IX. Graduate Programs
Physics
Courses
* Courses offered annually. Other courses are offered on an alternate year basis and as requested.
Perimeter Scholars' Institute Courses
| PHYS*6030 PSI Quantum Field Theory II U [0.50] |
| Feynman Path Integral, abelian and nonabelian guage theories and their quantization, spontaneous symmetry breaking, nonperturbative
techniques: lattice field theory, Wilsonian renormalization.
|
| PHYS*6040 PSI Relativity U [0.50] |
| Special relativity, foundations of general relativity, Riemannain geometry, Einstein's equations, FRW and Schwarzschild geometries
and their properties.
|
| PHYS*6050 PSI Quantum Theory U [0.50] |
| Schrodinger equation: free particle, harmonic oscillator, simple time-dependent problems, Heisenberg picture and connection
with classical physics. Entanglement and non-locality. Pure and mixed states, quantum correlators, measurement theory and
interpretation.
|
| PHYS*6070 PSI Dynamical Systems U [0.50] |
| Maps, flows, stability, fixed points, attractors, chaos, bifurcations, ergodicity, approach to chaos. Hamiltonian systems,
Liouville, measure, Poincare theorem, integrable systems with examples.
|
| PHYS*6080 PSI Computation U [0.50] |
| Common algorithms for ode and pde solving, with numerical analysis. Common tasks in linear algebra. Focus on how to write
a good code, test it, and obtain a reliable result. Parallel programing.
|
| PHYS*6210 PSI Cosmology U [0.25] |
| FRW metic, Hubble expansion, dark energy, dark matter, CMB, Thermodynamic history of early universe. Growth of perturbations,
CDM model of structure formation and comparison to observations, cosmic microwave background anisopropies, inlation and observational
tests.
|
| PHYS*6220 PSI Standard Model U [0.25] |
| Application of Yan-Mills theory to particle physics, QCD and its tests in the perturbative regime, theory of weak interactions,
precisions tests of electroweak theory, CKM matrix and flavour physics, open questions.
|
| PHYS*6230 PSI String Theory U [0.25] |
| Superstring spectrum in 10d Minkowski, as well as simple toroidal and orbifold compactifications. T-duality, D-branes, tree
amplitudes. Construct some simple unified models of particle physics. Motivate the 10- 11-dimensional supergravities. Simple
supergravity solutions and use these to explore some aspects of adS/CFT duality.
|
Basic Group
| PHYS*7010 Quantum Mechanics I * U [0.50] |
| Review of formalism of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics including symmetries and invariance. Approximation methods and scattering
theory. Elementary quantum theory of radiation. Introduction to one-particle relativistic wave equations.
|
| PHYS*7040 Statistical Physics I* U [0.50] |
| Statistical basis of thermodynamics; microcanonical, canonical and grand canonical ensembles; quantum statistical mechanics,
theory of the density matrix; fluctuations, noise, irreversible thermodynamics; transport theory; application to gases, liquids,
solids.
|
| PHYS*7050 Statistical Physics II U [0.50] |
| Phase transitions. Fluctuation phenomena. Kubo's theory of time correlation functions for transport and spectral properties;
applications selected from a variety of topics including linearized hydrodynamics of normal and superfluids, molecular liquids,
liquid crystals, surface phenomena, theory of the dielectric constant, etc.
|
| Prerequisite(s): |
PHYS*7040 or equivalent.
|
| PHYS*7060 Electromagnetic Theory * U [0.50] |
| Solutions to Maxwell's equations; radiation theory, normal modes; multipole expansion; Kirchhoff's diffraction theory; radiating
point charge; optical theorem. Special relativity; transformation laws for the electromagnetic field; line broadening. Dispersion;
Kramers-Kronig relations. Magnetohydrodynamics and plasmas.
|
| PHYS*7080 Applications of Group Theory U [0.50] |
| Introduction to group theory; symmetry, the group concept, representation theory, character theory. Applications to molecular
vibrations, the solid state, quantum mechanics and crystal field theory.
|
Subatomic and Nuclear
| PHYS*7030 Quantum Field Theory U [0.50] |
| Review of relativistic quantum mechanics and classical field theory. Quantization of free quantum fields (the particle interpretation
of field quants). Canonical quantization of interacting fields (Feynman rules). Application of the formalism of interacting
quantum fields to lowest-order quantum electrodynamic processes. Radiative corrections and renormalization.
|
| Prerequisite(s): |
PHYS*7010 or equivalent.
|
| PHYS*7150 Nuclear Physics U [0.50] |
| Static properties of nuclei; alpha, beta, gamma decay; two-body systems; nuclear forces; nuclear reactions; single-particle
models for spherical and deformed nuclei; shell, collective, interacting boson models.
|
Astronomy and Astrophysics
| PHYS*7810 Fundamentals of Astrophysics U [0.50] |
| The fundamental astronomical data: techniques to obtain it and the shortcomings present. The classification systems. Wide-
and narrow-band photometric systems. The intrinsic properties of stars: colours, luminosities, masses, radii, temperatures.
