Physics Course Handbook 2011-12

Department of Physics
Physics Course Handbook

20 11-12

www. p h y. ca m . a c. u k/ t ea ch in g
Cavendish Laboratory
University of Cambridge
Rou t es t h r ou gh Ph ys ics
Engineering
Part IA
NST Part IA
Ph ys ics
+ Mathematics
+2 other experimental sciences
(including CST paper 1)
Mathematics
Part IA
( wit h Ph ys ics )
NST Part IB
Ph ys ics A ( or B)
+ two other subjects
NST Part IB
Ph ys ics A a n d B
+ one other subject
Mathematics
Part IB
Computer Science
Management Studies
Engineering Tripos
NST Part II
Exp er im en t a l a n d
Th eor et ica l Ph ys ics
NST Part II
Astrophysics
B. A. (Hons); M. Sci.
NST Part III
Exp er im en t a l a n d
Th eor et ica l Ph ys ics
*

NST Part III
Astrophysics
Requires at least a Second
Class mark in Part II
* Requires a First Class mark
in Half Subject Physics

NST Part II Physical
Sciences
Ha lf Su bject Ph ys ics
plus an other NST Part IB
subject & dissertation

Computer Science
Part IA

Mathematics
Part II

Computer Science Part
III

B. A. (Hons); M. Eng.
Mathematics
Part III
B. A. (Hons); M. Math. B. A. (Hons); M. Sci.
Exit all after Part II
with B. A. (Hons)
Needs permission from Faculty

External to NST

Department of Physics
Physics Course Handbook

20 11-12

Cavendish Laboratory
University of Cambridge
JJ Thomson Avenue
Cambridge, CB3 0HE

www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching
Front cover image

Fibroblast cells, responsible for closing wounds, stained
for their actin cytoskeleton and imaged with confocal
fluorescence microscopy:
Jochen Guck

Cor r ect i on s t o on li n e v er s i on :

Page 83: Pa r t I I I Ma jor Top ic Soft Matter and Biological Physics M.W.F 12.10 CMS MR13

Page 83: Pa r t I I I Ma jor Top ic Atomic and Optical Physics M.W. 2-3.30

Page 84: Pa r t I I I Ma t h s Quantum Field Theory Tu.Th.9 F. 2

Page 28: Pa r t I B Ph ys ics B Electromagnetism M.W.F 9

Page 28: Pa r t I B Ph ys ics B Introduction to Computing W.10 (12, 19 Oct.)
Bristol Myers-Squibb LT, Lensfield Road

Page 28: Pa r t I B Ph ys ics B Classical Dynamics (Four Lectures starting 23 Nov.)

Page 9 and 12: Pa r t I A Ph ys ics Rotational Mechanics and Special Relativity

Page 29: Pa r t I B Ph ys ics B LENT Thermodynamics (Eight lectures) (starting 27 Feb.)
EASTER The same continued. (First eight lectures)

Page 50: Pa r t I I Op t ion s Cou r s es - Particle and Nuclear Physics M.W.11
Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics M.W.F.10

Page 85: Pa r t I I I Nu clea r Ma t er ia ls deleted.

Page 85: Pa r t I I I Min or Top ic Phase Transitions and Collective Phenomena M.W. 3 (starting 30 Jan.)

Page 85: Pa r t I I I Philosophy of Physics (Four lectures beginning 23 Jan.)
Ethics of Physics (Four lectures beginning 20 Feb.)

Page 84: Pa r t I I I Frontiers of Observational Astrophysics Tu.3 F.2

Page 85: Pa r t I I I Advanced Quantum Field Theory M.W.F. 9 (PROF. H OSBORN) CMS MR2
Origin and Evolution of Galaxies M.W.F.12 (PROF. M. G. O. HAEHNELT) CMS MR9

Table of Contents i
Table of Contents
Ta ble of Con t en t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
Un d er gr a d u a t e Cou r s es in Ph ys ics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 PHYSICS COURSES IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2011-12 .................................................................. 1
1.2.1 The First Year (Part IA) .......................................................................................................... 1
1.2.2 The Second Year (Part IB) ...................................................................................................... 2
1.2.3 The Third Year (Part II) - Experimental and Theoretical Physics ...................................... 2
1.2.4 The Fourth Year (Part III) - Experimental and Theoretical Physics ................................... 3
1.3 MATHEMATICS AND THE PHYSICS COURSES .............................................................................. 3
Aim s a n d Object ives of t h e Ph ys ics Tea ch in g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Pr ogr a m m e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.1 THE UNIVERSITYS AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................. 4
2.2 COURSE AIMS .................................................................................................................................... 4
2.3 COURSE OBJECTIVES ....................................................................................................................... 4
Pa r t I A Ph ys ics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.1 AIMS OF THE COURSE ...................................................................................................................... 6
3.2 THE LECTURE COURSES .................................................................................................................. 6
3.3 PRACTICALS ....................................................................................................................................... 6
3.4 THE EXAMINATION .......................................................................................................................... 6
3.4.1 Examiners Notices ................................................................................................................. 6
3.4.2 The Written Paper for Part IA ................................................................................................ 6
3.5 BOOKS ................................................................................................................................................. 6
3.6 SOME IMPORTANT DATES ............................................................................................................... 8
3.7 LECTURE LIST .................................................................................................................................... 9
PRINCIPLES OF CLASSICAL PHYSICS, QUANTUM PHYSICS & RELATIVITY .................... 10
IA PRACTICAL CLASS ................................................................................................................ 14
Pa r t I B Ph ys ics A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.1 INTRODUCTION AND COURSE AIMS ........................................................................................... 16
4.2 THE CONTENT OF THE COURSE .................................................................................................. 16
4.3 THE EXAMINATION ........................................................................................................................ 16
4.4 SOME IMPORTANT DATES ............................................................................................................. 17
4.5 LECTURE LIST .................................................................................................................................. 18
EXPERIMENTAL METHODS .................................................................................................... 19
OSCILLATIONS, WAVES AND OPTICS .................................................................................... 20
QUANTUM PHYSICS ................................................................................................................. 21
CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS ............................................................................................. 23
MATHEMATICAL METHODS ................................................................................................... 24
GREAT EXPERIMENTS ............................................................................................................. 25
IB PRACTICAL CLASS PHYSICS A......................................................................................... 26
Pa r t I B Ph ys ics B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.1 INTRODUCTION AND COURSE AIMS ........................................................................................... 27
5.2 COURSE CONTENT .......................................................................................................................... 27
5.3 THE EXAMINATION ........................................................................................................................ 27
Table of Contents ii
5.6 LECTURE LIST ................................................................................................................................. 29
ELECTROMAGNETISM ............................................................................................................. 30
CLASSICAL DYNAMICS ............................................................................................................ 32
THERMODYNAMICS ................................................................................................................ 33
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING .......................................................................................... 34
MATHEMATICAL METHODS ................................................................................................... 36
GREAT EXPERIMENTS............................................................................................................. 37
IB PRACTICAL CLASS PHYSICS B ........................................................................................ 38
IB PRACTICAL CLASS PHYSICS A and B .............................................................................. 39
Pa r t I I Exp er im en t a l a n d Th eor et ica l Ph ys ics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
6.1 THE THREE- AND FOUR-YEAR COURSES ................................................................................... 43
6.2 OUTLINE OF THE COURSES .......................................................................................................... 43
6.3 FURTHER WORK ............................................................................................................................. 44
6.3.1 Computing ............................................................................................................................ 44
6.3.2 Experimental Investigations ................................................................................................ 44
6.3.3 Courses in Theoretical Physics ............................................................................................ 44
6.3.4 Research Review .................................................................................................................. 46
6.3.5 Long-Vacation Work ............................................................................................................ 46
6.3.6 Physics Education ................................................................................................................ 46
6.4 SUPERVISIONS AND EXAMPLES CLASSES .................................................................................. 46
6.5 NON-EXAMINED WORK ................................................................................................................. 47
6.6 THE EXAMINATION ........................................................................................................................ 47
6.6.1 Examiners Notices .............................................................................................................. 47
6.6.2 The Written Papers for Part II ............................................................................................. 47
6.6.3 Requirements ....................................................................................................................... 47
6.6.4 Examination Entries ............................................................................................................ 47
6.6.5 Submission of Further Work ............................................................................................... 47
6.7 HALF SUBJECT PHYSICS ................................................................................................................ 48
6.9 SOME IMPORTANT DATES ............................................................................................................ 49
6.10 LECTURE LIST ................................................................................................................................. 50
ADVANCED QUANTUM PHYSICS ........................................................................................... 52
OPTICS AND ELECTRODYNAMICS ......................................................................................... 53
RELATIVITY ............................................................................................................................... 54
THERMAL AND STATISTICAL PHYSICS ................................................................................ 56
ASTROPHYSICAL FLUID DYNAMICS ..................................................................................... 57
PARTICLE AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS ....................................................................................... 59
QUANTUM CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS .........................................................................61
SOFT CONDENSED MATTER ................................................................................................... 62
COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS .................................................................................................... 63
COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS PROJECT .................................................................................. 64
THEORETICAL PHYSICS 1 (TP1) .............................................................................................. 65
THEORETICAL PHYSICS 2 (TP2) ............................................................................................. 66
PART II EXPERIMENTS ............................................................................................................ 67
RESEARCH REVIEWS ............................................................................................................... 70
PHYSICS EDUCATION .............................................................................................................. 72
CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS ............................................................................................................ 74
Pa r t I I I Exp er im en t a l a n d Th eor et ica l Ph ys ics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
7.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 76
7.2 OUTLINE OF THE COURSE ............................................................................................................ 76
7.3 DETAILS OF THE COURSES ........................................................................................................... 77
7.3.1 Project work ......................................................................................................................... 77
7.3.2 Major Topics......................................................................................................................... 77
7.3.3 Minor Topics ........................................................................................................................ 77
7.3.4 Other Lent Term courses ..................................................................................................... 78
Table of Contents iii
7.3.5 Further Work ........................................................................................................................ 78
7.3.6 Long-Vacation Projects ........................................................................................................ 78
7.3.7 Entrepreneurship ................................................................................................................. 78
7.3.8 Examples Class in General Physics ...................................................................................... 78
7.4 RESTRICTIONS ON COMBINATION OF COURSES ...................................................................... 79
7.5 SUPERVISIONS ................................................................................................................................ 79
7.6 NON-EXAMINED WORK ................................................................................................................. 79
7.7 THE EXAMINATION ........................................................................................................................ 79
7.7.1 Examiners Notices ............................................................................................................... 79
7.7.2 Examination Entries............................................................................................................. 79
7.7.3 The Written Papers for Part III ............................................................................................ 79
7.9 LECTURE LIST .................................................................................................................................. 84
ADVANCED QUANTUM CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS ................................................... 87
ATOMIC AND OPTICAL PHYSICS ........................................................................................... 88
PARTICLE PHYSICS ................................................................................................................... 89
PHYSICS OF THE EARTH AS A PLANET ................................................................................. 91
QUANTUM CONDENSED MATTER FIELD THEORY ............................................................. 93
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY ..................................................................................................... 94
RELATIVISTIC ASTROPHYSICS AND COSMOLOGY .............................................................. 95
SOFT MATTER AND BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS .......................................................................... 97
ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS ......................................................................................................... 98
BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS .............................................................................................................. 99
FORMATION OF STRUCTURE IN THE UNIVERSE ............................................................. 100
GAUGE FIELD THEORY .......................................................................................................... 102
MEDICAL PHYSICS ................................................................................................................. 103
NONLINEAR OPTICS AND QUANTUM STATES OF LIGHT ................................................ 105
PARTICLE ASTROPHYSICS .................................................................................................... 106
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND QUANTUM COHERENCE ..................................................... 107
THE FRONTIERS OF EXPERIMENTAL CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS ........................ 108
THE FRONTIERS OF OBSERVATIONAL ASTROPHYSICS ................................................... 109
THE PHYSICS OF NANOELECTRONIC SYSTEMS ................................................................ 110
QUANTUM INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 111
PHASE TRANSITIONS AND COLLECTIVE PHENOMENA ................................................... 112
ADVANCED QUANTUM FIELD THEORY ............................................................................... 113
ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF GALAXIES ............................................................................. 114
NUCLEAR MATERIALS ............................................................................................................ 115
NUCLEAR POWER ENGINEERING ........................................................................................ 116
INTERDISCIPLINARY TOPICS NST PART III .................................................................... 118
MATERIALS, ELECTRONICS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY ................................................. 119
ENTREPRENEURSHIP ............................................................................................................ 120
ETHICS IN PHYSICS ................................................................................................................ 122
PHILOSOPHY OF PHYSICS ..................................................................................................... 123
PROJECTS ................................................................................................................................ 124
Gu id e for St u d en t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Academic Staff ............................................................................................................................ 131
Administration .......................................................................................................................... 132
Aims and Objectives .................................................................................................................. 132
Appeals ...................................................................................................................................... 132
Astronomical Society (CUAS) ................................................................................................... 132
Bicycles ...................................................................................................................................... 132
Books ......................................................................................................................................... 132
Bookshops ................................................................................................................................. 132
Buildings ................................................................................................................................... 133
Calculators ................................................................................................................................. 133
CamCORS .................................................................................................................................. 133
Table of Contents iv
CamSIS .......................................................................................................................................133
CamTools ...................................................................................................................................133
Canteen ......................................................................................................................................133
Careers .......................................................................................................................................133
Cavendish Laboratory ................................................................................................................133
Cavendish Stores ........................................................................................................................133
Cheating .....................................................................................................................................133
Classing Criteria ........................................................................................................................ 134
College ....................................................................................................................................... 134
Common Room ......................................................................................................................... 134
Complaints ................................................................................................................................ 134
Computing ................................................................................................................................ 134
Counselling ................................................................................................................................ 135
Courses ....................................................................................................................................... 135
Databases ................................................................................................................................... 135
Department of Physics ............................................................................................................... 135
Director of Studies ..................................................................................................................... 135
Disability ................................................................................................................................... 136
Electronic Mail .......................................................................................................................... 136
Examinations ............................................................................................................................ 136
Examples Classes ....................................................................................................................... 137
Examples Sheets ........................................................................................................................ 137
Faculty of Physics and Chemistry .............................................................................................. 137
Feedback .................................................................................................................................... 137
Fire Alarms ................................................................................................................................ 137
Formulae .................................................................................................................................... 137
Handbook .................................................................................................................................. 137
Harassment ............................................................................................................................... 138
Institute of Physics ................................................................................................................... 138
Laboratory Closure ................................................................................................................... 138
Late Submission of Work ......................................................................................................... 138
Lecture handouts ...................................................................................................................... 138
Lectures ..................................................................................................................................... 139
Libraries .................................................................................................................................... 139
Moore Library ........................................................................................................................... 139
Natural Sciences Tripos ............................................................................................................ 139
Part II and Part III Library ....................................................................................................... 140
Past Tripos papers .................................................................................................................... 140
Personal Computers ................................................................................................................. 140
Philosophical Society ................................................................................................................ 140
Physics Course Handbook ........................................................................................................ 140
Photocopying ............................................................................................................................ 140
Physics Society (CUPS) ............................................................................................................. 140
Practical Classes ........................................................................................................................ 140
Public Workstation Facility (PWF) .......................................................................................... 140
Rayleigh Library ....................................................................................................................... 140
Raven ........................................................................................................................................ 140
Recording of Lectures ................................................................................................................ 141
Refreshments ............................................................................................................................. 141
Registration ................................................................................................................................ 141
Reporter ..................................................................................................................................... 141
Research ..................................................................................................................................... 141
Safety ......................................................................................................................................... 142
Scientific Periodicals Library .................................................................................................... 142
Smoking .................................................................................................................................... 142
Staff-Student Consultative Committee .................................................................................... 142
Supervisions .............................................................................................................................. 142
Synopses .................................................................................................................................... 142
Table of Contents v
Teaching Committee ................................................................................................................. 142
Teaching Information System .................................................................................................. 143
Teaching Office.......................................................................................................................... 143
Telephones ................................................................................................................................ 143
Transferable Skills ..................................................................................................................... 143
University Library ..................................................................................................................... 143
World-Wide Web ...................................................................................................................... 144

