Physics (PHYS) Courses
With the exception of PHYS 5701 Intermediate Quantum Mechanics with Applications and PHYS 5302 Classical Electrodynamics, which may be offered at either Carleton or the University of Ottawa, all PHYS courses are offered only at Carleton, and all PHYJ courses are offered only at the University of Ottawa.
Computational Physics
Computational methods used in analysis of experimental data. Introduction to probability and random variables. Monte Carlo methods for simulation of random processes. Statistical methods for parameter estimation and hypothesis tests. Confidence intervals. Multivariate data classification. Unfolding methods. Examples taken primarily from particle and medical physics.
Prerequisite(s): an ability to program in FORTRAN, Java, C, or C++ or permission of the Department.
Also offered at the undergraduate level, with different requirements, as PHYS 4807, for which additional credit is precluded.
Classical Mechanics and Theory of Fields
Hamilton's principle; conservation laws; canonical transformations; Hamilton-Jacobi theory; Lagrangian formulation of classical field theory.
Introduction to Medical Imaging Principles and Technology
Basic principles and technological implementation of x-ray, nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and other imaging modalities used in medicine. Contrast, resolution, storage requirements for digital images. Applications outside of medicine, future trends.
Special Topics in Molecular Spectroscopy
Topics may include: electronic spectra of diatomic and triatomic molecules and their interpretation using molecular orbital diagrams; Raman and resonance Raman spectroscopy; symmetry aspects of vibrational and electronic levels of ions and molecules in solids; the presence of weak and strong resonant laser radiation.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the Department.
Medical Radiation Physics
Interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter. Sources: X-ray, accelerators, radionuclide. Charged particle interaction mechanisms, stopping powers, kerma, dose. Introduction to dosimetry. Units, measurements, dosimetry devices.
Physics of Medical Imaging
Physical foundation of and recent developments in transmission X-ray imaging, computerized tomography, nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound, for the specialist imaging physicist. Image quality, contrast, resolution, SNR, MTF, DQE. Introduction to image processing, system performance assessment.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5203 and one of PHYS 4203 or PHYS 5313, or permission of the Department.
Medical Radiotherapy Physics
Radiation therapy process and physics. Ion chamber dosimetry, Monte Carlo techniques of radiation transport, cavity theories, external beam therapy, brachytherapy, dosimetry protocols, detectors used in radiation therapy. Treatment planning, monitor unit calculations, intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Novel and alternate techniques.
Radiobiology
Physics and chemistry of radiation interactions. Cell biology, DNA damage and repair, survival curves and models, radiosensitivity, oxygen effect. Linear energy transfer, relative biological effectiveness. Whole body radiation effects, radioprotectors, radiosensitizers. Hyperthermia. Molecular techniques in radiobiology. Model tumour systems.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5203 must have been taken, or be taken concurrently, or permission of the Department.
Radiation Protection
Dose quantities, effects of radiation exposure, fetal risks, scientific basis for protection, dose limits. Background radiation, dose from internal radionuclides. Doses in radiology, incidents in radiation therapy. Shielding design, working with radioactive materials. Instruments and measurement. Radiation protection organizations.
Medical Physics Practical Measurements
Experience with current clinical medical imaging and cancer therapy equipment, and dosimetry and biophysics instrumentation. The course requires completion of experimental projects on medical imaging, radiotherapy, dosimetry, and biophysics, conducted at local clinics and NRC laboratories.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5203. Also, as appropriate to the majority of projects undertaken, one of PHYS 5204, PHYS 5206, PHYS 5207, or other biophysics course, or permission of the Department.
Anatomy and Physiology for Medical Physicists
An overview of human anatomy and physiology as background for the application of physics to cancer therapy and medical imaging. Anatomy as depicted by imaging technologies such as CT, mri, and radiography will be emphasized. Graded Sat/Uns.
Advanced Topics in Medical Physics
Topics may include medical imaging physics, cancer therapy physics, medical biophysics, or radiation protection and health physics.
Classical Electrodynamics
Covariant formulation of electrodynamics; Liénard-Wiechert potentials; radiation reaction; plasma physics; dispersion relations.
Physical Applications of Fourier Analysis
Fourier transform, convolution. Sampling theorem. Applications to imaging: descriptors of spatial resolution, filtering. Correlation, noise power. Discrete Fourier transform, FFT. Filtering of noisy signals. Image reconstruction in computed tomography and magnetic resonance. Laplace transform. Integral transforms, application to boundary value problems.
