Single subject courses - Physics

These courses are only open for exchange students. If you as an exchange student have any questions about admission, prerequisites etc, please contact the International Office at internationaloffice@adm.vxu.se.

If you are a free mover, please contact the Admissions Office regarding possibilities to study at Växjö University: admission@vxu.se.

Contact Person
Mats Lyberg
E-mail: mats.lyberg@vxu.se

Telephone: +46 470 70 80 00
Telefax: +46 470 840 04
School of Mathematics and Systems Engineering

• FYB701 - Quantum Mechanics
• FYB702 - Solid State Physics I
• FYB703 - Thermodynamics
• FYB704 - Fluid Dynamics
• FYC701 - Applied Quantum Mechanics
• FYC702 - Electromagnetic Field Theory
• FYC703 - Solid State Physics II
• FYC704 - Current Physics
• FYD701 - Quantum Mechanics II
• FYD702 - Statistical Physics
• FYD703 - Analytical Mechanics
• FYD704 - Surface Physics
• FYD705 - Heat Conduction in Solids
• FYD706 - Spectroscopy of Atoms, Clusters and Solids
• FYD707 - Classical Electrodynamics
• FYD708 - Fluid Dynamics
• FYD709 - Turbulence Theory
• FYD710 - Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
• FYD711 - Plasma Physics
• FYD712 - General Relativity
• FYD713 - Introduction to Quantum Field Theory
• FYD714 - Quantized Many Particle Systems

November–December, 2006
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course contains the basics of non-relativistic Quantum Mechanics, the Schrödinger equation, the hydrogen atom and the basics of perturbation theory.

Recommended reading
The recommended reading will consist of printed lecture notes.

Prerequisites
Knowledge of linear algebra and dif­ferential equations.

September–October, 2006
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course contains the basics of solid state physics and elements of material physics.

Recommended reading
Turton Richard, The Physics of Solids, Oxford, 2000.

Prerequisites
A primary course in classical and mod­ern physics.

September–October, 2006
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course contains the basics of classi­cal thermodynamics, kinetic gas theory and statistical physics.

Recommended reading
Reif F., Thermodynamics.

Prerequisites
A knowledge of classical physics is required.

November–December, 2006
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course contains the basics of fluid dynamics and the Navier-Stokes equation, boundary layer theory and an introduction to turbulence.

Recommended reading
Nakayama Y. & Boucher R. F., Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, Butterworth-Heine-mann.

Prerequisites
A knowledge of classical mechan­ics, multi-variable analysis and vector analysis.

January–March, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This is mainly an experimental course. It includes laboratory work on X-ray spec­troscopy, lasers, neutron activation, alfa-spectroscopy, electron spin resonance, Zeeman, atomic force microscopy effect and other topics.

Recommended reading
The literature will be determined by the lecturer. Lecture note handouts will be included.

Prerequisites
At least one year of studies in physics including quantum mechanics.

April–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This is a course based on Maxwell’s theory of electromagnetic fields. It also includes applications to electromagnetic waves.

Recommended reading
Lorrain P. and Corson D. R., Electromag­netism, Principles and Applications, Freeman, 1989.

Prerequisites
Introductory course in electricity and magnetism. The course requires a knowledge of multi-variable analysis and vector analysis.

January–March, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This is a continuation course in solid state physics but it may also be studied as an independent course.

Recommended reading
Myers H. P., Introductory Solid State Phys­ics, Taylor and Francis, 1997.

Prerequisites
At least one year of previous studies in physics including quantum mechanics. It is an advantage to have previously studied an introductory course in solid state physics.

April–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course treats topics of current interest in physics. This year, the theme will be cosmology and plasma physics.

Recommended reading
Robinson Rowan, Cosmology, Oxford Univ Press, 1998.

Prerequisites
At least one year of previous studies in physics including quantum physics, electricity and magnetism.

September–December, 2006,
and also in January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course is the continuation of an introductory course in Quantum Mechanics including Theory of Angular Momentum, Symmetries in Quantum Mechanics, Approximation Methods and Scattering.

Recommended reading
Sakurai J. J., Modern Quantum Mechanics, Rev. ed., Addison-Wesley, 1994.

Prerequisites
An introductory course in Quantum Mechanics.

September–December, 2006,
and also in January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course gives an overview of some traditional and new topics in Statisti­cal Physics, with some emphasis on applications in Condensed Matter Physics. The course treats dynamic equations describing a system’s response to external forces, Brownian motion, linear response theory, phase transi­tions, critical temperature and critical exponent, Ising and Heisenberg models, mean field theory, Landau-Ginzburg theory, fluctuations, duality, scaling and universality and gives an introduction to the renormalization group.

Recommended reading
Chandler D., Introduction to Modern Statistical Mechanics, Oxford University Press. Chaikin P. M. & Lubensky T. M., Principles of Condensed Matter Physics, Cambridge.

Teaching methods
Tutorials, home assignments and com­puter simulations.

Prerequisites
Introductory courses in Thermodynam­ics and Solid State Physics.

September–December, 2006,
and also in January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course is the continuation of Newtonian Mechanics introducing Lagrangian Mechanics and Hamiltonian Functions.

Teaching methods
Self-studies with tutorials and home as­signments, computer simulations.

Recommended reading
Goldstein H., Poole Jr C. P., Safko J. L., Classical Mechanics, Pearson, 2001.

Prerequisites
An introductory course in Newtonian Mechanics.

September–December, 2006,
and also in January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
Atomic and electronic structure of surface, clean surfaces and absorption phenomena, experimental surface sci­ence techniques.