Web Sit e
This Physics Course Handbook and some of the references therein can be found on the Cavendish Laboratory
World-Wide Web teaching pages at http://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/.
Tea ch in g Office
The Cavendish Laboratorys Teaching Office is situated in the Br a gg Bu ild in g, Room 212B. Opening
times during full term will be posted outside the office. Enquiries can also be made via the e-mail address
teaching-office@phy.cam.ac.uk.

1 Undergraduate Courses in Physics
Undergraduate Courses in Physics

1. 1 I NTRODUCTI ON
The Department of Physics in Cambridge offers
both three- and four- year courses in physics,
which form the two basic routes to a first degree
with specialisation in physics. The four-year
course is designed for students who wish to pur-
sue a professional career in physics, for example,
in academic or industrial research: it leads to an
honours degree of Master of Natural Sciences,
M.Sci., together with an honours degree Bachelor
of Arts, B.A. The three-year course is designed for
students with a deep interest in the subject but
who may not intend to become professional
physicists: it leads to an honours degree of B.A.
Physics graduates from Cambridge go in a wide
range of directions. Nearly half embark on re-
search leading to a higher degree, and about a
quarter go straight into full-time employment in a
wide variety of fields, such as teaching, business
and finance, and computing. The remainder are
spread over other types of postgraduate activities.
Our graduates have an excellent record of finding
employment promptly after graduation.
As regards research towards a Ph.D., at present
the policy announced by the UK Research Coun-
cils is that an Upper Second or First Class in ei-
ther the third or fourth years formally qualifies a
student for a Ph.D. award. However, the policy of
this Department and many others is that Part III
is an essential preparation for a Ph.D.
In both the three- and four-year courses our aims
are to provide a solid foundation in all aspects of
physics and to show something of the very broad
spectrum of modern physics. Vital basic areas
such as Electromagnetism, Quantum Mechanics,
Dynamics and Thermodynamics are covered in
the first three years, where we also aim to develop
experimental, computational and mathematical
skills. Advanced work in the fourth year can in-
clude fundamental subjects such as Advanced
Quantum Theory, Particle Physics, Condensed
Matter Physics and Cosmology as well as applied
topics such as Biological Physics and Geophysics.
A substantial piece of independent project work is
required in the fourth year, and there are also
possibilities for experience of industrial research
during the long vacations.
In the following sections, brief descriptions are
given of the undergraduate courses currently of-
fered by the department. The flow chart inside the
front cover shows routes through the three- and
four-year courses. Synopses for all the courses to
be delivered in the academic year 2011-12 are in-
cluded in this booklet.
The aims and outcomes for the courses can be
found through the course web site located at
http://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/external.php
1. 2 PHYSI CS COURSES I N THE
ACADEMI C YEAR 20 11-12
In this section we give a brief overview of the
courses offered; fuller details are given in the in-
troduction to each year below.
1. 2. 1 Th e Fir s t Yea r ( Pa r t I A)
Students in the first year of the Natural Sciences
Tripos (NST) choose three experimental subjects
with a free choice from Physics, Chemistry, Mate-
rials Science, Earth Sciences, Biology of Cells,
Evolution and Behaviour, and Physiology of Or-
ganisms. In addition, all NST students reading
Physics will take the NST Mathematics course.
Paper 1 of Part IA of the Computer Science Tripos
may be substituted for Biology of Cells.
The Physics course assumes either A2 level Phys-
ics (or equivalent), or A2 level Further Maths (in-
cluding the Mechanics modules). Ideally students
would have done both Physics and Further Maths,
but this is definitely not essential.
The first-year course, Part IA Physics, covers fun-
damental principles in physics. The aim is to
bridge the gap between school and university
physics by providing a more complete and logical
framework in key areas of classical physics, as well
as introducing new areas such as relativity and
quantum physics. The Part IA Physics course is
given in three lectures per week plus a four-hour
experiment once every two weeks. Subjects stud-
ied include Mechanics, Relativity, Oscillations and
Waves, Quantum Waves, and Fields.
The first-year physics course is also available in
Part IA of the Computer Sciences Tripos, where it
is combined with courses in Mathematics for
Natural Sciences and Computer Science Courses.
It is also possible to read Part IA Physics as part of
the Mathematical Tripos in the first-year course
Mathematics with Physics. Both of these routes
provide for possible specialisation in physics in
later years.
There is no limit on numbers and we usually have
about four hundred students reading Part IA
Physics.
Undergraduate Courses in Physics 2
1. 2. 2 Th e Se con d Yea r ( Pa r t I B)
There are two physics courses in Part IB: Physics
A and Physics B. Physics A provides a grounding
in quantum mechanics and solid-state physics,
while Physics B covers the core of classical phys-
ics, including electromagnetism, dynamics and
thermodynamics.
The combination of IB Physics A and Physics B of-
fers a firm grounding in key areas of physics -
theoretical and experimental - and covers special-
ised topics that lead naturally to Part II/III Ex-
perimental and Theoretical Physics and other
quantitative subjects. Students taking both
courses combine them with one other IB subject.
This third subject is often NST IB Mathematics,
and this is useful for students wishing to pursue
theoretical options in Part II. However, choosing
a different subject provides additional breadth
and gives greater choice of Part II and Part III
courses. Common choices for the third subject are
Materials Science, Chemistry A, Geology A or His-
tory and Philosophy of Science. For students tak-
ing either Physics A or Physics B without NST IB
Mathematics, additional lectures in Mathematical
Methods are provided within the course.
There is no limit on the number of students taking
IB Physics A and Physics B; usually about 170 stu-
dents take both. Most proceed into Part II Ex-
perimental and Theoretical Physics, but some go
into other third-year science subjects or into other
triposes.
Students come into the combination of IB Physics
A and B mostly having taken both Physics and
Mathematics in Part IA of the Natural Sciences or
Computer Sciences Triposes. Of those who have
taken the first-year Mathematics with Physics
course in the Mathematics Tripos, a significant
proportion subsequently take IB Physics A and B.
A smaller number of students, usually ten to
twenty, take IB Physics A as their only physics
course. IB Physics A provides a self-contained
package of quantum, condensed matter and ex-
perimental physics. It builds on IA Physics and of-
fers a firm grounding in important areas of
physics that is very useful for scientists with a
wide range of career destinations. The students
will normally take two other Part IB subjects, and
then go into a wide range of third-year courses.
Note that Part IB Physics A alone is not an ade-
quate preparation for Part II Experimental and
Theoretical Physics.
It is also possible for students to take IB Physics B
as their only physics course, and this may suit
students with a particular interest in the topics
covered in that course. Note that Part IB Physics
B alone is not an adequate preparation for Part II
Experimental and Theoretical Physics. Further,
the practical work draws heavily on material pre-
sented in Physics A in the Michaelmas Term: stu-
dents taking just Physics B are advised to attend
the Experimental Methods lectures for Physics A
for necessary background. We expect that the ma-
jority of students wishing to pursue a single phys-
ics course will find IB Physics A the more
attractive option.

