Ph 585   Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

Physics Department, Oregon State University

Spring 2009 term

Instructor: Oksana Ostroverkhova (Wngr 413)
Lectures: MWF 10am, Weniger 304

DateLectures AssignmentsNotes
03/30 Review of hydrogenic atoms HW 1 WS 1
04/01 Interaction of an atom with EM wave.    
04/03 Absorption and emission. HW 2 WS 2
04/06 Spontaneous emission. The electric dipole approximation.   WS 3
04/08 Selection rules.   WS 4 Orbital angular momentum of photon Spin of a single photon
04/10 Line shapes and widths. HW 3 WS 5
04/13 The photoelectric effect. WS 6
04/15 Scattering of radiation by atomic systems. HW 4 WS 7
04/17 The Einstein coefficients. Fine structure of hydrogenic atoms.   WS 8
04/20 Fine structure splitting. Lamb shift. HW 5 WS 9 Lamb & Retherford experiment Modern spectroscopy-1 Modern spectroscopy-2
04/22 Hyperfine splitting. Isotope shifts.   WS 10 Hydrogen & Deuterium: hyperfine Modern research on hyperfine interactions
04/24 One-electron atom in external electric field. HW 6 WS 11 1st observation of 21-cm line 2nd observation of 21-cm line
04/27 One-electron atom in static magnetic field: Zeeman effect.     Midterm is set for Friday, May 8. Ch. 4-7.
04/29 Two-electron atoms. HW 7 WS 12
05/01 Helium atom. HW 7 is postponed and is due Wednesday, May 6. WS 13 1st observation of doubly-excited states of He
05/04 Many-electron atoms. The central field approximation.   WS 14
05/06 The periodic table.   WS 15
05/08 Midterm   (10 am, Weniger 304)    
05/11 Thomas-Fermi model. HW 8  
05/13 Hartree-Fock method. HW#8 is postponed until Monday, May 18  
05/15 L-S and j-j coupling. HW 9 WS 16
05/18 Interaction of many-electron atom with EM field.   WS 17
05/20 Molecular structure. HW 10 WS 18
05/22 Molecular structure:symmetries.   WS 19 Ground state of hydrogen molecule
05/25 No class: Memorial Day.    
05/27 Molecular rotations and vibrations.   WS 20 Reminder: papers are due next Wednesday
05/29 Molecular spectroscopy: electronic transitions. Intro to lasers.     Spectroscopy in surface science Detection of molecules in stellar atmosphere Raman spectroscopy of carbon nanotubes Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
06/01 Two- vs four-level system.   WS 21
06/03 Cavity modes. Typical lasers. HW 11  
06/05 Pulsed lasers.