PH34020 - ADVANCED TECHNIQUES

Module Identifier	PH34020
Module Title	ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
Academic Year	2001/2002
Co-ordinator	Dr Rudolf Winter
Semester	Semester 2
Other staff	Professor Geraint Vaughan, Dr James Whiteway
Pre-Requisite	Available to year 3 MPhys students only
Course delivery	Laboratory	88 Hours 22 laboratory sessions (4 hours each)
Assessment	Course work		100%

Module description

The MPhys course is designed for students wishing to follow a career in industrial or university research. MPhys modules are taken to a greater depth than BSc modules. In addition, in year 4, there is a substantial project undertaken, working with one of the Department's Research Groups. This module aims to prepare students for these by introducing them to advanced techniques, both theoretical and experimental, which will be needed to enable them to obtain the maximum benefit from their year 4 modules.

Learning outcomes

After taking this module students should be able to:

interface experiments to PCs
understand and use advanced signal enhancement techniques such as phase sensitive detection
understand and employ advanced data processing techniques such as digital filtering and FFTs
use advanced data analysis routines
conduct atomic beam experiments and interpret them using quantum mechanical formalisms
optimise optical spectrometers
apply Monte Carlo simulation to model experimental data

Outline syllabus

Students will perform three experiments out of the following:

optimisation of optical spectrometers
analogue-to -digital conversion and PC interfacing
ellipsometry
Stern-Gerlach experiment (spin in magnetic field)
powder dynamics (measuring and modelling a vibrating bed)

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Consultation
A.P French, E.F. Taylor. An Introduction to Quantum Physics. ISBN 0177710802
T E Jenkins. Optical Sensing and Signal Processing Techniques. Prentice-Hall ISBN 0136381073