1. 2. 3 Th e Th ir d Yea r ( Pa r t I I ) -
Exp er im e n t a l a n d Th e or et ica l
Ph ys ics
In the third year, Part II Experimental and Theo-
retical Physics, students develop their profes-
sional skills through computing exercises,
extended experiments, lectures and examples
classes in Theoretical Physics, as well as lectures
in the core and options subjects. Different combi-
nations of experimental and theoretical work can
be taken.
The aim of the Part II course is to complete basic
instruction in core physics. In the Michaelmas
term, there are core courses in Advanced Quan-
tum Mechanics, Relativity, Optics and Electrody-
namics and Thermal and Statistical Physics
In the Lent and Easter term, students have some
choice amongst lecture courses including Astro-
physical Fluid Dynamics, Particle and Nuclear
Physics, Quantum Condensed Matter, and Soft
Condensed Matter. Additionally there is a short
course on Computational Physics, with associated
(compulsory) exercises, and a short, more general
course on Concepts in Physics.
Students are also required to submit three or
more items of Further Work. You may choose an
experimentally-biased course or one with a
stronger emphasis on theory, or some intermedi-
ate combination of experiment and theory. For
example, there is the option of carrying out up to
two experimental investigations, each lasting two
weeks. For theorists, there are two courses in
Theoretical Physics, consisting of lectures plus ex-
amples classes, which run through the Michael-
mas and Lent terms. Other possible units of
Further Work include: the Computational Physics
project, assessed Long Vacation work, the Physics
Education course and a Research Review.
Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics and
we usually have about 120 students, the largest
class in any Part II Natural Science subject.
Undergraduate Courses in Physics 3
An alternative for the third year is Half Subject
Physics in Part II Physical Sciences of the Natural
Sciences Tripos. This is offered to students who
wish to retain an interest in physics but to keep
other options open at the same time. They select
about half the workload from the third-year phys-
ics course, combined with a Part IB subject which
they have not previously taken, such as History
and Philosophy of Science. We expect that stu-
dents offering Half Subject Physics will have read
IB Physics A or Physics B in the second year. Ad-
vice on suitable combinations of Part II Physics
courses can be obtained from your Director of
Studies.
1. 2. 4 Th e Fou r t h Yea r ( Pa r t I I I ) -
Exp er im e n t a l a n d Th e or et ica l
Ph ys ics
The fourth-year course, Part III Experimental and
Theoretical Physics, is designed to provide the
necessary foundation for a professional career in
academic or industrial research. The course spans
the spectrum from strongly experimental to highly
theoretical physics and offers the flexibility for
students to select a wide range of different combi-
nations of subjects, according to their career aspi-
rations. Many of the courses reflect major
research interests of staff of the Cavendish. There
is a substantial amount of independent project
work, which may be proposed by the students
themselves, together with opportunities to include
work in external laboratories and industry
through assessed vacation projects.
Our aim in the fourth year is to present physics as
a connected subject of enormous flexibility and
applicability. Revision classes in general physics
are given in the Easter Term and all students un-
dertake a substantial project which is worth one
third of the years marks. Lecture courses in the
first and second terms provide more advanced
treatments of major areas of physics and are se-
lected to reflect broad areas of current interest.
Many of them have an interdisciplinary character.
The overall course provides excellent preparation
for a research career inside or outside physics in
either the academic or industrial sectors.
1. 3 MATHEMATI CS AND THE
PHYSI CS COURSES
The mathematical skills needed by students who
follow the three or four-year physics course are
quite varied. Students taking entirely experimen-
tal options may need much less sophisticated
mathematics than those taking the more advanced
theoretical options. The level of mathematics
preparation at school is also variable. Some stu-
dents entering Part IA Physics have studied two
A2-levels in Mathematics and others have studied
only one A2-level.
The aim of the Physics Department is to challenge
the most gifted and best-prepared students, while
providing access to theoretical courses for those
less well prepared. The Mathematics course for
Natural Scientists In Part IA assumes only single
Mathematics A2-level.
In the second year, both IB Physics courses as-
sume only mathematical material from NST IA
mathematics. Other necessary mathematical
techniques are taught alongside the physics or in
Part IB Mathematics: for those not taking
Mathematics in Part IB, there is a non-examined
(but supervised) course in Mathematical Methods
given in the Michaelmas Term. This covers all the
mathematical material needed for the Part II core
and options courses.
The optional theoretical courses in Part II prepare
students for the theoretical options in Part III.
Students intending to take TP1 and/or TP2, and
who have not taken Part IB NST Mathematics,
will find it helpful to do a some extra preparation
in the long vacation at the end of Part IB.

Aims and Objectives 4
Aims and Objectives of the Physics Teaching
Programme

2. 1 THE UNI VERSI TYS AI MS AND
OBJ ECTI VES
The Quality Assurance Agency, through its institu-
tional audit of the University, is concerned with
the assurance of the quality of teaching and learn-
ing within the University. The University in turn
requires every Department to have clear aims and
objectives and to monitor their teaching and
learning activities and consider changes where
necessary. Students should be aware of these
Aims and Objectives, which have been the subject
of considerable discussion within the Department,
with the University and with the Physics Staff-
Student Consultative Committee. If you have any
comments on the Aims and Objectives of the
Physics Teaching Programme, which are printed
below, please contact Professor David Ritchie
Deputy Head (Teaching) Cavendish Laboratory.
The Universitys stated aims are to foster and de-
velop academic excellence across a wide range of
subjects and at all levels of study. Furthermore,
the University aims to provide an education of the
highest calibre at both the undergraduate and
postgraduate level, and so produce graduates of
the calibre sought by industry, the professions,
and the public service, as well as providing aca-
demic teachers and researchers for the future.
The broad aims of the Department of Physics are
identical with these.
In the context of the Departmental teaching pro-
grammes, the specific aims and objectives are
given below.
2. 2 COURSE AI MS
To provide education in physics of the highest
quality at both the undergraduate and gradu-
ate levels and so produce graduates of the cali-
bre sought by industry, the professions, and
the public service, as well as providing the aca-
demic teachers and researchers of the future;
To encourage and pursue research of the high-
est quality in physics, and maintain Cam-
bridges position as one of the worlds leading
centres in these fields;
To continue to attract outstanding students
from all backgrounds;

To provide an intellectually stimulating envi-
ronment in which students have the opportu-
nity to develop their skills and enthusiasms to
the best of their potential;
To maintain the highest academic standards in
undergraduate and graduate teaching and to
develop new areas of teaching and research in
response to the advance of scholarship and the
needs of the community.
2. 3 COURSE OBJ ECTI VES
By the end of t h e fir s t yea r ( Pa r t I A Ph ys ics ) ,
students, whether continuing with physics or not,
should have:
attained a common level in basic mathemati-
cally-based physics, and so laid a secure foun-
dation in physics for their future courses
within the Natural Sciences or other Triposes;
acquired a broad introduction to a range of sci-
ences at University level, generally through
having studied two other experimental sub-
jects as well as mathematics;
developed their experimental and data analysis
skills through a wide range of experiments in
the practical laboratories.
By the end of t h e s econ d yea r , s t u d en t s t a k-
in g Pa r t I B Ph ys ics A a n d Ph ys ics B should
have:
been introduced to powerful tools for tackling
a wide range of topics, including formal meth-
ods in classical and quantum physics;
become familiar with additional relevant
mathematical techniques;
further developed their experimental skills
through a series of whole-day experiments,
some of which also illustrate major themes of
the lecture courses, and developed their com-
munication skills through group activities.
By the end of the s econ d yea r , s t u d en t s t a k-
in g Pa r t I B Ph ys ics A should have:
covered a wide range of topics in quantum and
condensed matter physics with emphasis upon
their practical applications and utility;
further developed their practical skills through
a series of whole-day experiments, some of
which illustrate major themes of the lecture
courses.
Aims and Objectives 5
By the end of the s econ d yea r , s t u d en t s t a k-
in g Pa r t I B Ph ys ics B should have:
covered a range of topics in classical physics,
including electromagnetism, dynamics and
thermodynamics;
further developed their practical skills through
a series of whole-day experiments, some of
which illustrate major themes of the lecture
courses.
have been introduced to scientific computing
using the C subset of the C++ language.
By the end of the t h ir d yea r ( Pa r t I I Exp er i-
m en t a l a n d Th eor et ica l Ph ys ics ) , s t u d en t s
t a kin g Pa r t I I ETP should have:
completed their study of core physics;
substantially developed professional skills in
experimental and/or theoretical and/or com-
putational physics, or in Physics Education;
had experience of independent work, including
an introduction to aspects of research;
had experience of the application of computers
to physical problems;
developed their communication skills
had experience of independent work .
By the end of the third year, students taking Ha lf
Su bject Ph ys ics in Pa r t I I Ph ys ica l Scien ces
should have:
enhanced their understanding of core physics,
in the context of a broader exposure to science
with the Natural Sciences Tripos;
had some experience of independent work.

By the end of the fou r t h yea r ( Pa r t I I I Ex-
p er im en t a l a n d Th eor et ica l Ph ys ics ) , stu-
dents completing the four-year option should
have:
had experience of a number of broad areas of
physics from a choice of options, taken to an
advanced level, at which current research can
be appreciated in some depth;
carried out a substantial independent research
project amounting to the equivalent of about
six weeks of full-time work;
maintained their skills in core physics;
enhanced their communications skills;
become well prepared for a career in academic
or industrial research.

Part IA Physics 6
Part IA Physics

Comments may be sent to IA-physics@phy.cam.ac.uk
Enquiries/ queries: teaching-office@phy.cam.ac.uk

3. 1 AI MS OF THE COURSE
An important objective of the course is to develop
an understanding of core physics at successively
deeper levels, each stage revealing new phenom-
ena and greater insight into the behaviour of mat-
ter and radiation.
The first year of the course has several distinct
aims. First, it aims to bridge the gap between
school- and university-level physics, and to bring
students from different backgrounds to a common
point. Second, it aims to consolidate school phys-
ics by providing a much more logical and analyti-
cal framework for classical physics, which will be
essential for all years of the course. Third, it in-
cludes new themes such as special relativity and
quantum physics, which foreshadow key topics to
be developed in the subsequent years of the
course. Fourth, the individual lecture courses aim
to broaden your perspective, so that you can begin
to appreciate the great flexibility and generality of
the laws of physics and their application.
There is an introductory talk at 11.0 0 a m on t h e
fir s t Wed n es d a y of Mich a elm a s fu ll t er m
( 5
t h
Oct ober 20 11) , at the Ca ven d is h La bor a -
t or y, in t h e Pip p a r d Lect u r e Th ea t r e.
3. 2 THE LECTURE COURSES
Details of the lecture courses are given in the syn-
opses which follow. All students attend the same
lectures.
3. 3 PRACTI CALS
Students attend a physics practical for one after-
noon once every two weeks. The primary aim of
the class is the development of experimental
skills, which are important to all professional
physicists. A second aim of the practical session is
to illustrate ideas and concepts in physics. Some
of the experiments are concerned with illustrating
topics covered in the Part IA Physics lecture
course, but this is not their main purpose.
Registration and assignment of days for practicals
are dealt with centrally, via your College. You are
expected to do your practical on the same day of
the week in each term. The practicals are continu-
ously assessed. In addition, to prepare for each
practical you are asked to carry out a brief exercise
beforehand, which you will hand in to your dem-
onstrator at the start of the practical class. To give
you practice in technical writing you are required
to do two Formal reports. The first, partial, re-
port, to be written over the Christmas vacation,
will be based on one of the experiments carried
out over the Michaelmas term. The second, to be
written over the Easter vacation, will be a full re-
port on one of the Lent-term experiments. Full
details are given in your practical class manual,
and tips and further advice is given in the booklet
entitled Keeping Laboratory Notes and Writing
Formal Reports, which is handed out to students
at the start of the year. The overall practical mark
counts 25% towards the Part IA Physics examina-
tion. Around a third of the practical mark comes
from the Formal reports.
3. 4 THE EXAMI NATI ON
3. 4. 1 Exa m in er s Not ices
Specific information about the examination is
given in notices put up in a special Examinations
section of the notice board inside the Part IA Prac-
tical class.
3. 4. 2 Th e Wr it t e n Pa p e r for Pa r t I A
The Part IA Physics written examination consists
of one three-hour paper. The exact content of the
paper is a matter for the relevant examiners, but
the expected pattern will consist of questions on
general physics and the material covered in the
lecture courses. Th e Pa r t I A s ylla bu s wa s
ch a n ged a t t h e s t a r t of t h e a ca d em ic yea r
20 0 9-20 10 a n d ea r lier exa m in a t ion p a p er s
will occa s ion a lly r efer t o t op ics wh ich a r e
n o lon ger t a u gh t .
3. 5 BOOKS

