Graduate Courses: College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Physics

Courses: Physics (PHYS)

5311: Physics for High School Teachers I
Cr. 3. (2-2). Prerequisite: certification in physics or physical science. May not apply toward a degree in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Kinematics and dynamics of motion in one and two dimensions, rotational motion, energy and heat.

5312: Physics for High School Teachers II
Cr. 3. (2-2). Prerequisite: PHYS 5311. May not apply toward a degree in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Electricity, magnetism, waves, and optics.

5397: Selected Topics in Physics for High School Teachers
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: consent of instructor and certification in physics or physical science. May not be counted toward a degree in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Modern topics in atomic, nuclear, solid state, or space physics. Application of modern technology to teaching high school physics.

6103: Methods of Mathematical Physics Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6303. A scheduled problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 6303.

6104: Methods of Mathematical Physics Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6304. A scheduled problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 6304.

6109: Advanced Mechanics Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6309. A scheduled problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 6309.

6111: Advanced Mechanics Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6311. A scheduled problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 6311.

6115: Quantum Mechanics Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6315. A scheduled problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 6315.

6116: Quantum Mechanics Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6316. A scheduled problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 6316.

6121: Electrodynamics Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6321. A scheduled problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 6321.

6122: Electrodynamics Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6322. A scheduled problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 6322.

6127: Statistical Physics Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6327. A scheduled problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 6327.

6150: Computational Physics Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6350. Problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 6350.

6198:6298:6398:6498:6598: Special Problems
Cr. 1-5 per semester. Prerequisites: consent of instructor and approval of chair.

6303: Methods of Mathematical Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MATH 3364. Complex variables, special functions, linear operators, Green functions, spectral theory, generalized functions, transform theory, boundary-value problems.

6304: Methods of Mathematical Physics II
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 6303 or equivalent and concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6104. Applications of concepts in mathematics to problems of current interest in physics and engineering. Asymptotic methods for integrals and series, singular perturbation expansions and nonlinear equations, including solutions and analysis of deterministic systems with few degrees of freedom whose dynamics are chaotic; emphasis upon approximation methods and classroom demonstrations of "deterministic chaos" via computer graphics.

6309: Advanced Mechanics I
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 3309 and PHYS 4321, or consent of instructor, and concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6109. Lagrangian dynamics of particles, Hamiltonian mechanics; classical and relativistic fields, elasticity, hydrodynamics, and physics of continuous media.

6311: Advanced Mechanics II: Nonlinear Dynamics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 6309 or consent of instructor, and concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6111. Integrable and nonintegrable systems, canonical perturbation theory, adiabatic invariance, Lie transform, invariant tori, mappings, ergodicity, Liapunov exponent, dimension, entropy, KAM theory, renormalization and universality, Arnold diffusion, strange attractors, applications to fluid mechanics, plasma physics, celestial mechanics, and chemical dynamics.

6315:6316: Quantum Mechanics
Cr. 3 per semester. (3-0). Prerequisites for PHYS 6315: PHYS 3315 or consent of instructor, and concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6115. Wave mechanics, linear vector spaces, quantum dynamics, perturbation theory, scattering, spin, statistics, and symmetry.

6321:6322: Electrodynamics
Cr. 3 per semester. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 4322. Maxwell's equations and relativity; radiation from moving charges and from macroscopic systems; classical field theory.

6327: Statistical Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 3327, PHYS 4322, PHYS 6315, and PHYS 6309; or consent of instructor. Classical thermodynamics, development of extremum principles, stability considerations and applications to chemical and phase equilibria; Boltzmann's H-theorem; classical and quantal Gibbs ensembles with applications.

6340: Research Methods in Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). General safety issues in research, professional ethics, Intellectual Property issues for the physicist, an introduction to relevant computer software, familiarization with machine shop operations, and career opportunities in physics.

