FY541: Atomic physics
Study Board of Science
Teaching language: English
EKA: N500041112, N500041102
Assessment: Second examiner: None, Second examiner: Internal
Grading: Pass/Fail, 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Bachelor
STADS ID (UVA): N500041101
ECTS value: 5
Date of Approval: 27-03-2019
Duration: 1 semester
Version: Archive
Comment
The course is identical to the previous course titled FY536 (UVA N500020101). This means that if you have previously taken exam attempts in FY536, these attempts will be transferred to this new course.
Entry requirements
Academic preconditions
Students taking the course are expected to have knowledge of classical mechanics, electromagnetism and introductory quantum mechanics.
Course introduction
Course introduction This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) physics as well as a review of current “hot topics” in this field. At the end of the course the student will have a firm foundation in modern atomic physics as well as knowledge of the state-of-the-art in experimental quantum physics.
The course therefore establishes an important foundation for students who want to continue to study quantum theory at a higher level and/or focus on experimental physics in their master studies.
The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the courses FY534YY Electromagnetism, FY521 Quantum Mechanics I and FY522 Quantum Mechanics II, and gives an academic basis for studying the topics of modern quantum science, such as atomic & molecular physics, quantum optics, quantum information science and photonics.
The focus of the course is to:
- Give the competence to understand and describe the world of atoms and photons using the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics.
- Give knowledge and understanding of state-of-the-art experiments in areas such as ultracold atoms, quantum information & computation and nano-optics.
- Give skills to independently address and solve problems in modern quantum theory in preparation for future work on theoretical challenges in quantum optics and quantum many-body physics.
Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course are that the student demonstrates the ability to:
- Apply the formalism of quantum mechanics to describe atomic systems and their interaction with electromagnetic fields.
- Understand the fundamentals of atomic physics as the core principle to explain the periodic system and the formation of matter.
- Understand the implications of superposition, entanglement and non-locality both for the foundation of quantum mechanics as well as for applications in information & communication sciences.
- Apply the principles of quantum mechanics to quantitatively describe the outcome of different state-of-the-art experiments.
Content
Subject overview The following main topics are contained in the course:
- Atomic structure – atomic physics beyond the hydrogen atom.
- Multi-electron atoms and molecules
- Atoms in electromagnetic fields
- Atom-light interaction
- Ultracold atoms and ions.
- Quantum computation and information
Literature
- Christopher Foot: Atomic Physics
- D. Budker, D. Kimball, D. DeMille: Atomic Physics: An Exploration Through Problems and Solutions
See Blackboard for syllabus lists and additional literature references.
Examination regulations
Prerequisites for participating in the exam a)
Timing
Autumn
Tests
Active participation in the tutorials
EKA
N500041112
Assessment
Second examiner: None
Grading
Pass/Fail
Identification
Full name and SDU username
Language
Normally, the same as teaching language
Examination aids
To be announced during the course
ECTS value
0
Additional information
Attendance of all exercise groups. Completion of 60% of the homework assignments. One presentation on the blackboard of prepared homework in the exercise groups.
The prerequisite examination is a prerequisite for participation in exam element a).
Exam element a)
Timing
January
Prerequisites
| Type | Prerequisite name | Prerequisite course |
|---|---|---|
| Examination part | Prerequisites for participating in the exam a) | N500041101, FY541: Atomic physics |
Tests
Oral examination
EKA
N500041102
Assessment
Second examiner: Internal
Grading
7-point grading scale
Identification
Student Identification Card
Language
Normally, the same as teaching language
Examination aids
To be announced during the course
ECTS value
5
Additional information
The examination form for re-examination may be different from the exam form at the regular exam.
Indicative number of lessons
Teaching Method
At the faculty of science, teaching is organized after the three-phase model ie. intro, training and study phase.
Educational form: The intro phase consists of lectures in which the central topics of the course are reviewed. This is done both with general theory and via examples. Even though most of the teaching is based on lectures there is a strong focus on involving the students via questions and discussion.
In the tutorials, it is expected that the students develop their skills via problem solving and discussions with the teacher and among themselves. The students will solve problems at the blackboard based on initial preparation at home and with the help of everybody else.
Activities during the study phase: Problem solving.