Prof. Ophelia K. C. Tsui      

Department of Physics, Boston University

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BE504/ME504/MS504/PY744 Polymer Physics and Soft Matter

Level: Advanced Undergraduate to Graduate

Course Description

     This is a senior-level or beginning graduate-level course, designed to introduce the basic concepts and fundamental principles based on which contemporary applications and characterization methods of polymers are founded.  Most discussions will emphasize on the molecular descriptions of polymers, namely the structures, thermodynamic energies and dynamics of the constituent molecules by using approaches familiar in Statistical Mechanics.  It is from these molecular descriptions that fundamental understandings of common macroscopic properties as elasticity, rheology and phase behaviors are elicited. Toward the end, we shall also dedicate some discussions on another important class of soft matters, namely colloidal particles.  Familiarity with the basis of Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics will be assumed.

 

Recommended Texts

1.    Paul C. Hiemenz& Timothy P. Lodge, “Polymer Chemistry” (CRC Press, 2007 or later) (main text)

2.    Michael Rubinstein & Ralph H. Colby, “Polymer Physics” (Oxford University Press)

3.  Gert R. Strobl, “The Physics of Polymers”, (Springer, 2007 or later)

 

 

PY543 Introduction to Solid State Physics

Level: Advanced Undergraduate to Graduate

Course Description

     This course aims at providing an introduction to some basic concepts in Solid State Physics. These include crystal structure; lattice vibrations; Sommerfeld free-electron models; electron energy bands; Fermi surface; semi-classical model of electron dynamics; electron transport in semiconductors; superconductivity.

Recommended Texts and References:
Main text:   “Solid State Physics”, N. W. Ashcroft and N. D. Mermin (W. B. Saunders Company, 1976).
Reference: “Introduction to Solid State Physics”, C. Kittel (John Wiley & Sons, 1986). 

 

 

PY105 Elementary Physics I

Level: Freshman

Course Description

This course aims at providing fundamental physics knowledge fulfilling the premedical requirements. It presupposes algebra and trigonometry. Topics to be covered include principles of classical mechanics and thermodynamics. Topics include motion under constant acceleration, Newton's laws of motion, conservation laws, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and kinetic theory of gases. Classes are taught in lectures, discussions and laboratories.

Recommended Texts and References:

  1. "Essential Physics", by Andrew Duffy (Wiley) (Main)
  2. "Physics", Volume 1, John  D. Cutnell and Kenneth W. Johnson, 7th edition (John Wiley & Sons)
  3. Laboratory manuals and pre-laboratory materials posted on the course web
  4. "The Art of Experimental Physics", Preton and Dietz (John Wiley & Sons)
  5. "Data Reduction and Error Analysis for the Physical Sciences", Bevington and Robinson (McGraw-Hill)

 

PY106 Elementary Physics II

Level: Freshman

Course Description

This course aims at providing fundamental physics knowledge fulfilling the premed. requirements. It presupposes algebra and trigonometry. Topics to be covered include principles of classical and modern physics. Topics include electricity and magnetism, waves, light, optics, quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics. Classes are taught in lectures, discussions and laboratories.

Recommended Texts and References:

  1. "Essential Physics", by Andrew Duffy (Wiley) (Main)
  2. "Physics", Volume 1, John  D. Cutnell and Kenneth W. Johnson, 7th edition (John Wiley & Sons)
  3. Laboratory manuals and pre-laboratory materials posted on the course web
  4. "The Art of Experimental Physics", Preton and Dietz (John Wiley & Sons)
  5. "Data Reduction and Error Analysis for the Physical Sciences", Bevington and Robinson (McGraw-Hill)

Course web: http://physics.bu.edu/~okctsui/PY106.html

                                                                          

PY897 Microcharacterization

Level: Graduate

Course Description

     This course aims at introducing experimental techniques that are commonly used in research and industrial laboratories for characterization of materials from microscopic to atomic scales. These include various microscopy, diffraction and spectroscopy methods which allow identification of the structure and atomic / molecular composition in the sample. Emphases would be given to the basic understanding of these techniques: The principle of working, instrumentation, and the appropriate studying objects.

Recommended Texts and References

  1. "Electron Microscopy and Analysis", P. J. Goodhew and F. J. Humphreys (Taylor and Francis, 1988).
  2. "Surface Analysis - The Principal Techniques", J. C. Vickerman (ed.) (John Wiley & Sons, 1997).
  3. "Introduction to Solid State Physics", C. Kittel (John Wiley & Sons, 1986).
  4. "Optics", Eugene Hecht (Addison-Wesley 1987).

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Last revised on January 21, 2016.