Variable stars. Distance indicators. Interstellar reddening. Related topics.
|
| PHYS*7840 Advanced General Relativity W [0.50] |
| Review of elementary general relativity. Timelike and null geodesic congruences. Hypersurfaces and junction conditions. Lagrangian
and Hamiltonian formulations of general relativity. Mass and angular momentum of a gravitating body. The laws of black-hole
mechanics.
|
| PHYS*7850 Quantum Field Theory for Cosmology U [0.50] |
| Introduction to scalar field theory and its canonical quantization in flat and curved spacetimes. The flat space effects of
Casimir and Unruh. Quantum fluctuations of scalar fields and of the metric on curved space-times and application to inflationary
cosmology. Hawking radiation.
|
| Prerequisite(s): |
PHYS*7010 |
| PHYS*7860 General Relativity for Cosmology U [0.50] |
| Introduction to the differential geometry of Lorentzian manifolds. The principles of general relativity. Causal structure
and cosmological singularities. Cosmological space-times with Killing vector fields. Friedmann-Lemaitre cosmologies, scalar
vector and tensor perturbations in the linear and nonlinear regimes. De Sitter space-times and inflationary models.
|
| PHYS*7870 Cosmology U [0.50] |
| Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric and dynamics; big bang thermodynamics; nucelosynthesis; recombination; perturbation theory
and structure formation; anisotropies in the Cosmic Microwave Background; statistics of cosmological density and velocity
fields; galaxy formation; inflation.
|
Atomic and Molecular
| PHYS*7100 Atomic Physics U [0.50] |
| Emphasis on atomic structure and spectroscopy. Review of angular momentum, rotations, Wigner-Eckart theorem, n-j symbols.
Energy levels in complex atoms, Hartree-Fock theory, radiative-transitions and inner-shell processes. Further topics selected
with class interest in mind, at least one of which is to be taken from current literature.
|
| PHYS*7130 Molecular Physics U [0.50] |
| Angular momentum and the rotation of molecules; introduction to group theory with application to molecular vibrations; principles
of molecular spectroscopy; spectra of isolated molecules; intermolecular interactions and their effects on molecular spectra;
selected additional topics (e.g., electronic structure of molecules, experimental spectroscopic techniques, neutron scattering,
correlation functions, collision induced absorption, extension of group theory to molecular crystals, normal co-ordinate analysis,
etc.).
|
Biophysics
| PHYS*7510 Cellular Biophysics U [0.50] |
| The physics of cellular structure and function; membrane theories, diffusion and active transport, bioelectric phenomena;
intracellular motion, thermodynamics; selected topics of current interest and seminar.
|
| PHYS*7520 Molecular Biophysics U [0.50] |
| Physical methods of determining macromolecular structure: energetics, intramolecular and intermolecular forces, with application
to lamellar structures, information storage, DNA and RNA, recognition and rejection of foreign molecules.
|
Applied Physics (including Technical Methods)
| PHYS*7140 Nonlinear Optics U [0.50] |
| Classical and Quantum Mechanical descriptions of nonlinear susceptibility, nonlinear wave propogation, nonlinear effects such
as Peckel's and Kerr effects, harmonic generation, phase conjugation and stimulated scattering processes.
|
| PHYS*7450 Special Topics in Experimental Physics * U [0.50] |
| A modular course in which each module deals with an established technique of experimental physics. Four modules will be offered
during the Winter and Spring semesters, but registration and credit will be in the spring semester. Typical topics are neutron
diffraction, light scattering, acoustics, molecular beams, NMR, surface analysis, etc.
|
| PHYS*7470 Optical Electronics U [0.50] |
| Optoelectronic component fabrication, light propogation in linear and nonlinear media, optical fiber properties, electro-optic
and acousto-optic modulation, spontaneous and stimulated emission, semiconductor lasers and detectors, nose effects in fiber
systems.
|
Special Courses (offered on demand only)
| PHYS*7750 Interinstitution Exchange U [0.50] |
| At the GWPI director's discretion, a PhD or MSc student may receive credit for a term of specialized studies at another institution.
Formal evaluation is required.
|
| Restriction(s): |
GWPI director approval required |
| PHYS*7970 MSc Project U [1.00] |
| Study of a selected topic in physics presented in the form of a written report. For students whose MSc program consists entirely
of courses
|
