Physics Courses

PHYS 5F90
MSc Thesis
An original research project involving the preparation and defence of a thesis which will demonstrate a capacity for independent work. The research shall be carried out under the supervision of a faculty member and the thesis defended at an oral examination.

PHYS 5N01
Scientific Writing
The organizational and stylistic skills of writing and referencing a scientific document. Examples from the various literature forms such as primary journals, reviews, reports, and theses, as well as presentations and seminars. Database use and reference citation, and use of figures and graphs to illustrate data.
Note: This course is taught by instructors from Brock Student Development Centre.

PHYS 5P00
Quantum Chemistry: Theory
Self-consistent-field (SCF) method: configuration interaction; basis functions; electron correlation; physical properties of atoms, diatomic and polyatomic molecules.

PHYS 5P02
Membrane Biophysics
The structure of biological membranes, including their fluctuations, dynamics, and interactions. Lipids, their variety and purpose, especially for biotechnology. Membrane proteins, including introduction to ion channels and simple models of excitable membranes. Biophysical experimental methods for the study of membranes.

PHYS 5P30
Advanced Electromagnetism
Electromagnetic wave propagation in vacuum, dielectrics, conductors, and ionized gases; wave guide and transmission line propagation; dipole and quadrupole radiation fields; relativistic transformation of the electromagnetic fields; radiation by moving charges.

PHYS 5P41
Advanced Statistical Physics
Statistical ensembles; mean field and Landau theory, critical phenomena, and the renormalization group; quantum fluids; superfluidity; selected topics on disordered systems.

PHYS 5P50
Advanced Quantum Mechanics I
Angular momentum, rotations, and scalar and vector operators, selection rules; Pauli principle and periodic table; nuclear shell model; degenerate perturbation theory; electron in magnetic field, Landau levels; time evolution in quantum mechanics, time-dependent perturbation theory; elastic scattering.

PHYS 5P51
Advanced Quantum Mechanics II
Propagators and Green's functions; path integral formalism; functional integrals and derivatives; systems of identical particles and second quantization; relativistic quantum mechanics.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5P50

PHYS 5P64
Introduction to Mathematical Physics
(also offered as MATH 5P64)
Calculus of variations, least action principle in physics, symmetries and conservation laws, main differential-geometric structures (differential form, vector field, Riemannian metric). Applications to physics: electro-magnetic field as a one-form, gravity as a pseudo-Riemannian metric. Introduction to mathematical ideas of quantum mechanics.

PHYS 5P65
General Relativity
Gravitation as a spacetime field theory. The spacetime metric, covariant derivative, and curvature; light cones and causality. Isolated systems and mass, energy-momentum, angular momentum. Einstein's field equation of gravitation. Black hole solutions (Schwarzschild and Kerr metrics), cosmological solutions (Robertson-Walker metric), and their physical properties.

PHYS 5P67
Biophysical Techniques
(also offered as BIOL 5P67, BTEC 5P67 and CHEM 5P67)
An advanced seminar/lecture course on experimental techniques in biophysics. The focus is on understanding the theory, applications and limitations of a variety of techniques students will encounter during their graduate studies. Techniques will range from advanced spectroscopy (absorption, fluorescence, NMR, X-ray diffraction) to molecular biochemistry spectroscopy.

PHYS 5P70
Advanced Condensed Matter Physics
Energy bands in metals, semiconductors, and insulators; lattice dynamics; electrical, magnetic, thermal, optical, and transport properties of solids.

PHYS 5P71
Special Topics in Condensed Matter Physics
Long-range order in condensed matter systems: charge and spin density waves, etc; strongly-correlated electron systems; quantum Hall effect; metal-insulator transitions; other topics to be selected by the instructor.

PHYS 5P72
Many-Body Theory
Green's functions at zero and finite temperature; perturbation theory and Feynman diagrams; linear response theory; electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions; electrons in disordered systems; Fermi liquid theory; introduction to BCS theory of superconductivity.

PHYS 5P73
Superconductivity I
Overview of basic experimental facts; London theory; BCS theory; symmetry of the order parameter; Ginzburg-Landau theory and magnetic properties of superconductors; quasiparticle excitations in superconductors: thermal and transport properties; macroscopic phase coherence phenomena.

PHYS 5P74
Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
Fundamental and device applications of magnetism will be explored. Magnetic materials and magnetic measurements; domains, domain walls, domain processes, magnetization curves, and hysteresis; soft and hard magnetic materials and applications; magnetic recording; new developments and recent progress: magnetic multilayer structures, granular magnetic thin films, and giant magnetoresistance.

PHYS 5P75
Optical Properties of Solids
Measurement techniques; reflectivity, the dielectric function and the optical conductivity; Lorentz-Drude oscillator model; Kramers-Kronig transformations and sum rules; properties of metals, insulators, and superconductors.

PHYS 5P76
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Density matrix formulation of NMR theory; spectroscopy of simple spin systems and spin-dependent interactions; relaxation theory; spin temperature; dipolar broadening in solids; NMR of soft condensed matter systems; practical aspects of high-fidelity solid-state NMR; NMR spectrometer design; NMR imaging and microscopy.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5P50

PHYS 5P77
Superconductivity II
Field-theoretical methods in superconductivity. Gor'kov equations; strong-coupling theory; tunnelling; unconventional superconducting materials: high-temperature.superconductors, heavy fermion, magnetic, and organic superconductors.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5P73

PHYS 5P78
Electronic Structure of Periodic and Aperiodic Systems
Density Functional and related theories; survey of (semi)empirical and first-principles electronic structure methods; electronic structure of liquid metals, metallic glasses, random alloys, and quasicrystals; effective medium theories, coherent potential, and other approximations; recursion and other real-space methods.

PHYS 5P79
Experimental Methods in Condensed Matter Physics
Survey of experimental methods commonly used in condensed matter physics: optical and NMR spectroscopy, SQUID magnetometry, neutron and X-ray scattering, low-temperature and high-pressure technology. The techniques presented will vary. Designing experiments with advanced equipment and critical analysis of the results on both statistical and methodological grounds.

PHYS 5P91
Graduate Seminar I
Independent study and presentation of major research papers in the area of specialization. Each student is required to attend and participate in all seminars given by students registered in the course. Students are also required to attend at least 80% of the Departmental seminars.

PHYS 7F90
PhD Thesis
An original research project involving the preparation and defence of a thesis which will demonstrate a capacity for independent work. The research shall be carried out under the supervision of a faculty member and the thesis defended at an oral examination.

PHYS 7P91
Graduate Seminar II
Independent study and presentation of major research papers in the area of specialization. Each student is required to attend and participate in all seminars given by students registered in the course. Students are also required to attend at least 80% of the Departmental seminars.