Modern Optics
Electromagnetic wave propagation; reflection, refraction; Gaussian beams; guided waves. Laser theory: stimulated emission, cavity optics, gain and bandwidth, atomic and molecular lasers. Mode locking, Q switching. Diffraction theory, coherence, Fourier optics, holography, laser applications. Optical communication systems, nonlinear effects: devices, fibre sensors, integrated optics.
Also offered at the undergraduate level, with different requirements, as PHYS 4208, for which additional credit is precluded.
Experimental Techniques of Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics
The interaction of radiation and high energy particles with matter; experimental methods of detection and acceleration of particles; use of relativistic kinematics; counting statistics.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 4307 or equivalent, and PHYS 4707; or permission of the Department.
Physics of Elementary Particles
Properties of leptons, quarks, and hadrons. The fundamental interactions. Conservation laws; invariance principles and quantum numbers. Resonances observed in hadron-hadron interactions. Three body phase space. Dalitz plot. Quark model of hadrons, mass formulae. Weak interactions; parity violation, decay of neutral kaons; CP violation; Cabibbo theory.
Also offered at the undergraduate level, with different requirements, as PHYS 4602, for which additional credit is precluded.
Intermediate Nuclear Physics
Properties of the deuteron and the neutron-proton force. Nucleon-nucleon forces, isospin and charge independence. Nuclear models. Scattering theory. Interpretation of n-p and p-p scattering experiments. Interaction of nucleons with electrons. Interaction of nuclei with radiation.
Intermediate Quantum Mechanics with Applications
Angular momentum and rotation operations; Wigner and Racah coefficients; several and many electron problem in atoms; variational and Hartree-Fock formalism; introduction to second quantized field theory; scattering theory.
Relativistic Quantum Mechanics
Relativistic wave equations. Expansion of S matrix in Feynman perturbation series. Feynman rules. An introduction to quantum electro-dynamics with some second quantization. Gauge theories. May include introduction to Standard Model.
Methods of Theoretical Physics I
This course and PHYS 5802 are designed for students who wish to acquire a wide background of mathematical techniques. Topics can include complex variables, evaluation of integrals, approximation techniques, dispersion relations, Pade approximants, boundary value problems, Green's functions, integral equations.
Methods of Theoretical Physics II
This course complements PHYS 5801.Topics include group theory, discussion of SU2, SU3, and other symmetry groups. Lorentz group.
Introduction to General Relativity
Special relativity using tensor analysis. Stress energy tensors for matter and electromagnetism. Differential geometry and Einstein's field equations. Applications may include the solar system, black holes, gravitational waves, and cosmology.
Lectures three hours a week.
Selected Topics in Physics (M.Sc.)
A student may, with the permission of the Department, take more than one selected topic, in which case each full course is counted for credit.
Selected Topics in Physics (M.Sc.)
Physics in Modern Technology Work Term
Experience for students enrolled in the physics in modern technology stream. To receive course credit, students must receive satisfactory evaluations for their work term employment. Written and oral reports describing the work term project are required.
Prerequisite(s): Registration in the physics in modern technology stream of the M.Sc. program and permission of the Department.
M.Sc. Thesis
Prerequisite(s): permission of the Department.
Particle Physics Phenomenology
This course covers much of the required knowledge for research in particle physics from both the experimental and theoretical points of view. Topics may include: standard model, parton model, quark model, hadron spectroscopy, and tests of QCD.
Advanced Topics in Particle Physics
Phenomenology. This course will consist of a variety of seminars and short lecture courses, and will cover topics of immediate interest to the research program of the department.
Quantum Field Theory
Relativistic quantum field theory; second quantization of Bose and Fermi fields; reduction and LSZ formalism; perturbation expansion and proof of renormalizability of quantum field theories; calculations of radiative corrections and applications.
Selected Topics in Physics (Ph.D.)
Selected Topics in Physics (Ph.D.)
Ph.D. Thesis
Prerequisite(s): permission of the Department.
Summer session: some of the courses listed in this Calendar are offered during the summer. Hours and scheduling for summer session courses will differ significantly from those reported in the fall/winter Calendar. To determine the scheduling and hours for summer session classes, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca
Not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session and to determine the term of offering, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca