Methods of Experimental Physics II
PHYS 538
Spring 2017
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Office Hours |
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TTh |
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TTh 3.00 - 4.00 pm |
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BRK103 |
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BRK 340 |
First meeting:
Texts:
Building Scientific
Apparatus by
Introduction to Modern
Optics by Fowles
The Art of Electronics by
Horowitz and Hill
Organization: The class consists of lectures, homework, laboratory exercises and one
short oral presentation by the student on a selected topic on modern methods of
experimental physics.
Course Learning Objectives
The students are expected
to achieve a fundamental knowledge of many basic methods of experimental
physics and their capabilities as well as their experimental requirements. At
the end of the course the students will be able to use the main concepts of
these methods in their future research activities. The short oral presentations
will give all students a brief snapshot on cutting-edge methods and
technologies in modern experimental physics with special emphasis on nano- and pico-scale spectroscopies and technologies. They
will provide brief and concise information about the specific capabilities of
these methods and technologies to make all students aware of the wealth of
available present-day “tools”. A large part of these activities, including the
laboratory exercises, are dedicated to advancing and sharpening critical
thinking skills.
COURSE OUTLINE and Topics
Covered
1. Modern Computer
Interfacing, Analog to Digital and Digital to Analog Conversion, Ultra-Fast
Data Acquisition
2. Charged Particle Optics,
Particle Sources and Modern Energy Analysis
3. High-Precision
Temperature Measurement, Control, Calibration, Thermostat Designs and
Cryogenics
4. Optics, Linear and
Circular Polarization, Optical Components, Materials and related Devices,
5. Light Sources and
Detectors
6. Imaging and Microscopy
Course Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course,
the students will have achieved a deeper and more fundamental understanding of basic concepts of
experimental physics, which will open for them many ways to explore and
discover new phenomena on their own. They will be able to design and carry out
new experiments in the areas covered in the course outline. Furthermore, they
have learned fresh and inspiring perspectives in modern research areas which
they are able to use as a potent source for future transformative research in
any area of science
Grade Policies
The course grade will be
based on homework, oral presentations and lab exercises.
Students with Disabilities:
Any
student with a disability requiring accommodations in this course is encouraged
to contact me after class or during office hours. Additionally, you will need
to register with the Disability Support Services Office in the