There are two books recommended for the IA
Physics course these will be available in College
libraries. Lecturers will give references both to
relevant sections of these books, and to worked
examples in them, which help explain or expand
on the material they present in their lectures.
Similarly, the question sheets may sometimes re-
fer to the examples in these books for students
who wish to try additional problems. This is to en-
courage you to develop your skills in utilising the
more extensive resource material provided in text-
books to deepen your understanding of physics.

Part IA Physics 7
[1] Understanding Physics, Mansfield M &
OSullivan C (Wiley 2006)

[2] Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Ex-
tended Version), Tipler P A & Mosca G (6th Edi-
tion, Freeman 2008)

Part IA Physics 8
3. 6 SOME I MPORTANT DATES

Note: This list is not exhaustive, and may be superseded by announcements in the relevant course handout
Tuesday 4
th
October 2011 Start of Michaelmas full term
Wednesday 5
th
October 2011 11.00 Introductory talk and registration and assign-
ment of days for practicals, at the Cavendish
Laboratory (Pippard Lecture Theatre)
Th u r s d a y

1
s t
Decem ber 20 11 11. 0 0 -16. 0 0 Pick u p n ot ebook a n d in s t r u ct ion s for
for m a l r ep or t fr om I A Pr a ct ica l Cla s s
Fr id a y 2
n d
Decem ber 20 11 10 . 0 0 -16. 0 0 Pick u p n ot ebook a n d in s t r u ct ion s for
Friday 2
nd
December 2011 End of Michaelmas full term
Tuesday 17
th
January 2012 Start of Lent full term
Tu es d a y 17
t h
J a n u a r y 20 12 10 . 0 0 -16. 0 0 For m a l r ep or t m u s t be h a n d ed in t o t h e
I A Pr a ct ica l Cla s s
Wed n es d a y 18
t h
J a n u a r y 20 12 10 . 0 0 -16. 0 0 For m a l r ep or t m u s t be h a n d ed in t o t h e
Th u r s d a y 15
t h
Ma r ch 20 12 10 . 0 0 -16. 0 0 Pick u p n ot ebook a n d in s t r u ct ion s for
Fr id a y 16
t h
Ma r ch 20 12 10 . 0 0 -16. 0 0 Pick u p n ot ebook a n d in s t r u ct ion s for
Friday 16
th
March 2012 End of Lent full term
Tuesday 24
th
April 2012 Start of Easter full term
Tu es d a y 24
t h
Ap r il 20 12 10 . 0 0 -16. 0 0 For m a l r ep or t m u s t be h a n d ed in t o t h e
Wed n es d a y 25
t h
Ap r il 20 12 10 . 0 0 -16. 0 0 For m a l r ep or t m u s t be h a n d ed in t o t h e
Friday 15
th
June 2012 End of Easter full term

La t e S u bm i s s i on of W or k
In accordance with the Universitys regulations, work submitted after the advertised deadline will not
count towards your final examination mark, unless the Department grants an extension of time on the
grounds that there are mitigating circumstances. Any application for such an extension should be made by
your college Tutor or Director of Studies to the Deputy Head of Department (Teaching), c/ o Teaching Of-
fice, Cavendish Laboratory, (teaching-office@phy.cam.ac.uk). In such circumstances, you should submit
the work as soon as possible after the deadline.
Part IA Physics 9
3. 7 LECTURE LI ST

PART I A PHYSI CS

Departmental Contact: Helen Marshall, email:IA-physics@phy.cam.ac.uk
Course Website: www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/

All lectures are on M. W. F. at 9
All lectures take place in the Bristol-Myers Squibb Lecture Theatre, Chemical Laboratory, Lensfield Road.

MI CHAELMAS
DR J. M. RILEY
Dynamics
(twelve lectures)

LENT
PROF. A.M. DONALD
Waves and Quantum Waves
(twelve lectures)
EASTER
DR R. E. ANSORGE
Gravitational and Electromag-
netic Fields
(twelve lectures)
DR G. A. C. JONES
Oscillating Systems
(twelve lectures, beginning 4 Nov.)
DR P. J. DUFFETT-SMITH
Rotational Mechanics and
Special Relativity
(twelve lectures, beginning 17 Feb.)

La bor a t or y Wor k
DR J. M. RILEY, DR D. A. GREEN
AND OTHERS
Experimental Physics. M. or Tu. or
Th. or F. 2-5.45 Students attend
one afternoon every fortnight.

AND OTHERS
The same continued.

AND OTHERS
The same continued.

La bor a t or y Wor k takes place at the Cavendish Laboratory (West Cambridge). All students must attend
an introductory talk and register for Laboratory Work at 11.00 a.m. on W. 5 Oct. at the Cavendish Labora-
tory. The Laboratory may be approached by the Madingley Road, or via the Coton cycle and footpath. For cy-
clists and pedestrians the latter is strongly recommended. La bor a t or y wor k is con t in u ou s ly a s s es s ed .
Part IA Physics 10
PRI NCI PLES OF CLASSI CAL PHYSI CS, QUANTUM PHYSI CS & RELATI VI TY

Julia Riley, Geb Jones, Athene Donald, Peter Duffett-Smith and Richard Ansorge

This lecture course consists of five 12-lectures modules. It covers a number of fundamental topics
in classical physics mechanics, oscillations, waves and gravitational and electromagnetic fields
but also introduces some of the unusual non-classical ideas encapsulated in quantum physics and
special relativity. In addition a number of concepts in the collection and analysis of experimental
data which form the basis for our understanding of the physical world are also discussed.

Key ideas on the setting up of mathematical models to describe physical systems are introduced
using mathematical tools such as differentiation, integration, complex numbers and vectors. The
lectures will also introduce you to a variety of techniques for tackling physics problems which will
be developed through illustrative examples.

Each module is accompanied by a set of examples, which tie in closely with the ideas and concepts
introduced in the lectures; during the term you are expected to work through all these examples
averaging about six per week with the help of your supervisor.

1 DYNAMI CS

I n t r od u ct ion t o u n iver s it y p h ys ics : role of experiment; mathematical models; dimensional
analysis; tackling physics problems.

Exp er im en t a l p h ys ics : random and systematic errors; Gaussian probability distribution;
mean, standard deviation, error in the mean; errors in functions of a single variable, combining
errors in two variables; examples of techniques for dealing with systematic errors; graphs.

Dyn a m ics : Concept of a force: tendency to produce motion; forces as vectors; action and reac-
tion; friction. Calculus in physics: use of integration. Work: potential energy; stable and unsta-
ble equilibrium. Kinematics: displacement, speed, velocity, acceleration. Newtons laws of
motion: equations of motion. Kinetic energy: concept and definition; principle of the conservation
of energy. Linear momentum: concept and definition; conservation of linear momentum; rockets;
elastic and inelastic collisions; impulse of a force. Frames of reference: relative velocities, inertial
frames of reference, zero-momentum frame, collisions.

Part IA Physics 11
2 OSCI LLATI NG SYSTEMS

Sim p le h a r m on ic m ot ion ( SHM) : equation of un-damped oscillation for a mass on a spring,
its solution, relative phases of displacement, velocity and force. Approximations of oscillating sys-
tems to SHM: simple pendulum. Energy in SHM: vibration of two masses joined by a spring,
quantum well.

Ph a s or d ia gr a m s : superposition of oscillations, beats, amplitude modulation.

SHM u s in g com p lex n u m ber s : Curves of time-dependence for an oscillator, amplitude, fre-
quency, angular frequency and phase.

Da m p ed os cilla t ion s : amplitude and energy decay, quality factor.

For ced os cilla t ion s : qualitative frequency response and resonance.

Revis ion of elect r ica l cir cu it s : voltage, current and charge in circuits, electrical resistance,
Kirchhoff's laws, resistors in series and parallel. Inductors and capacitors. Circuits with exponen-
tial decays: discharge of a capacitor through a resistor, decay of current through an inductor.

Os cilla t ion s in elect r ica l cir cu it s a n d com p lex im p ed a n ce: Oscillation in an LC circuit,
relative phases of voltages, charge and currents. Complex current and voltage in resistors, capaci-
tors and inductors. Complex impedance. Electrical resonance in an LCR circuit, simple filter,
bandwidth, Q factor. Relationship of behaviours seen in electrical systems to those of mechanical
systems. Mechanical impedance.

3 WAVES AND QUANTUM WAVES

Wa ves : The 1-D equation, application to waves on a string, sinusoidal solutions, amplitude, fre-
quency wavelength, energy transport, transverse and longitudinal waves; boundary conditions at
free or fixed end; superposition, interference; travelling and standing waves including complex
form; plane waves in 2-D and 3-D, the wave vector and wave number.

Op t ics : Huygens Principle, laws of reflection and refraction, lenses, lens formulae, real and vir-
tual images, the simple telescope and microscope.

Diffr a ct ion : diffraction using complex amplitudes, Youngs slits and the diffraction grating, fi-
nite slit using complex amplitude and via integration.

Qu a n t u m wa ves : reminder of wave-particle duality and de Broglie relation; introduction to the
wavefunction and 1-D time independent Schrodinger equation; waves in wells and boxes and
quantisation of wavelength; reflection at potential steps; penetration through a barrier and eva-
nescent waves.

Part IA Physics 12
4 ROTATI ONAL MECHANI CS AND SPECI AL RELATI VI TY

Rot a t ion a l Mech a n ics : Turning moments: lever balance; turning moment as a vector; mo-
ment of a couple; conditions for static equilibrium. Centre of mass: calculation for a solid body by
integration. Circular motion: angle, angular speed, angular acceleration; as vectors; rotating
frames; centripetal force. Angular momentum: concept and definition; angular impulse; conser-
vation. Moment of inertia: calculation of moment of inertia; theorems of parallel and perpendicu-
lar axes. Rotational kinetic energy: simple collisions involving angular rotation. Gyroscope: how
it works; precession.

Sp ecia l Rela t ivit y: Historical development: problems with classical ideas; the Aether; Michel-
son-Morley experiment. Inertial frames: Galilean transformation. Einsteins postulates: state-
ment; events, and intervals between them; consequences for time intervals and lengths; Lorentz
transformation of intervals; simultaneity; proper time; twin paradox; causality; world lines and
spacetime diagrams. Velocities: addition; aberration of light; Doppler effect. Relativistic me-
chanics: momentum and energy; definitions; what is conserved; energymomentum invariant.

5 GRAVI TATI ONAL AND ELECTROMAGNETI C FI ELDS

Gr a vit a t ion : Newtons law, measurement of G. Action at a distance and concept of a local force
field. Properties of conservative fields, including potential energy as a path integral. Superposition
of fields. Gauss law for gravity with simple quantitative applications.

Or bit s : Keplers laws. Derivation of elliptical orbits for planetary motion from Newtons law.
Simple orbital calculations. Qualitative examples of gravity at work including tidal effects.

Elect r os t a t ic Field s : Static electricity, Coulombs Law for point charges, the electric field E and
the corresponding potential for point charges and electric dipoles. Gauss law for electrostatic
fields. Properties of ideal conductors. Capacitance including calculation for simple geometries.
Mention effects of dielectric materials on capacitance and dipole moment of water molecule.

Ma gn et ic Field s : Properties of bar magnets. Magnetic flux density B. Magnetic dipoles and cur-
rents as sources of B. Lorentz force and motion of charged particles in electric and magnetic
fields; J.J. Thomsons experiment. Ampre and Biot-Savart laws, calculation of B field in simple
cases. Faradays law of induction; self and mutual inductance, energy stored in B field.

Ma xwells Equ a t ion s : Displacement current term. Integral and differential statements. Exam-
ple of plane wave solutions.

BOOKS

There are two books recommended for the IA Physics course these will be available in College
libraries. Lecturers will give references both to relevant sections of these books, and to worked
examples in them, which help explain or expand on the material they present in their lectures.
Similarly, the question sheets may sometimes refer to the examples in these books for students
who wish to try additional problems. This is to encourage you to develop your skills in utilising the
more extensive resource material provided in text-books to deepen your understanding of physics.

Part IA Physics 13
Understanding Physics, Mansfield M & OSullivan C (Wiley 2006)
Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Extended Version), Tipler P A & Mosca G (6th Edition,
Freeman 2008)
Part IA Physics 14
I A PRACTI CAL CLASS
J M Riley and D A Green
The aim of the Part IA practical course is to teach basic experimental, data-analysis and record-
keeping skills. The experiments have been chosen to develop particular skills, although the ex-
periments in the Lent and Easter terms also reinforce material from the lectures. Students work
in pairs throughout.

Mich a elm a s Ter m

Four experiments are carried out. These are primarily intended to teach experimental skills in-
cluding how to keep a good laboratory notebook and to introduce experimental errors and their
treatment. The required theory, as well as a general overview of experimental skills, will be in-
cluded in the Dynamics lecture course.
Marks for the first practical (E1) do not count towards the final total.
E1. At t en u a t ion of -r a y p h ot on s . Through the statistics of radioactive decay, this aims to
develop an understanding of random and systematic errors in count rates and to estimate the lin-
ear attenuation coefficient for photons in lead.

E2. Ga lileos r ollin g ba ll exp er im en t . This aims to introduce the basic methods of ex-
perimental measurement and errors through an investigation of the acceleration of a mass rolling
down a ramp.

E3. Th er m a l excit a t ion in a s em icon d u ct or . This experiment measures the variation of
the electrical resistance of a semiconductor with temperature, testing the behaviour predicted by
quantum physics.

E4. Mea s u r em en t of g u s in g a r igid p en d u lu m . The aim of this experiment is to meas-
ure the value of g with a precision of about one part in a thousand using the oscillations of a rigid
pendulum.

Len t Ter m

Four experiments are carried out, all of which illustrate material from the lecture courses. E5, E6
and E7 use concepts introduced in the Oscillating systems course. E5 is an investigation of
damped oscillations and resonance in a mechanical system. E6 is an introduction to measuring
electrical signals with a picoscope; the picoscope is then used in E7 to investigate electrical reso-
nance. E8 investigates the geometric optical properties of simple lenses and mirrors, illustrating
material from the section on optics in the Waves and quantum waves course.
E5. Mech a n ica l r es on a n ce*. This experiment studies the free and forced rotational oscilla-
tions of a torsion pendulum, and investigates the phenomenon of resonance and the effect differ-
ent levels of damping have on the motion.

E6. Elect r ica l m ea s u r em en t . This experiment introduces the picoscope as a measuring
instrument, through experiments looking at the output of a signal generator, and investigates the
limitations of various electrical devices.

E7. Elect r ica l r es on a n ce a n d s ign a l filt er in g*. In this experiment the picoscope is used
to study free and forced oscillations in LCR resonant circuits, and a practical application of an
LCR network is investigated.

Part IA Physics 15
E8. Geom et r ic op t ics u s in g len s es a n d m ir r or s *. This practical involves a series of
simple experiments demonstrating the properties of optical lenses and mirrors, and real and vir-
tual images.

Ea s t er Ter m

Two experiments are carried out, illustrating material from the lecture course Waves and quan-
tum waves. E9 is an investigation into diffraction by slits and gratings. E10 looks at the photo-
electric effect one of the experiments fundamental to the development of quantum physics. Half
the class will carry out Experiment E9 in the first session of the Easter term, followed by E10 in
the second session; the other half of the class will do E10 in the first session and E9 in the second.
E9. Diffr a ct ion of la s er ligh t by s lit s a n d gr a t in gs . This is a quantitative investigation
into the diffraction patterns produced by double and multiple slits when illuminated by a laser.

E10. Th e p h ot oelect r ic effect . This practical investigates the photoelectric effect; an esti-
mate of Plancks constant is obtained, using the dependence of stopping voltage on the frequency
of the incident light.

For m a l Rep or t s

Students are required to produce two formal reports which are assessed by a Head of Class; the
marks awarded count towards the end-of-year assessment. The first report, to be handed in at the
start of the Lent term, will be based on one of the experiments carried out in the Michaelmas
term. The second one, to be handed in at the start of the Easter term, will be a full report on one
of the three starred Lent-term experiments (i.e. E5, E7 or E8).

BOOKS
Practical Physics, Squires G L (4th edn CUP 2001).
Experimental methods: An Introduction to the Analysis and Presentation of Data, Kirkup L
(Wiley 1994).
Experimental Physics: Modern Methods, Dunlap R A (OUP 1989)
An Introduction to Experimental Physics, Cooke C (Routledge 1996)
Measurements and their Uncertainties: A Practical Guide to Modern Error Analysis, Hughes I G
& Hase T P A (Oxford 2010)
Part IB Physics A 16
Part IB Physics A

Comments may be sent to IB-physicsA@phy.cam.ac.uk

4 . 1 I NTRODUCTI ON AND COURSE
AI MS
The objective of the IB Physics A course is to pro-
vide a self-contained package of quantum and
condensed matter physics. The course builds on
IA Physics and offers a firm grounding in impor-
tant areas of physics that are very useful for scien-
tists with a wide range of career destinations. It
can be taken by those not taking Physics B; in this
case IB Physics A might, for able students, lead to
Half Subject Physics in Part II Physical Sciences
but does not by itself lead to Part II Experimental
and Theoretical Physics.
While it is also possible to take IB Physics B with-
out IB Physics A, for the majority of students
wishing to take a single physics option in Part IB,
Physics A is likely to be the more attractive option.
Students will be contacted by e-mail and asked to
register on-line at www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching
before the start of Michaelmas Term. Th os e t a k-
in g on ly on e of Ph ys ics A or Ph ys ics B m u s t
r egis t er for p r a ct ica l cla s s es bet ween 2. 0 0
p m a n d 4.0 0 p m on Tu es d a y 4
t h
Oct ober
20 11 a t t h e Ca ven d is h La bor a t or y. St u d en t s
t a kin g bot h Ph ys ics A a n d Ph ys ics B s h ou ld
r egis t er a t 2. 0 0 p m on Wed n es d a y 5t h Oc-
t ober 20 11 a t t h e Ca ven d is h La bor a t or y.
4. 2 THE CONTENT OF THE
COURSE
The lecture course Oscillations, Waves and Optics
covers central aspects of physical phenomena that
underpin much of physics. The Quantum Physics
course builds on this and treats quantum phe-
nomena both from the wave equation and by
means of operator methods. Condensed Matter
Physics shows how ideas from waves and quan-
tum mechanics can be applied to understand the
properties of solids. The practical class and Ex-
perimental Methods lectures are integrated to-
gether to provide training on designing and doing
experiments and on analysing the results.
Physics A and Physics B both require mathematics
beyond that in the syllabus for IA Mathematics for
Natural Sciences; students not taking the NST
Part IB subject Mathematics should attend the
lectures on Mathematical Methods given at the
same time on weekdays during Michaelmas Term.
This course is supervised, and covers all the addi-
tional mathematics required for both Part IB
Physics courses, and for the Part II ETP core and
options courses. It does not provide full coverage
of the mathematics assumed for the Part II Theo-
retical Physics (TP) courses, but mathematically-
able students would need to do some extra work
during the long vacation after Part IB in order to
catch up.
The IB Physics A examination consists of two
three-hour papers. Details of the material covered
in each paper will be published in a Form and
Conduct Notice during the course of the year.
Not e t h a t t h e NST I B cou r s es wer e ch a n ged
con s id er a bly in 20 0 7-0 8 , wit h t h e p r eviou s
Ph ys ics a n d Ad va n ced Ph ys ics m a t er ia l
r e-a r r a n ged in t o Ph ys ics A a n d Ph ys ics
B.
given in notices put up on the Part IB examination
notice board outside the Part IB laboratory. The
practicals are continuously assessed and overall
count approximately 25% towards the IB Physics
A examination, with about 40% of this coming
from a formal report on one of the experiments
(for those not doing Physics B) or from a group
presentation of an extended investigation (for
those doing both Physics A and Physics B); full de-
tails are given in the class manual and additional
help is given in the booklet Keeping Laboratory
Notes and Writing Formal Reports.

Note: This list is not exhaustive, and may be superseded by announcements in the relevant
course handout
Tuesday 4
th
October 2011 Start of Michaelmas full term.
Tuesday 4
th
October 2011 14.00 -
16.00
Practical Registration for Students not taking IB Physics
B at the Cavendish Laboratory.
Friday 2
nd
Mon d a y 5
t h
Decem ber 20 11 16. 0 0 Hea d -of-Cla s s r ep or t m u s t h a ve been h a n d ed in
t o t h e I B Pr a ct ica l Cla s s if ch os en for s u bm is s ion
( s ee s yn op s is of Ph ys ics A p r a ct ica l cla s s for d e-
t a ils )
Tuesday 17
th
Friday 16
th
Mon d a y 19
t h
Ma r ch 20 12 16. 0 0 Hea d -of-Cla s s r ep or t m u s t h a ve been h a n d ed in
t o t h e I B Pr a ct ica l Cla s s if ch os en for s u bm is s ion
( s ee s yn op s is of Ph ys ics A p r a ct ica l cla s s for d e-
t a ils )
Tuesday 24
th
Tu es d a y 24
t h
Ap r il 20 12 16. 0 0 Ext en d ed I n ves t iga t ion p r es en t a t ion s lid es ( on ly
for s t u d en t s t a ke Ph ys ics A a n d Ph ys ics B) m u s t
h a ve been s u bm it t ed t o r eleva n t Hea d of Cla s s
Friday 15
th

In accordance with the Universitys regulations, work submitted after the advertised deadline
will not count towards your final examination mark, unless the Department grants an extension
of time on the grounds that there are mitigating circumstances. Any application for such an ex-
tension should be made by your college Tutor or Director of Studies to the Deputy Head of De-
partment (Teaching), c/ o Teaching Office, Cavendish Laboratory, (teaching-
office@phy.cam.ac.uk). In such circumstances, you should submit the work as soon as possible
after the deadline.
4. 5 LECTURE LI ST
NATURAL SCI ENCES TRI POS

PART I B PHYSI CS A

Departmental Contact: Helen Marshall, email: IB-physicsA@phy.cam.ac.uk

Lectures are given in the Cockcroft Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, M. W. F. 12
unless otherwise stated.

