U of G Graduate Calendar: Physics

Physics

Graduate teaching and research in physics at the University of Guelph are operated through the Guelph-Waterloo Program for Graduate Work in Physics - .

Director of the program - Robert L. Brooks (219 MacNaughton, Ext. 3991) (E-mail: rbrooks@uoguelph.ca)
Administrative assistant for the program - Margaret Mayne (220 MacNaughton, Ext. 2263) (E-mail: gwp@physics.uoguelph.ca)
Departmental chair - Kenneth R. Jeffrey (211 MacNaughton, Ext. 3909) (E-mail: krj@physics.uoguelph.ca)
Departmental graduate co-ordinator - Donald E. Sullivan (435A MacNaughton, Ext. 3983) (E-mail: des@physics.uoguelph.ca)
Departmental graduate secretary - Reggi Vallillee (209 MacNaughton, Ext. 2262) (E-mail: rv@physics.uoguelph.ca)

Robert L. Brooks BS Villanova, MSc, PhD Alberta - Professor
J.L. 'Iain' Campbell BSc, PhD, DSc Glasgow - Professor and Vice-President Academic and Provost
James H. Davis BS, BA Moorehead State College, PhD Manitoba - Professor
John R. Dutcher BSc Dalhousie, MSc British Columbia, PhD Simon Fraser - Professor
Charles W. Fischer BASc, MASc, PhD Waterloo - Associate Professor
Saul Goldman BSc, PhD McGill - Professor
Christopher G. Gray BSc Queen's, MA, PhD Toronto, FRSC - Professor
F. Ross Hallett BSc, MSc Calgary, PhD Pennsylvania State - Professor and Director of Biophysics Interdepartmental Group
Bryan R. Henry BSc British Columbia, PhD Florida State - Professor
Kenneth R. Jeffrey BSc, MSc, PhD Toronto - Professor and Chair
Gabriel Karl BA Babes-Bollyai, PhD Toronto, FRSC - Professor
Jimmy Law BSc, PhD London - Professor
Anna T. Lawniczak MSc Wroclaw, PhD Southern Illinois - Associate Professor
George Leibbrandt BSc McMaster, MSc, PhD McGill - Professor
Jacek Lipkowski MSc, PhD, DSc Warsaw - Professor
Bernard G. Nickel BE, MSc Saskatchewan, PhD California, FRSC - Professor
Elisabeth J. Nicol BSc Mount Allison, MSc, PhD McMaster - Associate Professor
Robin W. Ollerhead BSc Western Ontario, MS, PhD Yale - Professor
Eric Poisson BSc Laval, MSc, PhD Alberta - Associate Professor
George H. Renninger BS Rochester, PhD Princeton - Professor
John J. Simpson BASc, MA Toronto, DPhil Oxford, FRSC - Professor
William R. Smith BASc, MASc Toronto, MSc, PhD Waterloo - Professor
Donald E. Sullivan BSc McGill, PhD M.I.T. - Professor
Daniel F. Thomas BSc Alberta, PhD Toronto - Associate Professor

