Physics

Academic Year: 
2016-17
Address: 
Jadwin Hall
Phone: 
609-258-4403
Website: 
Physics
Program offerings: 
Ph.D.
Director of Graduate Studies
James Olsen
Graduate Program Administrator
Kate Brosowsky

Academic department detail

Overview

Graduate study in the Department of Physics is strongly focused on research. Only the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program is offered, for which both beginning and advanced students are accepted (please note that advanced students must still take the general examination). The physics department maintains an active research program with equal emphasis on theoretical and experimental studies. Besides its traditional strengths in theoretical and experimental elementary particle physics, theoretical and experimental gravity and cosmology, experimental nuclear and atomic physics, mathematical physics, and theoretical condensed matter physics, it has newer strong and growing groups in experimental condensed matter physics and biophysics.

Students are encouraged to involve themselves in research activities right from the beginning, even while they are still taking courses in basic physics. Early research participation leads to a more mature appreciation of the formal aspects of graduate study. It also allows a closer association with faculty members and a more natural transition to independent research later on. The research for the doctoral dissertation is by far the most important part of the program and should prepare students well for careers in research and teaching at universities, or in research at government or industrial laboratories. The duration of the graduate program is five years, and some students complete the Ph.D. even in a shorter period.

Interdepartmental Research Opportunities

In addition to the main program of the department leading to the Ph.D. in physics, there are several interdepartmental programs. An advanced degree in mathematical physics may be obtained through a program of work in the departments of physics and mathematics.

Physics department faculty and graduate students are active in research collaborations with scientists in several other departments, including astrophysical sciences, including plasma physics, chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering and molecular biology. If prior approval is obtained, students may conduct their research under the supervision of advisers from outside the physics department.

Many of the condensed matter and biophysics faculty in the department are also members of the Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials (PRISM), located in Bowen Hall. The institute provides excellent opportunities for graduate students to work on collaborative projects with students and faculty from other departments in science and engineering and contains special modern facilities for materials research. Recent examples of such research projects are the physics of block copolymers, high-temperature superconductors and colloidal crystals. For more information, please see the PRISM listing. The department also cooperates with the School of Engineering and Applied Science in solid-state science studies.

Courses

Permanent Courses

Courses listed below are graduate-level courses that have been approved by the program’s faculty as well as the Curriculum Subcommittee of the Faculty Committee on the Graduate School as permanent course offerings. Permanent courses may be offered by the department or program on an ongoing basis, depending on curricular needs, scheduling requirements, and student interest. Not listed below are undergraduate courses and one-time-only graduate courses, which may be found for a specific term through the Registrar’s website. Also not listed are graduate-level independent reading and research courses, which may be approved by the Graduate School for individual students.

