Physics
The Departments of Physics at the Universities of Guelph and Waterloo offers MSc and PhD degrees in the following fields:
- Astrophysics and Gravitation
- Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
- Biophysics
- Chemical Physics
- Condensed Matter and Material Physics
- Industrial and Applied Physics
- Subatomic Physics
- Quantum Computing
The University of Guelph and the University of Waterloo have a joint program in which graduate courses are taught by instructors from both universities. Students are registered at the university their advisor is located. A student comes under the general regulations of the university at which they are registered, and the degree is granted by that university.
Administrative Staff
Chair
Stefan Kycia (324 MacNaughton, Ext. 53991)
phychair@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Coordinator
Eric Poisson (452 MacNaughton, Ext. 52540)
epoisson@uoguelph.ca
Associate Graduate Program Coordinator
Robert Wickham (448 MacNaughton, Ext. 53704)
rwickham@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Assistant
Janice Ilic (207 MacNaughton, Ext. 58176)
physgrad@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Faculty
This list may include Regular Graduate Faculty, Associated Graduate Faculty and/or Graduate Faculty from other universities.
Nasser Abukhdeir
B.Sc. Carnegie Mellon, M.Ch.E. Carnegie Mellon, PhD McGill - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Niayesh Afshordi
BA Iran, B.Sc. Providence, PhD Princeton - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Michal Bajcsy
BS, PhD Harvard - Assistant Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Michael Balogh
B.Sc. McMaster, PhD Victoria - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Dayan Ban
B.Sc., M.Sc. Science and Technology (China), PhD Toronto - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Jonathan Baugh
B.Sc. UT Chattanooga, PhD UNC Chapel Hill - Professor, Chemistry, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Kostadinka Bizheva
BS, MS Plovdiv, MS, PhD Tufts - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Avery Broderick
BS Stoney Brook, PhD Caltech - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Leonid S. Brown
M.Sc., PhD Moscow State - Professor and Associate Dean (Graduate Studies and Research), College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Graduate Faculty
Raffi Budakian
BS, MS, PhD California - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Anton Burkov
BS, MS Plovdiv, MS, PhD Tufts - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Liliana Caballero
B.Sc. Colombia, PhD Indiana - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
J.L. (Iain) Campbell
B.Sc., PhD, D.Sc. Glasgow, D.Tech. Lund - University Professor Emeritus
Associated Graduate Faculty
Melanie C. Campbell
B.Sc. Toronto, M.Sc. Waterloo, PhD Australian National, FAAO - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Z.Y. 'Jeff' Chen
B.Sc. Fuden, PhD Maryland - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Kyung Soo Choi
B.Sc. Stony Brook, PhD Caltech - Assistant Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
David Cory
BA, PhD Case Western Reserve - Professor, Chemistry, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
James H. Davis
B.Sc., BA Moorhead, PhD Manitoba - Professor Emeritus
John R. Dutcher
B.Sc. Dalhousie, M.Sc. British Columbia, PhD Simon Fraser - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Joseph Emerson
M.Sc., PhD British Columbia - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Michael Fich
B.Sc. Waterloo, M.Sc., PhD California - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
James Forrest
B.Sc. Simon Fraser, M.Sc., PhD Guelph - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Paul E. Garrett
B.Sc. Queen's, M.Sc., PhD McMaster - Professor and Chair
Graduate Faculty
Ralf Gellert
Dipl Phys, PhD Darmstadt - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Alexandros Gezerlis
Dipl Athens, PhD Illinois - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Michel Gingras
B.Sc., M.Sc. Laval, PhD British Columbia - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Bae-Yeun Ha
B.Sc., MS Korea, PhD Maryland - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
David G. Hawthorn
B.Sc. McMaster, PhD Toronto - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Robert Hill
B.Sc., PhD Bristol - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Michael Hudson
B.Sc. Montreal, PhD Cambridge - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Rajibul Islam
B.Sc. Jadavpur, M.Sc. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, PhD Maryland - Assistant Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Thomas Jennewein
M.Sc. Innsbruck, PhD Vienna - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
De-Tong Jiang
B.Sc. Jilin, PhD Simon Fraser - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Achim Kempf
B.Sc. Heidelberg, PhD Munich - Professor, Applied Mathematics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Na Young Kim
BS Seoul National, PhD Stanford - Associate Professor, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Jan Kycia
B.Sc. McGill, M.Sc. Pennsylvania, PhD Northwestern - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Stefan W. Kycia
B.Sc. McGill; MS Pennsylvania; PhD Iowa - Associate Professor and Interim Chair