Faculty from the University of Waterloo
Anthony Anderson MA, DPhil Oxford - Professor
Peter F. Bernath BSc Waterloo, PhD M.I.T. - Professor
James A. Blackburn BSc Manitoba, MSc, PhD Waterloo - Professor*
William R. Bobier BSc Queens, MSc Waterloo, PhD Cambridge - Associate Professor
Melanie C. Campbell BSc Toronto, MSc Waterloo, PhD Australian National, FAAO - Professor
Z.Y. 'Jeff' Chen BSc Fuden, PhD Maryland - Associate Professor
Marita C. Chidichimo Licentiate Buenos Aires, PhD Cambridge - Associate Professor
Sydney G. Davison BSc, MSc, PhD, DSc Manchester, FInstP - Professor
Walter W. Duley BEng McGill, DIC, PhD Imperial College, DSc London - Professor
Michael Fich BSc Waterloo, MSc, PhD California - Associate Professor
Michel Gingras BSc, MSc Laval, PhD British Columbia - Assistant Professor
M. Faridh Golnaraghi BASc, MASc Worcester Polytechnic Institute, PhD Cornell - Associate Professor
Frank O. Goodman BSc, PhD, DSc London, FInstP, FAIP - Professor
Gretchen L. Harris BA Mount Holyoke College, MA Wesleyan, PhD Toronto - Associate Professor
John W. Hepburn BSc Waterloo, PhD Toronto - Professor
James R. Lepock BS, MS West Virginia, PhD Pennsylvania State - Professor and Chair
Tong K. Leung BSc, PhD British Columbia - Associate Professor
Stanley P. Lipshitz BSc Natal, MSc South Africa, PhD Witwatersrand - Professor
John Lit BSc, DipEd Hong Kong, DSc Laval - Professor*
Wing-Ki Liu BSc, MSc, PhD Illinois - Professor
Robert B. Mann BSc McMaster, MSc, PhD Toronto - Professor
Robert G. McLenaghan MSc Queen's, PhD Cambridge - Professor
Reginald A. Moore BSc, MSc McMaster, PhD Alberta - Professor and Graduate Officer
A.D.S. 'AD' Nagi BA, BSc, MSc Panjab, PhD Delhi - Professor
Linda F. Nazar BSc British Columbia, PhD Toronto - Associate Professor
Hartwig Peemoeller BSc Winnipeg, MSc Victoria, PhD Waterloo - Associate Professor
Mik M. Pintar BSc, MSc, PhD Ljubljana - Professor
Gunter A. Scholz BSc Simon Fraser, MSc McMaster, PhD Simon Fraser - Associate Professor
James J. Sloan BSc, PhD Queen's - Professor
Donna Strickland BEng McMaster, PhD Rochester - Assistant Professor
Bruce H. Torrie BASc Toronto, PhD McMaster - Professor
John Vanderkooy BEng, PhD McMaster - Professor
Marek Wartak MSc, PhD Technical University of Wroclaw - Associate Professor*
Paul S. Wesson BSc London, PhD Cambridge, FRAS London - Professor

* Cross or joint appointments with the Department of Physics, Wilfrid Laurier University

Professors Emeriti
Donald E. Brodie BSc, MSc, PhD McMaster (W)
Peter A. Egelstaff BSc, PhD London, FRSC (G)
Raj K. Pathria BSc, MSc Panjab, PhD Delhi - Professor
James R. Stevens BA, MA, PhD Toronto (G)

Adjunct Full Professors
James M. Corbett BASc Toronto, MSc PhD Waterloo (W)
A. Edward Dixon BSc Mt. Allison, MSc Dalhousie, PhD McMaster (W)
John Grindlay BSc Glasgow, DPhil Oxford (W)
James L. Hunt BA Queen's, MA, PhD Toronto - Professor
James D. Leslie BASc Toronto, MS, PhD Illinois - Professor
Barry M. Millman BSc Carleton, PhD London (G)

Associated Members of the Program
W.J.L. Buyers PhD Aberdeen - AECL
J.J. Dubowski PhD Manitoba - NRC
M. Ivanov PhD Moscow - NRC
F. Marsiglio PhD McMaster - AECL
E.C. Svensson PhD McMaster - AECL
P. Tikuisis PhD Toronto - DCIEM
Z. Tun PhD McMaster - AECL
J. Webb PhD Western - NRC

The Departments of Physics at the Universities of Guelph and Waterloo offer a joint program leading to MSc and PhD degrees. The Guelph-Waterloo Program for Graduate Work in Physics, (GWP)2 , consists of members from both university departments and is administered by a joint co-ordinating committee. Students interested in graduate work in physics at either university should send applications for admission to the director of (GWP)2. Students are ultimately registered at the university at which their adviser is located. A student comes under the general regulations of the university at which he or she is registered, and the degree is granted by that university.

   The MSc programs provide for emphasis on condensed matter physics, subatomic and nuclear physics, atomic and molecular physics, biophysics, chemical physics, applied physics, astronomy, photonics, astrophysics, and conductivity and superconductivity.
   Three options are available for the MSc degree:
A research-based option in which the student is required to complete four one-semester courses (at least 2.0 course credits) and a thesis. A coursework option in which the student is required to complete eight one-semester courses (at least 4.0 course credits), one of which must be a research project course that includes a report. A co-operative option in which the student spends two semesters working in a government or industrial laboratory. The student is required to complete four one-semester courses (at least 2.0 course credits) and a thesis.

