Course Schedule and Catalog

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture/Laboratory

Distribution Group: Distribution Group III

Credit Hours: 3

Description: MECHANICS (WITH LAB) ***** Calculus-based survey of physics. Includes classes and lab exercises on topics chosen from mechanics, electricity, and magnetism. Primarily for physical science and engineering students. May receive credit for only one of PHYS 101, 111, 125, AP Physics-B, and AP Physics-C (MECH) ***** Instructor(s): Dunning.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture/Laboratory

Distribution Group: Distribution Group III

Credit Hours: 4

Description: ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (WITH LAB) ***** Continuation of PHYS 101. May receive credit for only one of PHYS 102, 112, 126, AP Physics-B, and AP Physics-C (E&M). ***** Prerequisite(s): PHYS 101 or equivalent. ***** Instructor(s): Corcoran.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture/Laboratory

Distribution Group: Distribution Group III

Credit Hours: 3

Description: MECHANICS (WITH LAB) ***** Calculus-based survey of physics. Includes classes and lab exercises on topics chosen from mechanics, electricity, and magnetism. Primarily for physical science and engineering students with strong high school backgrounds in physics. May receive credit for only one of PHYS 101, 111, 125, AP Physics-B, and AP Physics-C (MECH). ***** Prerequisite(s): High school physics and calculus. ***** Instructor(s): Hannon.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture/Laboratory

Distribution Group: Distribution Group III

Credit Hours: 4

Description: ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (WITH LAB) ***** Continuation of PHYS 111. May receive credit for only one of PHYS 102, 112, 126, AP Physics-B, and AP Physics-C (E&M). ***** Prerequisite(s): High school physics and calculus. ***** Instructor(s): Hannon.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture/Laboratory

Distribution Group: Distribution Group III

Credit Hours: 4

Description: GENERAL PHYSICS (WITH LAB) ***** Calculus-based survey of physics. Includes classes and lab exercises on topics chosen from mechanics, waves, electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics. Primarily for bioscience and premedical students. May receive credit for only one of PHYS 101, 111, 125, AP Physics-B, and AP Physics-C (MECH). ***** Instructor(s): Mutchler.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture/Laboratory

Distribution Group: Distribution Group III

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 125 OR PHYS 101 OR PHYS 111 OR PHYS 141

Description: GENERAL PHYSICS II (WITH LAB) ***** A continuation of PHYS 125. May receive credit for only one of PHYS 102, 112, 126, AP Physics B, and AP Physics-C (E&M). ***** Prerequisite(s): PHYS 125 or equivalent. ***** Instructor(s): Mutchler.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group III

Credit Hours: 3

Description: CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS I ***** Study of concepts in physics with emphasis on the nature of physical phenomena, the conceptual development of physics, and related cultural influences. ***** Instructor(s): Bonner.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group III

Credit Hours: 3

Description: CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS II ***** For AP credit only.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: WAVES AND OPTICS ***** The third semester of the four-semester sequence in physics for science and engineering students. See PHYS 231. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: MODERN PHYSICS ***** An introductory course in modern physics. Topics include special relativity, early quantum theory, quantum mechanics, atomic physics, statistical physics, nuclear and particle physics. The course is descriptive in nature with emphasis on phenomena rather than on calculations. ***** Prerequisite(s): PHYS 101 and 102 or equivalent. ***** Instructor(s): Miettinen

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group III

Credit Hours: 3

Description: ATMOSPHERE, WEATHER, & CLIMATE ***** This course emphasizes the fundamental science of the atmospheric system. Among the subjects to be covered quantitatively are climate changes, solar radiation and the Earth's energy budget, atmospheric motions and circulation, clouds and storms, and atmospheric environmental concerns. ***** Also offered as NSCI 203. ***** Instructor(s): Few.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Laboratory

Credit Hours: 1

Description: ELEMENTARY PHYSICS LAB II ***** Laboratory on waves and optics. ***** Co-requisite(s): PHYS 201. ***** Instructor(s): Dodds

