Graduate

Course Descriptions

Graduate Course Descriptions

PHY 5937 Selected Topics in Physics (1-4) AS PHY
PR: Senior or advanced standing and CC
Each topic is a course in directed study under the supervision of a faculty member.

PHY 6246 Classical Mechanics (3) AS PHY
PR: PHY 4222 or CI. Fall Semester.
Dynamics of particles and systems of particles, Lagrange's equation, central forces, rigid body dynamics.

PHY 6346 Electromagnetic Theory I (3) AS PHY
PR: PHY 4324C or CI
Electrostatics, magnetostatics, potential and boundary value problems. Maxwell's equations. First semester of sequence PHY6346, PHY 6347.

PHY 6347 Applied Electromagnetic Theory (3) AS PHY
PR: PHY 6346 or CI.
Second semester of sequence PHY 6346, PHY6347. Electromagnetic waves, wave guides and resonant cavities, diffraction, relativistic-particle kinematics and dynamics, plasmas and magnetohydrodynamics.

PHY 6446 Lasers and Applications (3) AS PHY
PR: PHY 4324C and PHY 4604 or CI.
Optical modes, optical resonator theory, gain saturation, theory of laser oscillators, specific laser systems, Q-switchingand mode-locking, optical waveguides.

PHY 6447 Physics of Lightwave Devices and Applications (3) AS PHY
PR: PHY 6446 or CI.
Nonlinear optics including optical phase conjugation, second harmonic and sum frequency generation, and stimulated Raman scattering. Selected applications of lasers and nonlinear optics.

PHY 6536 Statistical Mechanics (3) AS PHY
PR: PHY 5624 or CI.
Kinetic theory, configuration and phase space. Boltzmann theorem, Liouville theorem, ensemble theory, quantum statistics.

PHY 6646 Quantum Mechanics I (3) AS PHY
PR: PHY 4604 or CI.
Hilbert space, continuous spectrum, matrix andwave mechanics, quantum dynamics, symmetries, angular momentum, perturbation methods

PHY 6646 Applied Quantum Mechanics (3) AS PHY
PR: PHY 6645 or CI.
Approximation and perturbation methods,hydrogen fine structure, scattering, identical particles, second quantization, Dirac equation.

PHY 6846L Modern Laboratory Techniques (3) AS PHY
PR: GS or CC.
Modern laboratory techniques frequently required in experimental research.  Includes use of lasers, electronic instruments, vacuum systems, computerized data acquisition, thin film deposition, and semi-conductor Hall experiments.

PHY 6909 Independent Study (1-19) AS PHY
PR: CI.
Independent study in which student must have acontract with an instructor.

PHY 6911 Directed Research (1-19) A PHY
PR: GS.
An individual investigation of a research topic under the supervision of an instructor.

PHY 6935 Graduate Seminar (1) AS PHY
PR: CI. All Physics graduate students are expected to enroll in this course at least once.

PHY 6938 Selected Topics in Physics (1-10) AS PHY
PR: CI
Each topic is a course in directed study underthe supervision of a faculty member.

PHY 6940 Supervised Teaching (3) AS PHY
PR: Dept. Approval Required.
Laboratory teaching under the direction of a Physics Department faculty member.

PHY 6971 Thesis: Master's (2-19) AS PHY
PR: CI

PHY 7910 Directed Research (1-9) AS PHY
PR: Graduate Ph.D. level.

PHY 7980 Dissertation:  Doctoral (2-9) AS PHY
Rpt. S/U, PR:  Admission to Candidacy.

PHZ 5115 Methods of Theoretical Physics I (3) AS PHY
PR: MAP 2302 or CI.
Applications of mathematical techniques to classical and modern physics. Vector spaces including Hilbert space, orthogonal functions, generalized functions, Fourier analysis, transformcalculus, and variational calculus.

PHZ 5116 Methods of Theoretical Physics II (3) AS PHY
PR: MAP 2302 or CI.
Applications of mathematical techniques to classical and modern physics. Selected topics in complex analysis, differential and integral equations, numerical methods, and probability theory.

PHZ 5156C Computational Physics I (3) AS PHY
PR: CGS 5420 or CI.
C programming applied to real science and engineering problems. Data analysis, numerical algorithms, modeling, parallel computation. Subjects selected from current research may include neurobiology, quantum magnetism, chaos, finance, materials science.

PHZ 5405 Solid State Physics I (3) AS PHY
PR: PHY 3101, MAP 2302, CI.
Crystal structure, x-ray and electron diffraction, mechanical and thermal properties of solids, electrical and magnetic properties of metals, band theory of metals, insulators, and semiconductors. First semester of sequence PHZ 5405, PHZ 6426.

PHZ 6136 Physical Applications of Group Theory (3) AS PHY
PR: CI.
Matrices, symmetry elements and point groups, reducible and irreducible representations, molecular vibrations, selection rules, rotation groups and atomic levels, molecular orbitals and electronic energies, space groups and spectra of crystals, crystal field theory and symmetry.

PHZ 6204 Atomic and Molecular Spectra I (3) AS PHY
PR: PHY 4604 or CI.
Hydrogen atom, one electron systems, central field and vector models, perturbations, Zeeman and Stark effect, hyperfine structure, atomic structure calculations; diatomic spectra, rotational and vibration analysis, intensities, temperatures from spectra, isotope effects.

PHZ 6205 Atomic And Molecular Spectra II (3) AS PHY
PR: PHZ 6204 or CI.
Electronic transitions in diatomic molecules, Hund's coupling schemes, electron configuration and valence, astrophysical applications, predisassociation, normal modes of polyatomic molecules, Ramanand IR spectra, rotation-vibration interaction, microwave spectra, thermodynamic properties, stellar atmospheres.

PHZ 6426 Solid State Physics II (3) AS PHY
PR: PHZ 5405 or CI.
Optical, electrical and magnetic properties of insulators, superconductivity, imperfections in solids. Second semester ofsequence PHZ 5405, PHZ 6426.