electronic conductivity models.
PHYS 510
Classification of solids. Theory of harmonic crystals. Phonons and phonon dispersion relations. Anharmonic effects in crystals. Phonons in metals. Dielectric properties of insulators. Semiconductors. Diamagnetism and paramagnetism. Electron interactions and magnetic structure. Magnetic ordering. Superconductivity.