Admission Requirements
   Application for admission should be made as early as possible on forms obtained from the director of the Guelph-Waterloo Program for Graduate Work in Physics. 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. Only students who are graduates of approved universities and colleges are eligible for admission. An honours degree in physics, or the equivalent, with first or upper second-class standing, is normally required for entry into an MSc program. It should be noted that students will normally be admitted only if an adviser 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.

MSc Co-operative Option    Admission to the co-op option is restricted to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Applicants for admission to the MSc program must have a first-class or high upper second-class honours degree in physics from a recognized university.

Degree Requirements
Research-Based MSc Option    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 adviser and the thesis must be read and approved by the adviser and two other faculty members. One of the four courses may be an undergraduate course approved by the student's adviser and the graduate committee. If it is a physics course, it must be at the fourth-year level.
   For all students (except those in biophysics) the four courses must include at least one of Quantum Mechanics 1 (PHYS*7010), Statistical Physics 1 (PHYS*7040) and Electromagnetic Theory (PHYS*7060).
   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 adviser and with the approval of the co-ordinating committee, to transfer into the PhD program without completing an MSc thesis.

MSc Co-operative Option    Students enter the co-op MSc program in September. The first term of the program is spent taking two courses (one of which must be chosen from PHYS*7010, PHYS*7040 and PHYS*7060), and performing the duties of a regular teaching assistant. (Students in biophysics may choose any two graduate courses approved by their advisory committee.) During this term, the student will discuss work-term prospects with the Guelph and Waterloo personnel responsible for co-op activities and conduct interviews with potential employers. Satisfactory performance in this phase of the program allows the student to spend the next two terms working in an industrial or government laboratory. Upon completion of the work terms, the student must submit a work report as discussed below.
   The student must complete a minimum of two additional graduate courses and complete a research project under the supervision of a faculty member in accordance with the regular thesis requirements of the MSc degree program, as outlined by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Part-time Course-Based MSc Option    Eight one-term courses acceptable for graduate credit, including a project course summarized in a report, are required. The project must be approved by the candidate's adviser and the report read and approved by the adviser and one other faculty member. These courses must include Quantum Mechanics 1 (PHYS*7010), Statistical Physics 1 (PHYS*7040), and Electromagnetic Theory (PHYS*7060). Two of the courses may be approved undergraduate courses; the approval must be by the advisory committee and the appropriate graduate co-ordinator. If they are physics courses they 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).

Two options are available for the PhD degree:

A research-based option in which the student is required to complete four one-semester courses (2.0 credits) and a thesis.
A co-operative option in which the student spends two semesters working in a government or industrial laboratory. The student is required to complete four one-semester courses (2.0 credits) and a thesis.

Admission Requirements
   An MSc degree from an approved university or college is normally required for entrance into the PhD program.

PhD Co-operative Option    Applicants must have or expect to obtain an MSc degree in physics from a recognized university. Admission to the co-op option is restricted to Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Degree Requirements
   Four one-term courses not including any already taken for MSc credit are required; courses taken during the MSc program and in excess of those required will, however, be allowed for PhD credit. By the end of the first year of the program, all three of Quantum Mechanics 1 (PHYS*7010), Statistical Physics 1 (PHYS*7040) and Electromagnetic Theory (PHYS*7060) should be completed. (Exception: Biophysics students must take a senior undergraduate course in electromagnetism, if not taken previously, and at least one of Quantum Mechanics 1 (PHYS*7010), Statistical Physics 1 (PHYS*7040), and Electromagnetic Theory (PHYS*7060) by the completion of the first year of the PhD program.) One of the required courses may be an undergraduate course outside the student's main field of study. No undergraduate course in physics may be taken for credit.
   After two or three terms in the program, PhD candidates are required to pass a qualifying examination. This is an oral examination of approximately two hours' duration before a committee that includes representation from the student's advisory committee. It is designed to test the student's knowledge of the fundamentals and applications of physics related to the thesis topic. PhD students must meet their advisory committee members at least once a year to present a written and oral report on their progress. Candidates must present a thesis embodying the results of original research conducted by them on an advanced topic. The thesis is defended before a committee which may also examine the student's knowledge of related material.

