Physics

• CAS PY 536: Quantum Computing
  Quantum physics as a powerful computational paradigm. Quantum bits (qubits), qubit operations and quantum gates, computation, and algorithms. Computational complexity classes, and efficiency of classical vs. quantum computers. Quantum Fourier transform and Shor's factorization algorithm. Physical implementation of quantum computation. Also offered as CAS CS 536.
• CAS PY 538: Econophysics
  The key concepts of the newly emerged interdisciplinary field of econophysics. The methods now available in the field of economics for analyzing large data sets, and for extracting new empirical "laws," such as the famous inverse cubic distribution of price fluctuations.
• CAS PY 541: Statistical Mechanics I
  Probability theory. Ensembles. Steepest descent methods. Paramagnetism, ideal gas, Einstein model, adsorption isotherms. Thermodynamics, Maxwell relations, heat capacity. Bose and Fermi gases. Electrons in metals, white dwarf stars, black-body radiation, phonons, Bose-Einstein condensation. Interacting systems, virial expansion, Van der Waals gas. Phase transitions: mean-field theories, spin systems.
• CAS PY 542: Statistical Mechanics II
  Continuation of CAS PY 541; emphasis on applications. Phase transitions: thermodynamic theory of phase transitions, mean field theories (Landau theory). Fluctuations: equilibrium fluctuations, instabilities, fluctuation dissipation theories. Elementary kinetic theory: mean free path approach, Boltzmann equation. Stochastic mathematics: probability theory, Markoff processes, Gaussian processes. Brownian motion: Langevin equations, Fokker-Planck equation.
• CAS PY 543: Introduction to Solid State Physics
  An introduction to crystal structure; lattice vibrations; electronic energy bands and Fermi surfaces; semiconductors, conductors, and insulators; superconductivity and magnetism.
• CAS PY 551: Introduction to Particle Physics
  Fundamental particles and their symmetries. Isospin and flavor. Discrete symmetries. Phenomenology of weak and strong interactions. Introduction to detector techniques.
• CAS PY 571: Introduction to Biological Physics
  Introduction to biomolecular forces, energy flow, information and thermodynamics in biological systems. Nucleic acid, protein, and biomembrane structure. Mechanisms of transport and signaling in biological membranes. Biophysical techniques including spectroscopy. Emphasis on the physical principles underlying biological structure and function.
• CAS PY 581: Advanced Laboratory
  Classical experiments in atomic and nuclear physics, development of new experiments, basic research projects. Experiments include magnetic resonance, nuclear-decay studies, Zeeman effect, holography, black-body radiation, X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer studies, and flux quantization, positron annihilation.
• CAS PY 681: Electronics for Scientists
  A survey of practical electronics for all science students who wish to gain a working knowledge of electronic instrumentation and, in particular, its construction. Two four-hour laboratory-lecture sessions per week.

Back to full list of Courses