Graduate Faculty
Vladimir Ladizhansky
BS Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology; MS, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science (Rehovot, Israel) - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Raymond Laflamme
B.Sc. Laval, PhD Cambridge - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Vasudevan Lakshminarayanan
B.Sc., M.Sc. Madrass, PhD UC Berkley - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Luis Lehner
Licenciado Cordoba, PhD Pittsburgh - Professor, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Associated Graduate Faculty
Zoya Leonenko
M.Sc., PhD Novosibirsk - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
K. Tong Leung
B.Sc., PhD British Columbia - Professor, Chemistry, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Qing-Bin Lu
B.Sc., M.Sc. Fuzhou, China, PhD Newcastle - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Adrian Lupascu
B.Sc., M.Sc. Bucharest (Romania), PhD Netherlands - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Norbert L Lütkenhaus
M.Sc. München, PhD Scotland, Habilitation Germany - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Robert B. Mann
B.Sc. McMaster, M.Sc., PhD Toronto - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Matteo Mariantoni
M.Sc. Chamlers Technology, PhD Technical (Munich) - Assistant Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
James Martin
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Waterloo - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Michael Massa
B.Sc. Guelph, M.Sc., PhD McMaster - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
Mark Matsen
B.Sc. Simon Fraser, MA, PhD Guelph - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Brian McNamara
BS Villanova, MA, PhD Virginia - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Roger Melko
B.Sc., M.Sc. Waterloo, MA, PhD UC Santa Barbara - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Guo-Xing Miao
B.Sc. Shandong University, PhD Brown University - Assistant Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Zoran Miskovic
PhD Belgrade - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Michele Mosca
B.Math. Waterloo, M.Sc., DPhil Oxford - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Christine Muschik
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Ludwig-Maximillians - Assistant Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Dennis Mücher
B.Sc., PhD Cologne (Germany) - Professor, University of Cologne
Associated Graduate Faculty
Linda F. Nazar
B.Sc. British Columbia, PhD Toronto - Professor, Chemistry, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Elisabeth J. Nicol
B.Sc. Mount Allison, M.Sc., PhD McMaster - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Joanne M. O'Meara
B.Sc., PhD McMaster - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Will Percival
B.Sc., PhD Oxford - Assistant Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Eric Poisson
B.Sc. Laval, M.Sc., PhD Alberta - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Dmitry Pushin
B.Sc., M.Sc. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, PhD MIT - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Xiao-Rong Qin
B.Sc., M.Sc. Tsinghua (Beijing), PhD Simon Fraser - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Kevin Resch
B.Sc. Queen's, M.Sc., PhD Toronto - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Joseph Sanderson
B.Sc., PhD London - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Crystal Senko
B.Sc. Duke, PhD Maryland - Assistant Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Daniel Siegel
Dipl. Freiburg, PhD Max Plank Institute - Professor, University of Greifswald
Associated Graduate Faculty
Donna Strickland
B.Eng. McMaster, PhD Rochester - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Carl E. Svensson
B.Sc., PhD McMaster - Professor
Graduate Faculty
James Taylor
B.Sc., M.Sc. Toronto, PhD Victoria - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Russell Thompson
B.Sc. Ottawa, M.Sc. Regina, PhD Western Ontario - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Zbigniew Wasilewski
M.Sc. Warsaw, PhD Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Adam Wei Tsen
BS California-Berkeley, PhD Cornell - Assistant Professor, Chemistry, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Robert Wickham
B.Sc. Toronto, PhD Chicago - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Martin Williams
PhD Imperial College, London - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Christopher Wilson
BS MIT, PhD Yale - Associate Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
Huan Yang
B.Sc., PhD Caltech - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
David Yevick
AB Harvard, MA, PhD Princeton - Professor, Physics, University of Waterloo
Graduate Faculty Other University
MSc Program
Admission Requirements
Application for admission should be made as early as possible using on-line application methods described on the Department website. Successful applicants are encouraged to start their graduate studies in May or September, but a January starting date is possible. Program offices should be consulted for admission deadlines.
The admission requirements are as follows:
- An honours BSc degree in physics (or equivalent) with at least a B standing (75%) from a recognized university.