6350: Computational Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Physics or consent of Chair; concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6150. Scientific programming, numerical methods in linear algebra, eigenvalue problems, ODEs, and PDEs: data structures, data analysis, and curve fitting; variational calculations; density functional theory; band structure calculations; molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations; quantum simulations; parallel computing.

6399:6699:7399:7699:7999: Master's Thesis
Cr. 3, 6, or 9 per semester.

7110: Physics Colloquium
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: approval of department chair. Colloquia presented by distinguished scientists.

7115: Physics Laboratory Instruction
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: approval of department chair. General instructional techniques for undergraduate laboratories.

7116: Quantum Field Theory Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 7316. Problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 7315.

7125: Quantum Many-Body Theory Problems
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in PHYS 7315. Problem-solving and discussion course correlated with the lectures of PHYS 7316.

7197:7397: Selected Topics in Physics
Cr. 1 or 3 per semester or more by concurrent enrollment. (1-0;3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated with approval of chair.

7304: Applications of Group Theory in Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 6316 or consent of instructor. Elements of group theory, representation of groups, SU(2), SU(3), unitary symmetry, Young tableaux, particle multiplets, hadron masses, finite groups, topological theory of defects, applications to particle physics and condensed matter physics.

7308: Space and Atmospheric Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Physics of plasmas in space; earth’s magnetosphere, planetary magnetospheres, and solar wind magnetosphere interactions.

7309: Gravitation and Cosmology
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 6309 or consent of instructor. Physics in flat and curved spacetime, Einstein's theory of general relativity, experimental tests, gravitational waves, black holes, cosmology, quantum gravity and supergravity.

7310: Hydrodynamics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 6309 or equivalent. Classical hydrodynamics: ideal fluids, real viscous fluids, boundary-layer theory, wakes, lift and drag, vortex dynamics, and the phenomenology of vortex shedding.

7312: Modern Optics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 3312 or consent of instructor. Electromagnetic theory, reflection and refraction, interference, Fresnel diffraction, Fraunhofer diffraction, coherence, Fourier optics, holography, anisotropic materials, optical modulation, nonlinear optics.

7315: Quantum Many-Body Theory
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 6316. Second quantization, Green functions, Feynman diagrams, and applications to interacting Fermi and Bose systems.

7316;7317: Quantum Field Theory
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 6316. Dirac equation, relativistic quantum mechanics, the Lorentz group, quantization of fields, Green functions, reduction formalism, perturbation theory, quantum electrodynamics, renormalization, current algebra, the Callan-Symanzik equation, functional methods, symmetries, gauge fields, applications to elementary particle physics.

7318: Gauge Theory
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 7317 or consent of instructor. Gauge invariance, gauge field, spontaneous symmetry breaking, Higgs mechanism, path integral, quantization, renormalization, the standard model, quantum chromodynamics, grand unification.

7319: Renormalization-Group Theory of Critical Phenomena
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 7316 or consent of instructor. Phenomenology of phase transitions and critical phenomena, scaling, universality, methods of the renormalization group, e-expansion, recent developments and applications.

7320: Integrable Systems in Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 7316 or consent of instructor. Theory and application of integrable systems in physics, soliton, semisimple Lie groups and integrable dynamical systems, homotopy classification, BacklŸnd transformation, inverse scattering, magnetic monopole, charge quantization, instanton, q vacuum.

7328: Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 6327. Irreversible statistical-mechanical and kinetic theories of fluctuations and transport in non-equilibrium systems: fluctuation-dissipation theorem, Kubo formalism and linear response, Fokker-Planck methods and nonlinear response. Applications to solid, fluid, and magnetic systems.

7329: Dynamical Problems in Statistical Mechanics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 6327 or consent of instructor. Theory of dynamical response near equilibrium, including critical dynamics, and selected topics in nonequilibrium dynamics. Emphasis will be on formalism and techniques applicable to a wide variety of physical systems, including magnetic systems, plasmas, and the vibration of solids.

