PHYS2010
Techniques in Experimental Physics - Semester I [ Course Website ] [ Lab Website ]
Physics 2010 may be taken in either Semester I or Semester II. It is a core course and is required for both the Sc.M. and the Ph.D.
There are no set hours for the course and no specific prerequisites.
Recommended Textbooks:
- Preston and Dietz, The Art of Experimental Physics
- Melissinos, Experiments in Modern Physics
- Leo, Techniques for Nuclear and Particle Physics Experiments
- Taylor, An Introduction to Error Analysis
The texts are available in the science and the department libraries.
References:
As specified in the instructions for the individual experiments.
The goals of the course are very broad. They are to have everyone leave the course with a grasp of experimental physics, experimental techniques and some important experiments which can be done in such a laboratory. Because students come with varied backgrounds, the course is tailored somewhat to each student.
Students are encouraged to discuss the physics and techniques essential to the experiments with the instructor.
Each student is required to do four experiments. Each one is asked to express his/her choice of experiments from among those available, and we try to accommodate these choices. The selection should include a variety of subjects.
Details of course procedures will be discussed in the Organizational Meeting for the course.
For those students showing evidence of extensive prior involvement with experiments in modern physics, the opportunity exists to do a single experiment in one of the research laboratories of the staff. The student should bring all possible information about these activities such as write-ups, reports, records of time spent on projects, publications, etc.
Available Experiments Include:
- Holography and Lasers
- Solid State Tunneling (2 experiments)
- Surface Plasmons
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance or Electron Paramagnetic Resonance; Techniques for Measuring Magnetic Fields
- Magnetic Quantum Oscillations
- X-Ray Diffraction
- Compton Scattering
- Muon Decay