MI CHAELMAS
PROF. C. A. HANIFF
Experimental Methods.
(First eight lectures)
DR J. S. RICHER
Oscillations, Waves and Optics.
(16 lectures starting 26 Oct.)
LENT
PROF. V. GIBSON
Quantum Physics.
PROF. M.A. PARKER AND OTHERS
Great Experiments. M. 10

EASTER
DR J. ELLIS
Condensed Matter Physics.
(First ten lectures)

For those not taking NST Part IB
Mathematics:
DR D. A. GREEN
Mathematical Methods. M.F. 11
Hopkinson Room, Phoenix Building

DR R. D. E. SAUNDERS AND OTHERS
Systems and Measurement

PROF. C. A. HANIFF AND OTHERS
Waves and Optics.

La bor a t or y Wor k takes place at the Cavendish Laboratory (West Cambridge). The experi-
mental laboratories are open M. 2-5.45, Tu. 10-5.45, Th. 10-5.45 and F. 2-5.45. Students will be
allocated periods within these times. Students taking both Part IB Physics A and Part IB Physics
B should register at 2.00 p.m. on W. 5 Oct. at the Cavendish Laboratory. Students taking Part IB
Physics A and not IB Physics B, must register between 2.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. on Tu. 4 Oct.,
when they will be allocated practical sessions that fit with their other IB subjects. La bor a t or y
wor k is con t in u ou s ly a s s es s ed .
EXPERI MENTAL METHODS
C A Haniff
Many complex things, ranging from telescopes to MP3 players, can often be understood in terms
of a set of black boxes with simple interactions between them. This systems approach is particu-
larly useful in experimental physics where the signal chain from the physical phenomenon under
investigation to a measurement can involve many sequential and complex components such as
transducers, amplifiers, filters and detectors.

The first part of this course explores this process with reference to some of the experiments un-
dertaken in the practical classes while the second part introduces you to some of the essential
material that a physicist needs to know so as to design experiments (including computational
ones), to analyse data, and to evaluate other peoples results.

Sys t em s : Impedance and measurement. Operational amplifiers and filters. Positive and negative
feedback with both ideal and non-ideal amplifiers.

Ra n d om er r or s : examples, propagation, reduction with repeated sampling.

Sys t em a t ic er r or s : examples, designs to reduce them (e.g. nulling), selection effects.

Ba s ic d a t a h a n d lin g: taking and recording data, by hand and electronically. The right plot; er-
ror bars. Sampling, aliasing, Nyquists criterion. Digitization errors.

Exclu s ion of u n wa n t ed in flu en ces : filtering, phase-sensitive detection and lock-in amplifi-
ers. Vibrational, thermal and electrical shielding.

Get t in g t h e m es s a ge a cr os s : writing a scientific report and presenting results.

Pr oba bilit y d is t r ibu t ion s : binomial, Poisson and Gaussian; central limit theorem (excluding
formal proof); shot noise and Johnson noise.

Pa r a m et er es t im a t ion : likelihood, inference and Bayes theorem, chi-squared, least-squares,
hypothesis testing, non-parametric tests.
BOOKS
There are no books which cover the complete course syllabus, and so each lecture handout will be
augmented with a set of supplementary notes. However, the following books may be useful to re-
fer to on certain aspects of the course:

The Art of Electronics, Horowitz P & Hill W (2nd edn CUP 1989)
Analogue and Digital Electronics for Engineers, Ahmed H & Spreadbury P J (CUP 1984)
An Introduction to experimental physics, Cooke C (UCL Press 1996)
Practical Physics, Squires G L (4th edn CUP 2001)
Experimental Physics, Dunlap R A (OUP 1988)

Multiple copies of some of these will be available for consultation in the practical class.
OSCI LLATI ONS, WAVES AND OPTI CS
J S Richer
An understanding of waves is fundamental to many areas of physics. This course develops further
the ideas presented in the Part IA Oscillations and Waves course, and introduces the theory of
diffraction. First, the physics and mathematics of oscillations and waves are revised, and applied
to a variety of physical systems. The use of the Fourier Transform as a powerful tool for under-
standing the behaviour of general linear systems is then introduced, and used to relate the time-
domain and frequency-domain behaviour of damped electrical and mechanical oscillators. Fi-
nally, these ideas are further developed in the context of classical optics, with particular regard to
diffraction and interference phenomena.

Os cilla t ion s : Driven damped oscillations, frequency response, bandwidth, Q-factor. Impulse
response and transient response.

Wa ves : Revision of 1-d wave equation. Waves on a stretched string. Polarisation. Wave imped-
ance. Reflection and transmission. Impedance matching. Compression waves in a fluid. Waves
in 2 and 3 dimensions. Standing waves in a box. Wave groups, group velocity, dispersion.
Waveguides: cut-off and dispersion.

Fou r ier t r a n s for m s in lin ea r s ys t em s : Linear response and superposition in physics. Fou-
rier series and Fourier transforms. Frequency response as Fourier transform of pulse response.
Convolution. Applications to oscillating systems.

Op t ics a n d d iffr a ct ion : Huygens principle as a solution to the wave equation. Fraunhofer dif-
fraction, Fraunhofer integral, relation to Fourier transform. Wide slit as example of extended
source. Gratings and spectroscopy. 2-d apertures, circular apertures, Babinets principle. Fres-
nel diffraction, Cornu spiral, zone plate.

I n t er fer en ce: Thin film interference. Fabry-Perot etalon. Michelson interferometer, Fourier
transform spectroscopy.
BOOKS
Vibrations and Waves in Physics, Main I G (3rd edn CUP 1993)
The Physics of Vibrations and Waves, Pain H J (5th edn Wiley 1999)
Vibrations and Waves, French A P (Chapman & Hall 1971)
Optics, Hecht E (4th edn Addison-Wesley 2001)

QUANTUM PHYSI CS
V Gibson
Th e Fa ilu r e of Cla s s ica l Ph ys ics : UV catastrophe; photoelectric effect; spectral lines; Comp-
ton scattering; electron diffraction; Youngs slit experiment with particles; de Broglie hypothesis;
basic atomic structure. The Stern-Gerlach experiment.
Wa ve-Pa r t icle Du a lit y a n d Un cer t a in t y: Probability interpretation for wave-functions; wave
packets, momentum representation; group velocity and phase velocity for a free particle, disper-
sion and time evolution; uncertainty principle for position and momentum.
Th e Sch r d in ger Equ a t ion : Introduction to operators and conjugate variables; eigenfunctions
and eigenvalues, time-dependent and -independent wave equations; probability density and cur-
rent; stationary states.
Un bou n d Pa r t icles : solutions for a free particle, beams, one-dimensional potentials; boundary
conditions; reflection and transmission for a square potential step and barrier; tunnelling.
Bou n d Pa r t icles : Particle in an infinite potential well; zero-point energy; orthogonality and
parity of eigenfunctions, normalisation; eigenfunction expansions. Finite potential well. Har-
monic oscillator; vibrational heat capacity of gases. 3D box; separation of variables; degeneracy.
Op er a t or Met h od s : Observables and operators; Hermitian operators. Dirac notation, eigen-
states and eigenvalues. Correspondence of observables with operators; orthogonality and com-
pleteness of eigenstates. Postulates of quantum mechanics. Probability of outcomes of
measurements; expectation values. Compatible and incompatible observables; commuting opera-
tors and simultaneous eigenstates; non-commuting operators; generalised uncertainty relations;
minimum-uncertainty states. The harmonic oscillator; ladder operators, eigenstates, equiparti-
tion. Time dependence; evolution of expectation values. Ehrenfests theorem. Time-energy uncer-
tainty relation. Symmetry operators and conserved quantities.
Qu a n t u m Mech a n ics in Th r ee Dim en s ion s : General formulation. Spherically symmetric
systems; orbital angular momentum; angular momentum operators; eigenvalues and eigenstates;
orbital magnetic moment. Eigenfunctions; spherical harmonics; parity. Rotational invariance
and angular momentum conservation. The three-dimensional harmonic oscillator; quantum
numbers and degeneracies. Rigid rotor; rotational specific heat. Central potentials and conserva-
tion of angular momentum. Separation of variables; the radial equation. The hydrogenic atom;
quantum numbers; overall wavefunctions. Non-central potentials; hybridisation. Two-particle
systems; separation of centre-of-mass and internal motions; symmetries and conservation laws.
Sp in a n d I d en t ica l Pa r t icles : Stern-Gerlach experiment and spin; spin eigenstates. Matrix
methods applied to angular momentum; Pauli matrices; spinors. Combining spin and orbital an-
gular momentum; combining spins; singlet and triplet states. Identical particles; exchange sym-
metry; fermions and bosons. Non-interacting particles; multiparticle states; Pauli exclusion
principle; ortho- and para- hydrogen and deuterium molecules. Particle interactions; exchange
energy. Two-electron systems; ortho- and para- helium atoms.

BOOKS
Books to consider buying:
Quantum Physics, Gasiorowicz S (2nd edn Wiley 1996) A fine exposition of the subject, suitable
for Part IB and Part II.
Quantum Mechanics, Rae A I M (3rd edn Hilger 1992) A good, cheaper alternative to
Gasiorowicz, much shorter and consequently less full in its treatment of difficult points.
Quantum Mechanics, McMurry S M (Addison-Wesley 1993). Well suited to the course and includ-
ing a disk with interactive illustrative programs.
Quantum Mechanics Mandl F (Wiley 1992). Suitable for Part IB and Part II.

Books for College libraries:
Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei and Particles, Eisberg R and Resnick R
(2nd edn Wiley 1985). Too elementary to recommend as a main textbook, but very good descrip-
tive coverage of a wide range of quantum phenomena.
CONDENSED MATTER PHYSI CS
J Ellis

Per iod ic Sys t em s : Overview of crystal structures, the reciprocal lattice.

Ph on on s : Phonons as normal modes classical and quantum picture. 1D monatomic chain, 1D
diatomic chain, examples of phonons in 3D. Debye theory of heat capacity, thermal conductivity
of insulators.

Elect r on s in s olid s :
Free electron model: Fermi-Dirac statistics, concept of Fermi level, electronic contribution to heat
capacity. Bulk modulus of a nearly free electron metal. Electrical and thermal conductivity.
Wiedemann-Franz law. Hall effect.

Nearly free electron model: Derivation of band structure by considering effect of periodic lattice
on 1-D free electron model. Blochs theorem. Concept of effective mass. The difference between
conductors, semiconductors and insulators explained by considering the band gap in 2D. Hole
and electron conduction.

Doping of semiconductors, p and n types, pn junctions diodes, LEDs and solar cells.

BOOKS
In general the course follows the treatment in Solid State Physics, J.R. Hook and H.E. Hall (2
nd

edition, Wiley, 1991).