7337: Solid-State Physics I
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 3327, PHYS 4337, and PHYS 6315; or consent of instructor. Periodic structures, lattice dynamics, specific heat, one-electron theory of solids, band structure, electron dynamics.

7338: Solid-State Physics II
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 7337. Transport properties, optical processes, Fermi surfaces of metals, magnetic properties, superconductivity.

7341: Diffraction Methods in Materials Science
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 3316 and PHYS 4322; or consent of instructor. Crystallography, reciprocal lattices, interference functions, Fourier methods, liquids, and amorphous solids; defects and thermal vibrations; perfect crystal theory, applications to X-rays, electrons, and neutrons.

7345: Ion Beam Modification of Materials
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 4337 or consent of instructor. Ion-solid interactions, ion implantation range distribution and radiation damage, implantation in semiconductors, metals, and insulators; radiation effects in superconductors.

7346: Materials Characterization Using Ion Beams
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 4337 or consent of instructor. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, energy loss and range, channeling effects, elastic recoil detection, proton-induced x-ray and nuclear reaction analysis.

7347: High Temperature Superconductivity I
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 4337 or consent of instructor. Synthesis of high temperature superconducting materials, electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties; crystal structure, experimental techniques for characterization of high temperature superconductors.

7348: High Temperature Superconductivity II
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 4337 or consent of instructor. Current research on high temperatures superconductors, BCS theory, novel superconducting systems, effects of high pressure, device applications, future trends.

7356: Introduction to Particle Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 6316 or consent of instructor. Classification of particles, quantum numbers, conservation laws and their violations, quark model, phenomenology of strong, electromagnetic, and weak interactions.

7381: Hydrodynamic Instabilities
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 7310 or consent of instructor. Introduction to hydrodynamic instabilities and turbulence, e.g., shear and rotational instabilities, coherent structures, vortex dynamics and vortex stretching, point-vortex approximations to the Navier-Stokes equations, Lorentz model, and the modern theory of chaos in systems with few degrees of freedom.

7397: Selected Topics in Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated with approval of chair. Topics in one of the following fields: nuclear, plasma, cosmic ray, low temperature, and solid-state physics, or astrophysics.

8198:8298:8398:8498:8598: Doctoral Research
Cr. 1-5 per semester. Prerequisites: consent of instructor and approval of chair.

8307: Advanced Space Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: Completion of the requirements for candidacy for the Ph.D. in physics, or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. The design of research experiments, spacecraft, and spacecraft missions to study space and atmospheric physics. The evaluation of research results with the aid of examples taken from the current scientific literature.

8315: Advanced Methods of Mathematical Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 6304 and completion of the requirements for candidacy for the Ph.D. in physics, or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. The methods and concepts of mathematical physics currently being used in forefront areas of research.

8327: Advanced Methods in Statistical Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 7328 and completion of the requirements for candidacy for the Ph.D. in physics, or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. The methods and concepts of statistical physics currently being used in forefront areas of research. The renormalization group and the theory of phase transitions.

8337: Advanced Methods in Condensed Matter Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 7338 and completion of the requirements for candidacy for the Ph.D. in physics, or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. The design of research experiments to study condensed matter physics. The evaluation of research results with the aid of examples taken from the current scientific literature.

8341: Advanced Methods of Structural Analysis
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 7341 and completion of the requirements for candidacy for the Ph.D. in physics, or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. The use of X-ray and neutron scattering techniques as applied to the study of the structure of disordered phases, defects and phase transitions. The evaluation of research results with the aid of examples taken from the current scientific literature.

8375: Advanced Methods in Nuclear Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 7376 and PHYS 7395, and completion of the requirements for candidacy for the Ph.D. in physics, or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. The design of research experiments to study nuclear physics. The evaluation of research results with the aid of examples taken from the current scientific literature.

8399:8699:8999: Doctoral Dissertation
Cr. 3, 6, or 9 per semester.

 

Catalog Publish Date: January 14, 2013
This Page Last Updated: November 29, 2012