CHM 510 Topics in Physical Chemistry (also
PHY 544
) Topics covered vary from year to year and are selected from the following: state-selected chemical processes; high-resolution spectroscopy; energy transfer and redistribution; laser-induced chemistry; surface chemistry; electronic properties of conjugated polymers; nonlinear optical materials; physical electrochemistry; heterogeneous reaction dynamics; spectroscopy and dynamics of clusters; and chaotic systems.
ELE 567 Advanced Solid-State Electron Physics (also
PHY 567
) Electron localization in disordered structuresAnderson model and scaling theory of localization; correlated electron systemsHubbard model, Mott transition; metal-insulator transitions in correlated and disordered materials; quantum hall effectinteger and fractional; and quantum phase transitions.
MAT 595 Topics in Mathematical Physics (also
PHY 508
) The course covers current topics in Mathematical Physics. More specific topic details provided when the course is offered.
MSE 504 Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics Simulation in Statistical Physics & Materials Science (also
CHM 560
/
PHY 512
/
CBE 520
) This course examines methods for simulating matter at the molecular and electronic scale. Molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo and electronic structure methods will be covered with emphasis on hands-on experience in writing and/or exercising simulation codes for atomistic and electronic structure simulation.
PHY 501 Electricity and Magnetism A systematic treatment of the theory of electromagnetic phenomena from an advanced standpoint. Maxwell's equations are discussed, with special attention given to their physical meaning. Other topics include dielectric and magnetic media, radiation, and scattering.
PHY 503 Classical Mechanics: Principles and Problem Solving (Half-Term) A graduate-level review of classical mechanics emphasizing problem solving.
PHY 504 Electromagnetism: Principles and Problem Solving (Half Term) A graduate-level review of electromagnetism emphasizing problem-solving.
PHY 505 Quantum Mechanics The physical principles and mathematical formalism of non-relativistic quantum mechanics. The principles will be illustrated by selected applications to topics in atomic physics, particle physics and condensed matter.
PHY 506 Advanced Quantum Mechanics (also
MSE 576
) A one-term course in advanced quantum mechanics, following Physics 505. After a brief review of some fundamental topics (e.g., hydrogen atom, perturbation theory, scattering theory) more advanced topics will be covered, including many-body theory, operator theory, coherent states, stability of matter and other Coulomb systems and the theory of the Bose gas.
PHY 509 Quantum Field Theory Introduction to quantum field theory. Quantization of Klein-Gordon and Dirac fields. Interactions with Feynman diagrams. Elementary processes in quantum electrodynamics. Introduction to non-abelian gauge theory. Radiative corrections.
PHY 510 Advanced Quantum Field Theory Advanced topics in Relativistic Quantum Theory: renormalization group, non-perturbative techniques (solitons, instantons), and quantum fields in curved space.
PHY 511 Statistical Mechanics The physical principles and mathematical formalism of statistical mechanics, with an emphasis on applications to thermodynamics, condensed matter physics, physical chemistry, and astrophysics are studied.
PHY 513 Quantum Mechanics: Principles and Problem Solving (Half Term) A graduate-level review of quantum mechanics emphasizing problem-solving.
PHY 514 Statistical Physics: Principles and Problem Solving (Half-Term) A graduate-level review of statistical physics emphasizing problem-solving.
PHY 521 Introduction to Mathematical Physics (also
MAT 597
) An introduction to mathematically rigorous methods in physics. Topics to be covered include classical and quantum statistical mechanic, quantum many-body problem, group theory, Schroedinger operators, and quantum information theory.
PHY 523 Introduction to Relativity A modern introduction from scratch to the theory of gravity, with an emphasis on quantum effects, supersymmetry, strings, and black holes.
PHY 525 Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics In the fall semester the course explores electronic structure of crystals, phonons, transport and magnetic properties, screening in metals, and superconductivity. In the spring semester the focus is on "soft" condensed matter physics, including fluids, polymers, liquid crystals, phase transitions, generalized elasticity, dislocations, dynamics and hydrodynamics.
PHY 529 High-Energy Physics An overview of modern elementary particle physics. The basic formalism is developed in the context of quantum electrodynamics (QED), then the principle of local gauge invariance is used to generalize this to the current "standard model" of the fundamental forces. The latter is then applied to a variety of physical cases. Specific topics include: weak decays, W and Z physics, deep inelastic scattering, CP violation, neutrino oscillations, and Higgs searches, with an emphasis on areas of current interest. The course also covers key concepts in accelerator and detector physics.
PHY 536 Advanced Condensed Matter Physics II (also
MSE 577
) Fermi liquids, Luttinger liquids, the quantum Hall effect, superconductivity, quantum magnetism, Kondo effect and localization.
PHY 537 Nuclear Physics A summary of some contemporary nuclear physics topics, including neutrino mass, double beta decay, and violations of parity and time reversal symmetries. Discussion of nuclear structure calculations relevant to these topics are also given.
PHY 539 Selected Topics in High-Energy Physics The large N expansion in gauge theories; quantization of closed and open strings; string perturbation theory and conformal field theory techniques; string effective actions; and large N matrix models and random surfaces.
PHY 540 Selected Topics in Theoretical High-Energy Physics Superstrings; low-energy effective actions; p-brane solutions in supergravity; Dirichlet branes; D-brane approach to black holes; the AdS/CFT correspondence.
PHY 557 Electronic Methods in Experimental Physics Analog circuits: operational amplifiers, active filters, low-level measurements, transducers, phase-lock loops, and power supplies: digital circuits: logic, flip-flops, counters, data transmission, A/D and D/A converters and timers; and computer hardware; computer architecture and mini- and micro-computer interfacing are studied. Students build about 100 circuits from voltage dividers to microcomputers.
PHY 561 Biophysics A physicist's perspective on selected topics in biology. The course explores problems ranging from functioning of individual biological molecules and their complexes to emerging collective properties of biological systems.
PHY 562 Biophysics A physicist's perspective on selected topics in biology. The course explores problems ranging from functioning of individual biological molecules and their complexes to emerging collective properties of biological systems.
PHY 563 Physics of the Universe Introduces the physics and astrophysics of compact objects, including white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. Topics included are radio-pulsars, X-ray binaries, and gamma ray bursts.
PHY 564 Physics of the Universe (also
AST 524
) This course spans a wide range of advanced concepts in contemporary cosmology including inflation, the cyclic universe, dark matter and dark energy, and how they can be explored through cosmological observations of the cosmic microwave background and large scale structure. The course will be closely linked to the Princeton Center for Theoretical Physics Fall 2008 program on the Big Bang and Beyond, including weekly precept meetings with seminar speakers.
PHY 580 Extramural Summer Research Project Summer research project designed in consultation with the student's research adviser and an industrial, NGO, or government sponsor that will provide practical experience relevant to the student's research area. Start date no earlier than June 1. A written research report and sponsor's evaluation are required at the end of the experience.
QCB 505 Topics in Biophysics and Quantitative Biology (also
PHY 555
) Analysis of recent work on quantitative, theoretically grounded approaches to the phenomena of life. Topics rotate from year to year, spanning all levels of biological organization, including (as examples) initial events in photosynthesis, early embryonic development, evolution of protein families, coding and computation in the brain, collective behavior in animal groups. Assumes knowledge of relevant physics and applicable mathematics at advanced undergraduate level, with tutorials on more advanced topics. Combination of lectures with student discussion of recent and classic papers.
QCB 515 Method and Logic in Quantitative Biology (also
PHY 570
/
EEB 517
/
CHM 517
/
MOL 515
) Close reading of published papers illustrating the principles, achievements and difficulties that lie at the interface of theory and experiment in biology. Two important papers, read in advance by all students, will be considered each week; emphasis will be on student discussion, not formal lectures. Topics include: cooperativity, robust adaptation, kinetic proofreading, sequence analysis, clustering, phylogenetics, analysis of fluctuations, maximum likelihood methods.