Introduction to Solid State Physics, Charles Kittel (8
th
edition, Wiley, 2005) is highly recom-
mended. (need not be the latest edition)

Other books, generally available in College libraries and may usefully be consulted:

The Solid State, Rosenberg H M (3rd edn OUP 1988)
Solid State Physics, Ashcroft N W and Mermin N D (Holt-Saunders 1976).

MATHEMATI CAL METHODS
D A Green
This course is offered to students taking either or both of Physics A and Physics B, but who are
not taking "Mathematics'' in NST IB. In conjunction with the material from "Mathematics'' in
NST IA, this provides the mathematics required for Physics A and Physics B in NST IB, and the
core and option lecture courses in Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics.

Vect or a n d Sca la r field s in Ca r t es ia n coor d in a t es : Basic definitions of scalar and vector
fields. Line, contour, surface, and volume integrals. Grad, Div and Curl. V and Laplacian opera-
tors. Divergence Theorem, Stokes' Theorem, and Green's Theorem. Conservative fields. Maxwell's
equations as example of vector differential operators.

Cylin d r ica l, Sp h er ica l, a n d Cu r vilin ea r coor d in a t e s ys t em s : Basic definitions of cylin-
drical and spherical coordinate systems. Application to scalar and vector fields. Curvilinear coor-
dinate systems. Vector differential operators in cylindrical, spherical, and curvilinear coordinate
systems.

Va r ia t ion a l Pr in cip les : Lagrange multipliers. EulerLagrange equations.

Fou r ier Ser ies : Fourier series of periodic functions using trigonometric functions. Discontinui-
ties and Gibbs phenomenon. Even and odd functions. Fourier series in complex form. Solving
one-dimensional differential equations using Fourier series. Notions of completeness and or-
thogonality.

Fou r ier Tr a n s for m s : Definition. Symmetry considerations. Fourier transforms of differentials.
The Dirac delta function. Convolution. Green's functions. Parseval's theorem.

Differ en t ia l Equ a t ion s : Laplaces equation, Poisson's equation, the diffusion equation, the
wave equation, Helmholtz equation, Schrdinger's equation. Separation of variables in Cartesian,
cylindrical, and spherical coordinate systems. Summary of common differential equations and or-
thogonal functions. Examples (including Bessel, Legendre, Hermite etc). Analogy between func-
tion expansions and geometrical vector expansions: orthogonality and completeness.
Convergence of power series. Power series expansions and solution of ordinary differential equa-
tions. Legendre polynomials, Bessel functions, Hermite polynomials and Spherical Harmonics il-
lustrated by examples. Brief summary of SturmLiouville theory.

Ma t r ices a n d Ten s or s : Basic matrix algebra. Determinants. Special matrix types, including
Hermitian matrices. Eigenvalues, eigenvectors and diagonalization. Basic concept of a tensor.
Summation convention: Kronecker delta and LeviCivita symbol.

BOOKS
Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering, Riley K F, Hobson M P and Bence S J
(3
rd
edn, CUP 2006)

Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences, Boas M L (3
rd
edn, Wiley 2006)
GREAT EXPERI MENTS
M A Parker and others
This non-examinable course looks at a selection of great experiments, considering both the spe-
cial techniques, and also the context in which they were conceived and their effect on our under-
standing of physics.

Tes t s of cla s s ica l gr a vit y: Eotvos experiment, Precision measurements of G, search for higher
dimensions at the mm-scale.

Un d er s t a n d in g n eu t r in os : Chemical methods (the Homestake mine experiment), the Solar
neutrino problem, neutrino oscillations at SNO.

Th e d is cover y of t h e W a n d Z bos on s : Electroweak unification, need for high energy and
luminosity, colliding beams, stochastic cooling.

Th e Cos m ic Micr owa ve Ba ckgr ou n d : Discovery (Penzias and Wilson), implications for Big
Bang cosmology, fluctuations (COBE) and the Planck Satellite Experiment.

Th e St r u ct u r e of DNA: The story of Crick and Watsons determination of the structure of DNA
is well known; this account will include some of the Physics involved in both 1952 and the present
day.

Ult r a cold a t om s : The need for a low-temperature gas, laser cooling, Bose-Einstein condensa-
tion, atom scattering from optical crystals.

Fu n d a m en t a l t es t s of Qu a n t u m Mech a n ics : Spooky action at a distance. Hidden vari-
ables and Bells inequality, demonstrations of Quantum entanglement.

Fu t u r e Gr ea t Exp er im en t s : Some examples of Great Experiments planned for the near future
which will win Nobel prizes for the next generation of physicists.

I B PRACTI CAL CLASS PHYSI CS A
R D E Saunders and C A Haniff
The Practical Classes for the IB Physics options (i.e. both the A & B courses) are organized around
a set of fourteen experiments, six in the Michaelmas term and eight in the Lent term. Students
taking the A, B or both A+B courses undertake different numbers and combinations of these ex-
periments during the year. Candidates offering a single Physics course will usually undertake a to-
tal of 7 experiments during the year (3 in the Michaelmas term and 4 in the Lent term) attending
two 3 hour long afternoon sessions (over a fortnight) per experiment. Candidates offering both
Physics courses are expected to undertake 6 experiments in the Michaelmas term and 5 experi-
ments in the Lent term, but will complete each of these over the course of a week (usually in one
day). They also undertake a longer experimental investigation in groups of four, spread over the
final two weeks of the Lent term.

For full details of the classes, see p.39

Part IB Physics B 27
Part IB Physics B

Comments may be sent to IB-physicsB@phy.cam.ac.uk

5. 1 I NTRODUCTI ON AND COURSE
AI MS
The IB Physics B covers a range of topics that are
complementary to the IB Physics A course. Stu-
dents wishing to proceed to part II Experimental
and Theoretical Physics must take both Physics A
and Physics B.
Students taking both courses combine them with
one other IB subject. While NST IB Mathematics,
is frequently taken, and is useful for those wishing
to pursue Theoretical Physics options within the
Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics
course, students should be advised that this is
both a demanding and constraining choice. (For
students taking subjects other than Mathematics,
appropriate support is provided through the
Michaelmas Term course in Mathematical Meth-
ods.) The selection of a different subject in place
of NST IB Mathematics provides greater breadth
and gives greater choice of Part II/III subjects
within the Natural Sciences Tripos, should Part IB
physics not prove to be rewarding.
It is possible to take IB Physics B without IB Phys-
ics A, but this is not adequate preparation for Part
II Experimental and Theoretical Physics. Th e
p r a ct ica l wor k d r a ws h ea vily on m a t er ia l
fr om Ph ys ics A in t h e Mich a elm a s Ter m ,
a n d s t u d en t s t a kin g ju s t Ph ys ics B a r e a d -
vis ed t o a t t en d a t lea s t t h e Exp er im en t a l
Met h od s lect u r es fr om Ph ys ics A for n ec-
es s a r y ba ckgr ou n d . For the majority of stu-
dents wishing to take a single physics option in
Part IB, Physics A is likely to be the more attrac-
tive option.
Students will be e-mailed and asked to register via
http://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/ before the
start of Michaelmas Term.
St u d en t s n ot t a kin g bot h Ph ys ics A a n d
Ph ys ics B m u s t r egis t er bet ween 2. 0 0 p m
a n d 4. 0 0 p m on Tu es d a y 4
t h
Oct ober 20 11.
St u d en t s t a kin g bot h Pa r t I B Ph ys ics A a n d
Pa r t I B Ph ys ics B s h ou ld r egis t er a t 2. 0 0
p m on Wed n es d a y 5
t h
Oct ober 20 11 a t t h e
Ca ven d is h La bor a t or y.
5. 2 COURSE CONTENT
The lectures on Electromagnetism cover key con-
cepts in this important subject. Classical Dynam-
ics provides more advanced approaches to
classical problems than were given in Part IA, and
introduces key concepts in fluid mechanics.
Thermodynamics provides an introduction to
classical thermodynamics and kinetic theory. A
non-examinable course Great Experiments pro-
vides valuable insight into the importance of ex-
periments in the progress of physics, and their
historical context. The Computing course pro-
vides an introduction to C++ programming tech-
niques and their application in physics-based
problems. The practical class extends the teach-
ing of experimental physics and analysis offered
in IB Physics A.
Physics A and Physics B both require mathemat-
ics beyond that in the syllabus for IA Mathematics
for Natural Sciences; students not taking the NST
Part IB subject Mathematics should attend the
lectures on Mathematical Methods given at the
same time on weekdays during Michaelmas Term.
This course is supervised, and covers all the addi-
tional mathematics required for both Part IB
Physics courses, and for the Part II ETP core and
options courses. It does not provide full coverage
of the mathematics assumed for the Part II Theo-
retical Physics (TP) courses, but mathematically-
able students would need to do some extra work
during the long vacation after Part IB in order to
catch up.
The IB Physics B examination consists of two
three-hour papers. Specific information about the
examination is given in notices put up on the Part
IB examination notice board outside the Part IB
laboratory. The practicals are continuously as-
sessed and overall count approximately 25% to-
wards the IB Physics B examination, with about
40% of this coming from a formal report on one of
the experiments (for those not doing Physics A) or
from a group presentation of an extended investi-
gation (for those doing both Physics A and Phys-
ics B); full details are in the class manual and
additional help is given in the booklet Keeping
Laboratory Notes and Writing Formal Reports.
Note: This list is not exhaustive, and may be superseded by announcements in the relevant
course handout

Tuesday 4
th
Tuesday 4
th
October 2011 14.00
16.00
Practical registration for Students not taking IB Physics A
at the Cavendish Laboratory
Wednesday 5
th
October 2011 14.00 Practical registration for Students taking IB Physics A and
Physics B at the Cavendish Laboratory
Friday 2
nd
Mon d a y 5
t h
Decem ber 20 11 16. 0 0 Hea d -of-Cla s s r ep or t m u s t h a ve been h a n d ed in t o
t h e I B Pr a ct ica l Cla s s if ch os en for s u bm is s ion
( s ee s yn op s is of Ph ys ics B p r a ct ica l cla s s for d e-
t a ils )
Tuesday 17
th
Friday 16
th
Mon d a y 19
t h
Ma r ch 20 12 16. 0 0 Hea d -of-Cla s s r ep or t m u s t h a ve been h a n d ed in t o
t h e I B Pr a ct ica l Cla s s if ch os en for s u bm is s ion
( s ee s yn op s is of Ph ys ics B p r a ct ica l cla s s for d e-
t a ils )
Tuesday 24
th
Tu es d a y 24
t h
Ap r il 20 12 16. 0 0 Ext en d ed I n ves t iga t ion p r es en t a t ion s lid es ( on ly
for s t u d en t s t a ke Ph ys ics A a n d Ph ys ics B) m u s t
h a ve been s u bm it t ed t o r eleva n t Hea d of Cla s s
Fr id a y 8
t h
J u n e 20 12 Dea d lin e for obt a in in g a p p r ova l for Pa r t I B s t u -
d en t s t o d o Lon g-Va ca t ion Wor k for s u bm is s ion
a s p a r t of Pa r t I I
Friday 15
th

In accordance with the Universitys regulations, work submitted after the advertised deadline
will not count towards your final examination mark, unless the Department grants an extension
of time on the grounds that there are mitigating circumstances. Any application for such an ex-
tension should be made by your college Tutor or Director of Studies to the Deputy Head of De-
partment (Teaching), c/ o Teaching Office, Cavendish Laboratory, (teaching-
office@phy.cam.ac.uk). In such circumstances, you should submit the work as soon as possible
after the deadline.