PhD Co-operative Option    Students normally enter the co-op PhD program in September, following completion of their MSc degree. The student first spends one or two academic terms on campus, taking a minimum of two courses per term and performing the regular duties of a teaching assistant. During this time, the student will discuss work term prospects with the Guelph and Waterloo personnel responsible for co-op activities and conduct interviews with potential employers. After satisfactory performance in the academic term(s), the student spends a full year in an industrial or government laboratory.
   Students must complete all three of the core courses PHYS*7010, PHYS*7040 and PHYS*7060 by the end of their first two academic terms in the program. (Exception: Biophysics students must take a senior undergraduate course in electromagnetism, if not taken previously, and at least one of the three core courses.) A total of four graduate courses (2.0 credits) are required (excluding those already taken for MSc credit).
   The student is required to pass a qualifying examination and complete, under the supervision of a faculty member, a research project on an advanced topic. A thesis embodying the results of original research conducted by the student must be presented and defended before a committee.

Biophysics Interdepartmental Group
The Department of Physics participates in the MSc/PhD programs in biophysics. Professors Davis, Hallett, Jeffrey, Millman and Renninger are members of the Biophysics Interdepartmental Group (BIG). These faculty members' research and teaching expertise includes aspects of biophysics; they may serve as advisers for MSc and PhD students in biophysics. Please consult the Biophysics listing for a detailed description of the graduate programs offered by the Biophysics Interdepartmental Group.

* Courses offered annually. Other courses are offered on an alternate year basis and as requested.

Core Courses

PHYS*7010 Quantum Mechanics I* (0.5): 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.
PHYS*7020 Quantum Mechanics II (0.5): Concepts of relativistic quantum mechanics, elementary quantum field theory, and Feynman diagrams. Application to many-particle systems. Prerequisite: 701 or equivalent.
PHYS*7040 Statistical Physics I* (0.5): 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.
PHYS*7050 Statistical Physics II (0.5): 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. Prerequisite: PHYS*7040 or equivalent.
PHYS*7060 Electromagnetic Theory* (0.5): 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.
PHYS*7080 Applications of Group Theory (0.5): 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.
PHYS*7110 Scattering Theory (0.5): Review of potential theory of scattering. Applications chosen from elastic- and inelastic-neutron X-ray, light, charged-particle, and atomic and molecular beam scattering.

Subatomic and Nuclear

PHYS*7030 Quantum Field Theory (0.5): Relativistic quantum mechanics. Quantum electrodynamics. Covariant perturbation theory. Non-abelian gauge theories. Prerequisite: PHYS*7010 or equivalent.
PHYS*7090 Green's Function Method (0.5): Review of essential quantum field theory. Zero and finite temperature. Green's functions. Applications.
PHYS*7150 Nuclear Physics (0.5): 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.
PHYS*7170 Intermediate and High Energy Physics (0.5): Strong, electromagnetic and weak interactions. Isospin, strangeness, conservation laws and symmetry principles. Leptons, hadrons, quarks and their classification, formation, interactions and decay.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

PHYS*7800 Galactic Structure (0.5): Introduction to statistical theory and distribution laws. Statistical theory of the galactic system. Stellar motions in the solar vicinity. Galactic rotation. Space distribution of stars and their relation to the galaxy. Distribution of various galactic objects. Application to extra-galactic systems.
PHYS*7810 Astrophysics (0.5): 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.
PHYS*7870 General Relativity and Cosmology (0.5): Observational cosmology; galaxies and the clustering of galaxies, the large-scale uniformity and expansion of the universe, the microwave background, the extragalactic background light, element abundances. Theoretical cosmology and general relativity; Riemannian geometry and the Einstein equations, the Friedmann equations and the Robertson-Walker metric, uniform cosmological solutions in general relativity and other solutions, problems with simple cosmological models and their possible resolution in terms of alternative models.
PHYS*7880 Selected Topics in Astronomy (offered on demand) (0.5)
PHYS*7890 Selected Topics in Astrophysics (offered on demand) (0.5)

Atomic and Molecular

PHYS*7100 Atomic Physics (0.5): 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.
PHYS*7130 Molecular Physics (0.5): 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.).