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 4

Description: INTERMEDIATE MECHANICS ***** Classical mechanics and appropriate mathematical methods. Emphasis on problem solving. ***** Instructor(s): Huang

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 4

Description: INTERMEDIATE ELECTRODYNAMICS ***** Classical electrodynamics and appropriate mathematical methods. Emphasis on problem solving. ***** Instructor(s): Chan

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM PHYSICS I ***** Fundamentals of quantum mechanics and applications to atomic and molecular structure. ***** Instructor(s): Halet

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM PHYSICS II ***** Continuation of PHYS 311. ***** Instructor(s): Stevenson

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Laboratory

Credit Hours: 2

Description: JUNIOR PHYSICS LAB I ***** Lab exercises in electronics, noise reduction, statistics and particle counting. ***** Instructor(s): Dodds

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Laboratory

Credit Hours: 2

Description: JUNIOR PHYSICS LAB II ***** Lab exercises illustrating topics in the upper-division physics curriculum. ***** Instructor(s): Dodds

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: PHYSICS OF HAM RADIO ***** Amateur radio for middle-school science teaching. Fundamentals of electromagnetic waves and propagation, the ionosphere and space weather. Basic electronics, antenna design and safety. Provides information necessary to gain the technical level of ham radio license. ***** Course offered Spring 2005. ***** Instructor(s): Reiff

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR & PARTICLE PHYSICS ***** A broad survey of history and current state of nuclear and particle physics. The emphasis is on experimental results and how they led to our current undertaking of the strong and electroweak interactions. Some recent advances are discussed in detail. ***** Offered with additional work as PHYS 542. ***** Instructor(s): Corcoran.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: SOLID STATE PHYSICS ***** Introduction to topics in solid state physics, including crystal structure, lattice vibrations, electronic band structure and transport. ***** Instructor(s): Nordlander

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS ***** Use of computational techniques to solve selected physics problems. Examine benefits and pitfalls of doing physics by computation. ***** Enrollment limited to 25. ***** Instructor(s): Toffoletto

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: STATISTICAL & THERMAL PHYSICS ***** Includes classical thermodynamics; classical & quantum statistical mechanics; Fermi, Bose, and classical gases; magnetic systems; and phase equilibria. ***** Instructor(s): Si

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE ***** Subjects studied include radiation, climate dynamics; energy balance models; structure and stability; water, cloud and precipitation physics; atmospheric dynamics; storms and special systems; and atmospheric electricity. ***** Prerequisite(s): open to upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in science and engineering with permission of instructor. ***** Also offered as CEVE 443. ***** Instructor(s): Few

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Independent Study

Credit Hours: 1 TO 6

Description: INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ***** A reading course in special topics. ***** Instructor(s): Staff Repeatable for Credit.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Independent Study

Credit Hours: 1 TO 6

Description: INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ***** A reading course in special topics. ***** Intructor(s): Staff Repeatable for Credit.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 302

Description: INTRODUCTION TO PLASMA PHYSICS ***** Fundamental processes in cosmic and laboratory plasmas: gas dynamics, kinetic theory, magnetohydrodynamics, wave and shocks, individual particle drifts, collisions and electrical conductivities, geometric and distribution instabilities. ***** Prerequisite(s): PHYS 302 or equivalent. ***** Instructor(s): Cloutier

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Laboratory

Credit Hours: 2

Description: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ***** Research projects conducted under supervision of departmentally approved faculty. Open to juniors and seniors majoring in physics and astronomy. May be repeated for credit. PHYS 493/494 must be taken concurrently with PHYS 491/492 when used in partial fulfillment of B.S. degree requirements. ***** Instructor(s): Bonner Repeatable for Credit.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Independent Study

Credit Hours: 2

Description: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ***** Research projects conducted under supervision of departmentally approved faculty. Open to juniors and seniors majoring in physics and astronomy. May be repeated for credit. PHYS 493/494 must be taken concurrently with PHYS 491/492 when used in partial fulfillment of B.S. degree requirements. ***** Instructor(s): Bonner Repeatable for Credit.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Laboratory