- Three letters of reference, two of which normally are from academic sources.
- Proof of competency in English (for applicants whose prior education was in a language other than English). See the University regulations on English Language Proficiency Certification.
- GRE Physics Subject Test score for all applicants who have completed their post-secondary education outside of Canada.
Successful applicants are encouraged to start their graduate studies in May or September, but a January starting date is possible. Academic transcripts and other supporting documents should be forwarded as soon as they become available. Admission to the program cannot be granted until all requirements have been met and all documents submitted.
Applications are considered by the Admissions Committee. It should be noted that students will normally be admitted only if an advisor can be found to oversee their research. Since there are a limited number of openings each year, applicants are advised to state alternative areas of research on the preference form supplied (see Department website).
Program Requirements
Students enrol in one of two study options:
- thesis, or
- course work and major research project.
Thesis
Four one-term courses (at least 2.0 course credits) acceptable for graduate credit and a thesis based on original research are required. The subject of research must be approved by the candidate's advisory committee and the thesis must be read and approved by the advisory committee. One of the four courses may be an undergraduate course approved by the student's advisory committee and the Graduate Program Coordinator. If it is a physics course, it must be at the fourth-year level.
For all students one of the courses must include at least one of the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS*7010 | Quantum Mechanics I | 0.50 |
| PHYS*7030 | Quantum Field Theory | 0.50 |
| PHYS*7040 | Statistical Physics I | 0.50 |
| PHYS*7060 | Electromagnetic Theory | 0.50 |
| PHYS*7810 | Fundamentals of Astrophysics | 0.50 |
An MSc student in this program who shows a particular aptitude for research and has a superior record in fourth-year undergraduate and three one-term graduate courses may be permitted, upon recommendation of the advisor and with the approval of the coordinating committee, to transfer into the PhD program without completing an MSc thesis.
An average of at least 70% must be obtained in the required courses. A minimum grade of 65% is required for a pass in each course. No more than two courses, of the first four taken, can have a grade of less than 70%. If a student does not meet these minimum grade requirements, or receives a failing grade in any course, they may be required to withdraw from the program.
Course Work and Major Research Project (MRP)
Seven one-term courses (0.50 unit weight) acceptable for graduate credit, plus a project course summarized in a report, are required. The project must be approved by the candidate's advisor and the report read and approved by the advisor and one other faculty member. At least four of the seven courses must be physics graduate level courses.
Two of the seven courses may be upper level undergraduate courses approved by the student's advisory committee and the Graduate Program Coordinator. If it is a physics course, it must be at the fourth-year level. This program is recommended for those planning careers requiring a broad non-specialized knowledge of physics (for example, high school teaching).
PhD Program
Admission Requirements
There are three pathways for admission to the PhD program:
- An MSc degree in physics from an approved university or college with at least a B standing (75%) is normally required for entrance into the PhD program. Other requirements are the same as those described above for the MSc program (see Department website).
- Students with an undergraduate degree in Physics may apply for admission directly to the PhD program. Successful applicants will have an outstanding academic record, breadth of knowledge in physics, previous research experience, and strong letters of recommendation.
- Students wishing to be considered for transfer to a PhD program prior to completion of the MSc program must request the transfer up to 3 full-time terms after initial registration and have an excellent academic record as well as a strong aptitude for research.
Program Requirements
Three cores courses or their equivalent must be completed by end of the first year of the PhD program. This requirement may be satisfied, in full or in part, by courses taken during the M.Sc. The core courses for the program are:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS*7010 | Quantum Mechanics I | 0.50 |
| PHYS*7030 | Quantum Field Theory | 0.50 |
| PHYS*7040 | Statistical Physics I | 0.50 |
| PHYS*7060 | Electromagnetic Theory | 0.50 |
| PHYS*7670 | Introduction to Quantum Information Processing | 0.50 |
| PHYS*7810 | Fundamentals of Astrophysics | 0.50 |
One of the core courses must include PHYS*7010 Quantum Mechanics I, PHYS*7040 Statistical Physics I, or PHYS*7060 Electromagnetic Theory. Exception: Biophysics students within the Physics PhD program are required to take only one core course by the completion of the first year of the program, which must include one of PHYS*7010 Quantum Mechanics I, PHYS*7040 Statistical Physics I, or PHYS*7060 Electromagnetic Theory.