Condensed Matter (Including Chemical Physics, and Conductivity and Superconductivity)

PHYS*7200 Liquid State Physics (0.5): Physical properties of atomic liquids; distribution functions and equilibrium properties, elementary perturbation theories and integral equation theories; simple metals, simple computer simulation; viral expansions and thermodynamic derivatives of g(r); experimental determination of g(r).
PHYS*7310 Solid State Physics I* (0.5): Phonons, electron states, electron-electron interaction, electron-ion interaction, static properties of solids.
PHYS*7320 Solid State Physics II (0.5): Transport properties; optical properties; magnetism; superconductivity; disordered systems.
PHYS*7330 Selected Topics in Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics (0.5)
PHYS*7350 Photoconductivity and Luminescence (0.5): Electron processes in crystals, photoconductive processes. Electrode effects, imperfection and energy band transitions, scattering traps and trapping effects. Recombination kinetics, luminescence. Experimental methods and analysis.
PHYS*7360 Optical Properties of Semiconductors (0.5): Reflection and refraction of electromagnetic waves at dielectric and conducting interfaces. Dispersion, absorption processes, photo effects, magneto-optical effects, emission of radiation.
PHYS*7650 Quantum Theory of Solid Surfaces (0.5): Brief historical review. Molecular orbital approach to surface and chemisorption states. Use of Kronig-Penny, Mathieu potential and Nearly-Free-Electron models. Crystal composition, next-nearest-neighbour interactions, sp- hybridization and applied-field effects on surface states will be discussed.

Biophysics

PHYS*7510 Cellular Biophysics* (0.5): The physics of cellular structure and function; membrane theories, diffusion and active transport, bioelectric phenomena; intracellular motion, thermodynamics; selected topics of current interest and seminar.
PHYS*7520 Molecular Biophysics* (0.5): Physical methods of determining macromolecular structure: energetics, intramolecular and intermolecular forces, with applications to lamellar structures, information storage, DNA and RNA, recognition and rejection of foreign molecules.
PHYS*7530 Radiation Biophysics (0.5): Physical properties and biological effects of different kinds of radiation: action of radiation on various cellular constituents: target theory, genetic effects, repair of radiation damage, physics of radiology and radiotherapy, isotropic tracers.
PHYS*7540 Selected topics in Experimental Biophysics (offered on demand) (0.5)
PHYS*7550 Biophysics of Organ Systems (0.5): Specialized cells and organs; the nerve impulse and its propagation, muscle contraction, sensory transducers, the central nervous system; haemodynamics, the red-blood corpuscle, homeostasis; selected topics of current interest, and seminar.
PHYS*7570 Special Topics in Biophysics (offered on demand) (0.5)
PHYS*8900 Interuniversity Graduate Course in Biophysics (offered on demand) (0.5)

Applied Physics (including Technical Methods)

PHYS*7410 Electron Microscopy and Electron Diffraction (0.5): Introduction to electron optics and the electron microscope; kinematical and dynamical theories of electron diffraction by perfect crystals and by crystals containing lattice imperfections, limited-area electron diffraction, dark- field microscopy, interpretation of electron-diffraction patterns and diffraction-contrast effects in electron microscope images, selected experimental methods in electron microscopy.
PHYS*7420 Basic Theory of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance* (0.5): Quantum mechanics of spins in magnetic field; Bloch equations; NMR apparatus; the various nuclear-spin interactions; spin temperature; density matrix; spin-lattice relaxation; double resonance.
PHYS*7450 Selected Topics in Experimental Physics* (0.5): 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.
PHYS*7460 Laser Optics and Spectroscopy (0.5): Laser optics; nonlinear optics; laser spectroscopy.
PHYS*7480 Microprocessors in the Physics Laboratory (0.5): Interfacing and programming of microprocessors for applications in physics, including signal averaging, auto- and cross-correlation analysis, multichannel spectrum analysis, and Fourier transformation. Consideration of hardware versus software methods for optimization of speed and system size.

Special Courses (offered on demand only)

PHYS*7120 Selected Topics in Theoretical Physics (0.5)
PHYS*7710 Special Lecture and Reading Course (0.5)
PHYS*7720 Selected Seminar and Module Course (for inter-departmental students) (0.5)
PHYS*7730 Special Topics in Physics (0.5)
PHYS*7750 Interinstitution Exchange (0.5): At the director's discretion, a PhD student may receive course credit for a term of specialized studies at another institution. Formal evaluation is required.
PHYS*7970 MSc Project (0.5): Study of a selected topic in physics presented in the form of a written report. For students whose MSc program consists entirely of courses.