Credit Hours: 1

Description: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SEMINAR ***** Weekly seminar for juniors and seniors in which presentations on research topics and/or topics in the scientific literature will be given. Open to juniors and seniors majoring in physics and astronomy. ***** Instructor(s): Bonner Repeatable for Credit.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Seminar

Credit Hours: 1

Description: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SEMINAR ***** Weekly seminar for juniors and seniors in which presentations on research topics and/or topics in the scientific literature will be given. Open to juniors and seniors majoring in physics and astronomy department. ***** Instructor(s): Bonner Repeatable for Credit.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS ***** Plasma physics of the earth's magnetosphere, including interactions of the magnetosphere with the solar wind, the ionosphere, and the neutral atmosphere. The emphasis is on large-scale physics, but small scale waves and instabilties are discussed in some detail in cases where they affect the large-scale phenomena. ***** Prerequisite(s): PHYS 480 or equivalent. ***** Course not offered 2004-2005. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: CLASSICAL DYNAMICS ***** Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. ***** Instructor(s): Duck

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: MATHEMATICAL METHODS ***** Survey of analytical and numerical methods used by research physicists and astronomers. Includes complex variables, the evaluation of integrals, variational calculus, ordinary and partial differential equations, special functions, and transform methods. ***** Instructor(s): Hill

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: PLASMA KINETIC THEORY ***** Plasma kinetic equations (Klimontovich, Liouville, BBGKY, Balescu-Lenard, Fokker-Planck, Vlasov), Vlason theory of waves and instabilities, connections to fluid plasma models. ***** Instructor(s): Chan

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: QUANTUM MECHANICS I ***** Graduate level course on non-relativistic quantum mechanics. Topics include early quantum theory, one-dimensional systems, matrix formulation, quantum dynamics, symmetries and conservation laws, bound states, scattering, spin, and identical particles, perturbation theory. ***** Prerequisite(s): At least one semester of undergraduate quantum mechanics. ***** Instructor(s): Miettiuen

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: QUANTUM MECHANICS II ***** Continuation of PHYS 521.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: STATISTICAL PHYSICS ***** Selected topics in statistical mechanics, including phase transitions and transport phenomena. ***** Instructor(s): Huang

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: CLASSICAL ELECTRODYNAMICS ***** Special relativity, covariant formulation of electrodynamics, wave phenomena and charged-particle radiation. ***** Instructor(s): Hill

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: NANOSTRUCTURE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY I ***** Physics of structures and devices at the nanometer scale. After a review of solid state physics, topics include nanostructured materials, nanoelectronics, and nanomagnetism. Emphasis on relevance of nanophysics to current and future technologies. ***** Instructor(s): Natelson

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: NANOSTRUCTURE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY II ***** Physics of structures and devices at the nanometer scale. Topics include nanomechanics, bionanotechnology, advanced sensors and photonics. Continuation of PHYS 533. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: CRYSTALLOGRAPHY & DIFFRACTION ***** Also offered as MSCI 535. ***** Prerequisite(s): MSCI 301. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 4

Description: METHODS OF EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS I ***** This two-semester course will familiarize students with basic experimental techniques that are common to all academic and industrial research laboratories. Topics will include lab safety, mechanical design, computer-based data acquisition and experimental control, laboratory electronics, vacuum technology, optics, thermal measurement and control, cryogenics and charged particle optics. ***** Instructor(s): Killian, Hafner

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture/Laboratory

Credit Hours: 4

Description: METHODS OF EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS II ***** Continuation of PHYS 537. ***** Instructor(s): Killian, Hafner

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: CHARACTERIZATION AND FABRICATION AT THE NANOSCALE ***** Introduction to study and creation of nanoscale structures, emphasizing relevant physical principles. Techniques covered include optical, X-ray, electron-based and scanned-probe characterization, as well as patterning, deposition and removal of material. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: RADIATIVE PROCESSES ***** Radiation processes and their applications to astrophysical phenomena and space science. The course treats radiative transfer, radiation from moving charges, relativistic covariance and kinematics, bremsstrahlung, synchrotron radiation, Compton scattering, some plasma effects, and radiative transitions in atoms and molecules. ***** Instructor(s): Hartigan

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: INTRODUCTION TO ELEMENTARY PARTICLE PHYSICS ***** Graduate version of PHYS 411. ***** Instructor(s): Corcoran

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: PHYSICS OF QUARKS AND LEPTONS ***** A continuation of PHYS 542. ***** Instructor(s): Padley, Roberts

Long Title: BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: Introduction to biological physics. Review of basic physical concepts. Cells and their components. Diffusion and random walks. Entropy and energy concepts and their roles in biological systems. Modern experimental methods. Applications to biological macromolecules.