A minimum of two one-term courses are required to be taken for the PhD degree, which may include or be in addition to the core courses required as specified above. One of the required courses may be an undergraduate course outside the student's main field of study and must be approved by the student's advisory committee and the Graduate Program Coordinator. No undergraduate course in physics may be taken for credit. No courses taken for MSc credit may be used to satisfy the minimum course requirement. However, courses taken during the MSc program and in excess of those required for the MSc program will be allowed for PhD credit. The extra courses must be identified prior to admission to the PhD program.
An average of at least 70% must be obtained in the required courses. A minimum grade of 65% is required for a pass in each course. No more than two courses, of the first four taken, can have a grade of less than 70%. If a student does not meet these minimum grade requirements, or receives a failing grade in any course, they may be required to withdraw from the program.
Students who transfer to the PhD, or who enter the PhD directly, will need to complete the course work requirements of both the MSc and PhD degrees, a total of six one-term graduate courses. Three of the core courses including one of PHYS*7010 Quantum Mechanics I, PHYS*7040 Statistical Physics I or PHYS*7060 Electromagnetic Theory will have been taken by the end of the first year of the PhD program.
Courses
Unless otherwise indicated, courses are offered on an alternate year basis and as requested.
Canonical quantization of fields, perturbation theory, derivation of Feynman diagrams, applications in particle and condensed matter theory, renormalization in phi^4.
A brief review of ensembles and quantum gases, lsing model, landau theory of phase transititions, order parameters, topology, classical solutions.
Feynman Path Integral, abelian and nonabelian guage theories and their quantization, spontaneous symmetry breaking, nonperturbative techniques: lattice field theory, Wilsonian renormalization.
Special relativity, foundations of general relativity, Riemannain geometry, Einstein's equations, FRW and Schwarzschild geometries and their properties.
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.
Probability, entropy, Bayesian inference and information theory. Maximum likelihood methods, common probability distributions, applications to real data including Monte Carlo methods.
Maps, flows, stability, fixed points, attractors, chaos, bifurcations, ergodicity, approach to chaos. Hamiltonian systems, Liouville, measure, Poincare theorem, integrable systems with examples.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Differential forms, de Rham cohomology, differential topology and characteristic classes, monopoles and instantons, Kahler manifolds, Dirac equations, zero modes and index theorems.
Review of selected topics in Quantum Information.
Review of selected topics in Gravitational Physics.
Review of selected topics in Condensed Matter Theory.
Review of selected topics in Quantum Grativity.
Review of selected topics in Foundations of Quantum Theory.
Review of selected topics in Quantum Information.
Review of selected topics in Gravitational Physics.
Review of selected topics in Condensed Matter Theory.
Review of selected topics in Quantum Gravity.
Review of selected topics in Foundations of Quantum Theory.
Review of selected topics in Particle Physics.
Review of selected topics in String Theory.
Review of selected topics in Complex Systems.
Review of selected topics in Cosmology.
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.
Concepts of relativistic quantum mechanics, elementary quantum field theory, and Feynman diagrams. Application to many-particle systems.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Review of essential quantum field theory. Zero and finite temperature. Green's functions. Applications.
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.
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.).
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.
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.
Strong, electromagnetic and weak interactions. Isospin, strangeness, conservation laws and symmetry principles. Leptons, hadrons, quarks and their classification, formation, interactions and decay.
Phonons, electron states, electron-electron interaction, electron-ion interaction, static properties of solids.
Transport properties; optical properties; magnetism; superconductivity; disordered systems.
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.
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.
This course provides an overview of the application of physics to medicine. The physical concepts underlying the diagnosis and treatment of disease will be explored. Topics will include general imaging principles such as resolution, intensity, and contrast; x-ray imaging and computed tomography; radioisotopes and nuclear medicine, SPECT and PET; magnetic resonance imaging; ultrasound imaging and radiation therapy. Offered in conjunction with PHYS*4070. Extra work is required of graduate students.
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. Offered in conjunction with PHYS*4540. Extra work is required of graduate students.
Offered on demand
Offered on demand
Quantum superposition, interference, and entanglement. Postulates of Quantum Mechanics. Quantum computational complexity. Quantum Algorithms. Quantum communication and cryptography. Quantum error correction. Implementations.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Offered on demand
Offered on demand
Study of a selected topic in physics presented in the form of a written report. For students whose MSc program consists entirely of courses.