Recommended reading
Desjonqueres M. C. & Spanjaard D., Concepts in Surface Physics, Springer, 1993.

Teaching methods
Lectures, laboratory exercises.

Prerequisites
A course in atomic physics or solid state physics.

September–December, 2006,
and also in January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course treats the mathematical and numerical methods applied to the topic, including variable separation, Duhamel’s theorem, Green’s functions and Laplace transforms, integral transforms and Ritz-Galerkin methods.

Recommended reading
Özisik M.-N., Heat Conduction, John Wiley, 1980.

Teaching methods
Self-studies with tutorials and home as­signments, computer simulations.

Prerequisites
An introductory course in thermody­namics, courses in multi-variable analy­sis and partial differential equations.

September–December, 2006,
and also in January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course aims to explain colours and spectra of molecules and solids in a local approximation of the electronic struc­ture. Spectroscopic methods from radio frequencies (ESR) to the x-ray region are included.

Recommended reading
Kuzmany H., Solid-State Spectroscopy: An Introduction, Springer, 1998.

Teaching methods
Lectures, laboratory exercises and com­puter simulations.

Prerequisites
A course in atomic physics or solid state physics.

January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course is a continuation of an intro­ductory course in Electromagnetic Field Theory. It includes radiation from oscil­lating charge and current distributions, diffraction and scattering, relativistic particles in EM fields, charged particle collisions, Bremsstrahlung and radiation damping.

Recommended reading
Jackson J. D., Classical Electrodynamics, John Wiley, 1993.

Teaching methods
Lectures, home assignments and compu­ter simulations.

Prerequisites
An introductory course in electromag­netic field theory.

September–December, 2006,
and also in January–May, 2007
7 credit points (10 ECTS)

Contents
This course is a continuation of an introductory course in Fluid Dynamics. It includes the kinematics of the velocity field, equations governing fluid motion, flow at large, Reynold’s numbers and flow in boundary layers.

Recommended reading
Batchelor G. K., An Introduction to Fluid Dynamics, Cambridge Mathematical Library, 2000.

Teaching methods
Tutorials, home assignments and com­puter simulations.

Prerequisites
An introductory course in Mechanics, Vector Analysis.

September–December, 2006,
and also in January–May, 2007
3 credit points (4.5 ECTS)

Contents
This is an introductory course in turbu­lence phenomena. It includes symmetry and conservation laws, probabilistic de­scription of turbulence, the Kolmogorov theory, and phenomenological models of turbulence and eddy viscosity.

Recommended reading
Frisch U., Introduction to Turbulence Theory, Cambridge UP, 1990. Hinze J. O., Turbulence, McGraw-Hill, 1963.

Teaching methods
Tutorials, home assignments and com­puter simulations.

Prerequisites
A course in Fluid Dynamics.

September–December, 2006,
and also in January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course treats models of magnetic materials and magnetic phase transi­tions, interesting physical phenomena associated with magnetism, and experi­mental methods to investigate magnetic materials.

Recommended reading
Blundell S., Magnetism in Condensed Matter, Oxford, 2002.

Teaching methods
Lectures, laboratory exercises and com­puter simulations.

Prerequisites
A course in solid state physics.

September–December, 2006,
and also January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course is an introductory course in plasma physics. It includes perturba­tion theory for movements of charged particles, charged particle collisions, magneto hydrodynamics, transport phenomena in plasma, plasma in space, thermonuclear fusion.

Recommended reading
Chen F. F., Introduction to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Plenum Press, 1995.

Teaching methods
Tutorials, home assignments and com­puter simulations.

Prerequisites
Introductory courses in Fluid Dynam­ics, Electromagnetic Field Theory and Thermodynamics.

September–December, 2006,
and also in January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
This course is an introductory course in general relativity. It includes properties of curved space, Christoffel symbols, covariant differentiation, the Bianchi relations and the Ricci tensor, Einstein’s law of gravitation, the Schwarzschild solution, red shift, black holes, Einstein’s equations with matter, the energy ten­sor.

Recommended reading
Einstein A., The Meaning of Relativity, Princeton, 1974. Dirac P. A. M., General Theory of Relativity, Princeton, 1996.

Teaching methods
Tutorials, home assignments and com­puter simulations.

Prerequisites
Introductory courses in Newtonian Me­chanics, basic courses in Mathematics and Physics, including Vector Analysis.

September–December, 2006,
and also January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
Relativistic and quantized Lagrangian field theory, the Klein-Gordon and Dirac fields, covariant theory for pho­tons, the S-matrix, Feynman diagrams, computation of the lowest order of quantum electrodynamics, radiative cor­rections and the Lamb shift.

Recommended reading
Mandl F. & Shaw G., Quantum Field Theory, John Wiley and Sons, 1984.

Teaching methods
Tutorials, home assignments and com­puter simulations.

Prerequisites
Introductory courses in Quantum Mechanics and Electromagnetic Field Theory.

September–December, 2006,
and also January–May, 2007
5 credit points (7.5 ECTS)

Contents
Propagators, perturbation theory for propagators and second quantization, Green’s functions for many-particle sys­tems, perturbation theory and Feynman diagrams, analytic properties of Green’s functions at equilibrium, linear-response theory and the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, Green’s functions at non-equi­librium, BCS theory, Green’s functions for supraconductors, and Andreev levels and the Josephson effect.

Recommended reading
Zagoskin A. M., Quantum Theory of Many-Body Systems, Springer, 1998. Negele J. W. & Orland H., Quantum Many-Particle Systems, Perseus, 1998.

Teaching methods
Tutorials, home assignments and com­puter simulations.

Prerequisites
A basic course in Quantum Field Theory.