Long Title: GENERAL RELATIVITY

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 532

Description: Study of Einstein's theory of gravitation, including cosmological models.

Long Title: INTRODUCTION TO SOLID STATE PHYSICS I

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: Fundamental concepts of crystalline solids, including crystal structure, band theory of electrons, and lattice vibration theory.

Long Title: INTRODUCTION TO SOLID STATE PHYSICS II

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: Continuation of PHYS 563, including scattering of waves by crystals, transport theory, and magnetic phenomena.

Long Title: SURFACE PHYSICS

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: SURFACE PHYSICS ***** An introduction to surface- and low-dimensional physics covering experimental surface physics and ultra-high vacuum technology, crystal structure, chemical analysis, epitaxy, nanoscale electronic and magnetic structures and devices, elementary excitations, optical properties and nano-scale sensitive magnetic and non-magnetic spectroscopies. ***** Course not offered 2004-2005. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Long Title: QUANTUM PHASE TRANSITIONS

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: Introductory course for graduate students. Topics include the concepts of classical and quantum phase transitions, mean field theory, renormalization group and quantum phase transitions in magnetic, fermionic, and bosonic systems.

Long Title: ULTRAFAST OPTICAL PHENOMENA

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: ULTRAFAST OPTICAL PHENOMENA ***** Also offered as ELEC 569. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: MODERN ATOMIC PHYSICS ***** This is an introductory course at the graduate level. Topics to be discussed include: atomic structure, principles of lasers, fundamental interactions of atoms with electro-magnetic radiation, including coherent effects, laser spectroscopy, quantum optics, and laser cooling and trapping of atoms, and Bose-Einstein condensation. ***** Course not offered 2004-2005. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: FUNDAMENTALS OF QUANTUM OPTICS ***** Discussion of quantization and statistical properties of light fields; interaction between atoms and light; non-classical states; basic laser theory; quantum effects of nonlinear optics; introduction to atom optics. ***** Instructor: Pu

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: ADVANCED TOPICS IN PHYSICS ***** Lecture/seminars which treat topics of departmental interest. ***** Course not offered every year. ***** Instructor(s): Rau Repeatable for Credit.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: BIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR SIMULATION ***** Modern simulation techniques for classical atomistic systems. Monte Carlo and molecular dynamic techniques, with extensions to various ensembles. Applications to simulations of large molecules. Advanced techniques for simulation of complex systems, including constraint satisfaction, cluster movies, biased sampling and random energy models. ***** Also offered as BIOE 610. ***** Prerequisite(s): One of PHYS 526, CHEM 520, BIOE 589 or CENG 611, or permission of the instructor. ***** Instructor(s): Deem

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: ADVANCED QUANTUM MECHANICS II ***** Study of QED, QCD, and unified theories. ***** Course not offered 2004-2005. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: CONDENSED MATTER THEORY: APPLICATIONS ***** Applications of techniques developed in PHYS 664. ***** Instructor(s): Nordlander

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: CONDENSED MATTER THEORY:MANY-BODY FORMALISM ***** Formal structure of many-body theory as used in condensed matter physics. ***** Course not offered 2004-2005. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Laboratory

Credit Hours: 3

Description: TEACHING PRACTICUM ***** Supervised teaching for graduate students. ***** Instructor(s): Staff Repeatable for Credit.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Research

Credit Hours: 1 TO 15

Description: GRADUATE RESEARCH ***** Thesis research under the supervision of department faculty. ***** Instructor(s): Staff Repeatable for Credit.

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Research

Credit Hours: 1 TO 3

Description: REU RESEARCH IN PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY