Ph 585   Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

Physics Department, Oregon State University

Spring 2011 term

Instructor: Oksana Ostroverkhova (Wngr 413)
Lectures: MWF 2 PM Weniger 304

DateLectures AssignmentsNotes
03/28 No class: comp exam. But please review hydrogenic atoms.    
03/30 Interaction of an atom with EM wave. HW 1  
04/01 Absorption and emission. HW 2 WS 1
04/04 The electric dipole approximation.   WS 2
04/06 Spontaneous emission.    
04/08 Selection rules. HW 3 WS 3
04/11 Line shapes and widths.   WS 4 Orbital angular momentum of photon Spin of a single photon
04/13 The Einstein coefficients. HW 4 WS 5
04/15 The photoelectric effect.    
04/18 Scattering of radiation by atomic systems. HW 5 WS 6 Raman scattering in SWNT
04/20 Fine structure of hydrogenic atoms.   WS 7
04/22 Fine structure splitting. Lamb shift. HW 6   Lamb & Retherford experiment
04/25 Hyperfine splitting.   WS 8 Modern spectroscopy-1 Modern spectroscopy-2 Proton structure
04/27 Isotope shifts.One-electron atom in external electric field. HW 7   Hydrogen & Deuterium: hyperfine Modern research on hyperfine interactions 1st observation of 21-cm line 2nd observation of 21-cm line
04/29 One-electron atom in static magnetic field: Zeeman effect.   WS 9
05/02 Anomalous Zeeman effect. Two-electron atoms. Midterm is set for Wednesday, May 11. Ch. 4-7.Open book.  
05/04 Helium atom. HW 8   1st observation of doubly-excited states of He
05/06 Many-electron atoms. The central field approximation.   WS 10
05/09 The periodic table.   WS 11
05/11 Midterm   (2 pm, Weniger 304)    
05/13 Thomas-Fermi model. HW 9  
05/16 L-S and j-j coupling.    
05/18 Interaction of many-electron atom with EM field. HW 10 WS 12
05/20 Molecular structure.    
05/23 Molecular structure:symmetries. HW 11   Ground state of hydrogen molecule
05/25 Molecular rotations and vibrations. Molecular spectroscopy.     Spectroscopy in surface science Detection of molecules in stellar atmosphere Raman spectroscopy of carbon nanotubes Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
05/27 Molecular spectroscopy: electronic transitions. Intro to lasers.     Reminder: papers are due next Wednesday
05/30 Memorial Day.