Syllabus for Atomic Physics
PHYS3106
Current Lecturer
Prof. Wenlong YOU Email: wlyou@suda.edu.cn
Course Time
6th Semester
Lectures: 3 sessions/week, 50min /session. 18 weeks.
Course Description
Being a compulsory course, Atomic Physics will bridge the understanding of the quantum theory and the real world. This course tries to tell you how to know the deep but invisible structures of our world from experimental results in a nutshell.
Atomic Physics is intended to cover the quantum theory of simple atoms and atomic spectra, and also the basic principles of lasers, as well as the progress in quantum physics. Since the course is held after the study of quantum mechanics and solid state physics, then it will cover the physics of atoms and atomic spectra, beginning with hydrogen and then moving on to multi-electron atoms, the consequence of application of magnetic field and electric field, and then gives an introduction to X-ray spectra, laser physics.
Prerequisites
General Physics I (PHYS1025); General Physics II (PHYS1026); Modern Physics (PHYS1027); Optics (PHYS3126); Electrodynamics (PHYS3107);
Quantum Mechanics (PHYS3109); Solid State Physics I (PHYS3110)
Textbooks
H. Haken, H.C. Wolf, The physics of atoms and quanta. 6rd, Springer-Verlag, 2003
杨福家，原子物理（第四版），高等教育出版社，2008
Main contents
Week | Teaching Contents | Sessions | Objectives |
1 | Introduction; Mass and size of atoms (1) | 4 | Short Historical Review; Methods for Determining Avogadro's Number |
2 | Mass and size of atoms (2) | 2 | Determination of the Size of the Atom |
3 | Photon, electron | 4 | Thermal Radiation; The Photoelectric Effect; The Compton Effect; Properties of Electron |
4 | Matter waves | 2 | Some Basic Properties of Matter Waves |
5 | Bohr‘s model of the hydrogen atom (1) | 4 | Spectroscopy ; Optical Spectrum of the Hydrogen Atom ;Bohr's Postulates |
6 | Bohr‘s model of the hydrogen atom (2) | 2 | Spectra of Hydrogen-like Atoms: Sommerfeld's Extension of the Bohr Model; The Correspondence Principle |
7 | The mathematical framework of quantum mechanics (1) | 4 | The Particle in a Box; The Schrodinger Equation ; The Conceptual Basis of Quantum Theory |
8 | The mathematical framework of quantum mechanics (2) | 2 | Operators and Expectation Values; Equations for Determining the Wavefunction ; Commutation Relations |
9 | Fine structure and hyperfine structure (1) | 4 | Orbital and Spin Magnetism; Fine Structure; Spin and Magnetic Moment of the Electron; Gyromagnetic Ratio |
10 | Fine structure and hyperfine structure (2) | 2 | Fine Structure and Spin-Orbit Coupling; Lamb Shift |
11 | Atoms in a magnetic field (1) | 4 | Electron Spin Resonance ; Zeeman Effect |
12 | Atoms in a magnetic field (2) | 2 | Magnetic Moments with Spin-Orbit Coupling |
13 | Atoms in an electric field (1) | 4 | Stark Effect; Two-Level Atom |
14 | Atoms in an electric field (2) | 2 | Spin and Photon Echoes ; Field Quantization |
15 | Optical transitions (1) | 4 | Symmetries and Selection Rules；Optical Matrix Elements |
16 | Optical transitions (2) | 2 | Selection Rules |
17 | Many-electron atoms | 4 | Helium Atom; Pauli Principle; LS Coupling; jj coupling |
Marking Scheme:
Activities | Homework | Quiz | Project | Midterm | Final exam |
Percentages | 10% | 35% | 10% | 15% | 30% |