5. 6 LECTURE LI ST
NATURAL SCI ENCES TRI POS

PART I B PHYSI CS B

Departmental Contact: Helen Marshall, email: IB-physicsB@phy.cam.ac.uk

Lectures are given in the Cockcroft Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, M.W.F. 9 unless other-
wise stated.

MI CHAELMAS
PROF. S. WITHINGTON
Electromagnetism.
(Twenty lectures)
DR C. G. LESTER
Introduction to Computing
(Two lectures) W. 10 (12, 19 Oct.)
Bristol Myers-Squibb LT
Lensfield Road
Classes to be confirmed
PROF. S. F. GULL
Classical Dynamics
(Four lectures starting 23 Nov.)

For those not taking NST Part IB
Mathematics:
DR D. A. GREEN
Mathematical Methods. M. F. 11
Hopkinson Room, Phoenix Building
LENT

PROF. S. F. GULL
The same continued
(Sixteen lectures starting
20 Jan.)
PROF. M.A. PARKER AND OTHERS
Great Experiments. M. 10

DR E. EISER
Thermodynamics. (Eight lectures)
(starting 27 Feb.)

EASTER

DR E. EISER
The same continued.

DR R. D. E. SAUNDERS AND OTHERS
Systems and Measurement.

PROF. C.A. HANIFF AND OTHERS
Waves and Optics.

La bor a t or y Wor k takes place at the Cavendish Laboratory (West Cambridge). The experi-
mental laboratories are open M. 2-5.45, Tu. 10-5.45, Th. 10-5.45 and F. 2-5.45. Students will be
allocated periods within these times. Students taking both Part IB Physics A and Part IB Physics
B should register at 2.00 p.m. on W. 5 Oct. at the Cavendish Laboratory. Students taking Part IB
Physics B and not IB Physics A, must register between 2.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. on Tu. 4 Oct.,
when they will be allocated practical sessions that fit with their other IB subjects. La bor a t or y
wor k is con t in u ou s ly a s s es s ed .

ELECTROMAGNETI SM
S Withington
The electromagnetism course further develops the idea of electric and magnetic fields introduced
in Part IA, with electrostatics and magnetostatics being treated as special cases of Maxwells equa-
tions. The course introduces dielectric and magnetic media, and examines wave propagation in
free space, as well as in insulating and conducting media and on transmission lines and
waveguides

I n t r od u ct ion : Electromagnetism in physics, and the role of Maxwells equations.

Elect r os t a t ic field s : Electrostatic force, electric field, potential, grad, curl, line integrals,
Stokess theorem, conservative fields, electric monopoles, electric dipoles, field of a dipole, couple
and force on a dipole, energy of a dipole, multipole expansions, electric flux, divergence, diver-
gence theorem, Gausss law, solutions for simple geometries, Laplaces and Poissons equations,
boundary conditions and uniqueness, conducting sphere in uniform E field, method of images,
point charge near conducting sphere, line charge near conducting cylinder, capacitance, capaci-
tance of parallel cylinders, energy stored in electric field, force and virtual work, force on charged
conductor.

Elect r os t a t ic field s in d ielect r ic m a t er ia ls : Isotropic dielectrics, polarisation, polarisation
charge density, Gausss law for dielectric materials, permittivity and susceptibility, properties of
D and E, boundary conditions at dielectric surfaces, field lines at boundaries, relationship be-
tween E and P, thin slab in field, dielectric sphere in field, energy density in dielectrics, general
properties of dielectrics.

Ma gn et os t a t ic field s : Force on and between current elements, magnetic flux, the ampre,
V.B=0, magnetic dipoles, force and couple on a dipole, energy, magnetic scalar potential, solid
angle of a loop, Ampres law, magnetic vector potential.

Ma gn et os t a t ic field s in m a gn et ic m a t er ia ls : magnetisation, existence of diamagnetism and
paramagnetism, permeability and magnetic susceptibility, properties of B and H, boundary con-
ditions at surfaces, methods for calculating B and H, magnetisable sphere in uniform field, elec-
tromagnets.

Tim e va r yin g elect r om a gn et ic field s : Faradays law, emf, electromagnetic induction, Fara-
days law for a circuit, interpretation of Faradays emf, self-inductance, inductance of long sole-
noid, coaxial cylinders, parallel cylinders, mutual inductance, transformers, magnetic energy
density.

Elect r om a gn et ic wa ves: equation of continuity, displacement current, Maxwells equations,
electromagnetic waves, velocity of light, plane waves in isotropic media, energy density,
Poyntings theorem, radiation pressure and momentum, insulating materials, plasmas and the
plasma frequency, evanescent waves. characteristic impedance, reflection and transmission at an
angle, total internal reflection, conducting media, skin effect, guided waves, transmission lines,
characteristic impedance; coaxial, parallel-wire, strip transmission lines; power flow; terminated
lines, matching, reflection and transmission coefficients, impedance of short circuited lines, im-
pedance matching, introduction to waveguides, TE and TM modes, waveguide equation, cut-off
frequency, characteristic impedance, cavity resonators, optical fibres.

Su m m a r y of Ma xwells equ a t ion s : Restatement of equations, physical interpretation,
classes of solutions, and applications.

BOOKS

Electricity and Magnetism, Duffin W J (4th edn McGraw-Hill 1990). A general introductory text.
Fields and Waves in Communication Electronics, Ramo S, Whinnery JR, and van Duzer T (2nd
edn Wiley 1984). This text is aimed at engineers. It has an attractive style and achieves a good
balance between mathematical rigour and physical insight. It provides an excellent introduction
to the subject.
Electromagnetism, Grant I S and Phillips W R (2nd edn Wiley 1990). This treatment is at about
the right level for the course. It is easier to read than Bleaney & Bleaney, but does not go as far.
Electricity and Magnetism, Bleaney B I and Bleaney B (3rd edn OUP 1989) (two volumes). A
classic text that will see you through Part IB and Part II, but it is currently out of print.
CLASSI CAL DYNAMI CS
S F Gull
This course builds on the ideas introduced in Part IA, using the machinery of vector calculus
taught in Part IA Mathematics. The main areas covered are orbits, rigid body dynamics, normal
modes and continuum mechanics (elasticity and fluids).
Newt on ia n m ech a n ics , fr a m es of r efer en ce. Review of Part IA mechanics: many-particle
system, internal and external forces and energy. Central forces, motion in a plane. Non-inertial
frames, rotating frames, centrifugal and Coriolis forces. Examples.
Or bit s : Effective potential and radial motion, bound and unbound orbits. Inverse-square law or-
bits, circular and elliptic, Kepler's laws. Escape velocity, transfer orbits, gravitational slingshot.
Hyperbolic orbits, angle of scattering, repulsive force. Two-body problem, reduced mass. General
features of three-body problem. Brief treatment of tidal effects in gravitational systems.
Rigid bod y d yn a m ics : Instantaneous motion of a rigid body, angular velocity and angular
momentum, moment of inertia tensor, principal axes and moments. Rotational energy, inertia el-
lipsoid. Euler's equations, free precession of a symmetrical top, space and body frequencies.
Forced precession, gyroscopes.
I n t r od u ct ion t o La gr a n gia n m ech a n ics . Generalised coordinates. Hamiltons principle and
Lagranges equations. Symmetries and conservation laws. Conservation of the Hamiltonian for
time-independent systems.
Nor m a l m od es : Analysis of many-particle system in terms of normal modes. Degrees of free-
dom, matrix notation, zero-frequency and degenerate modes. Continuum limit, wave equation.
Standing waves, energy and normal modes. Motion in three dimensions, modes of molecules.
Ela s t icit y: Hooke's law, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio. Bulk modulus, shear modulus, stress
tensor, principal stresses. strain tensor. Elastic energy. Torsion of cylinder. Bending of beams,
bending moment, boundary conditions. Euler strut. Brief treatment of elastic waves. Energy flow
in waves.
Flu id d yn a m ics : Continuum fields, material derivatives, relation to particle paths and stream-
lines. Mass conservation, incompressibility. Convective derivative and equation of motion. Ber-
noulli's theorem, applications. Velocity potential, applications: sources and sinks; flow past a
sphere and cylinder; vortices; Magnus effect. Viscosity, Couette and Poiseuille flow. Reynolds
number, lamina and turbulent flow.
BOOKS
Classical Mechanics, Barger V D and Olsson M G (McGaw-Hill, 1995).
Fluid Dynamics for Physicists, Faber T E (Cambridge, 1995).
Lectures on Physics, Feynman R P, Leighton R B and Sands S L (Addison Wesley 1964).
Principles of Dynamics, Greenwood D T (Prentice & Hall 1988).
Classical Mechanics, Kibble T W B and Berkshire F H (Imperial College 2004).
Mechanics, Landau L D and Lifshitz E M (Pergamon, 1976)
THERMODYNAMI CS
E Eiser
This is a general introduction to classical thermodynamics, followed by an introduction to the sta-
tistical representation of gases and the kinetic gas theory. The final part of this course introduces
basics of transport phenomena. Examples relevant to Astrophysics and Soft Matter Physics will be
discussed.

Fu n d a m en t a ls : Thermodynamic variables; functions of state; zeroth law; concept of tempera-
ture; work and heat; 1
st
law of thermodynamics; heat capacities.

2
n d
La w a n d En t r op y: Reversible and irreversible changes; Clausius and Kelvin formulations of
2
nd
law; Carnot cycle and Carnot's theorem; definition of thermodynamic temperature; heat en-
gines, pumps and refrigerators; efficiency; Clausius theorem; entropy and its increase; entropy of
ideal gas.

An a lyt ica l Th er m od yn a m ics : Thermodynamic potentials and their uses. Chemical potential.
Introduction to Maxwell relations and their applications.

Ph a s e Ch a n ges : Real gases and van der Waals equation; conditions for equilibrium. Latent
heat. Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Gibbs-Duhem relation. Phase rules.

Th ir d La w: Entropy at low temperatures; adiabatic demagnetisation; unattainability of absolute
zero.

Kin et ic Ga s t h eor y: Introduction of Boltzmann distribution; Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution
(velocity distribution in gases); pressure and fluxes; barometric height distribution; equipartition
theorem; degrees of freedom.

Ba s ic t er m s & equ a t ion s in t r a n s p or t p h en om en a : Momentum - viscosity, energy - heat,
mass - concentration gradients. Viscosity and flux in Astrophysics. Flow problems in Soft Matter
Physics.

Ap p lica t ion s t o Sim p le Ph ys ica l Pr oblem s : Thermodynamics of Radiation. Heat capacity of
a vacuum black body radiation; pressure and energy density. Kirchhoffs Law. Stefan-
Boltzmann Law. Plancks Law.

BOOKS
The course will mainly follow the book Concepts in Thermal Physics S.J. Blundell & K.M. Blun-
dell (Oxford University Press).

For further reading:
Equilibrium Thermodynamics Adkins C J (3rd edn CUP 1983).
Thermodynamics and an Introduction to Thermostatistics H. P. Callen (John Wiley & Sons
1985).

I NTRODUCTI ON TO COMPUTI NG
C G Lester
This course in computer programming will take place in Michaelmas. The course will teach the
C subset of C++. The course strongly takes the view that best way to learn how to write com-
puter programs is to sit in front of a computer and to "have a go". Programming is a skill that
(like learning to play a musical instrument) is best learned through direct experience, through
practice, by learning from ones mistakes, by attempting to copy and understand examples etc. It
is not a skill that can be absorbed simply by sitting in a lecture theatre and listening to a lecturer.
For this reason, the course will mostly be taught through self-guided study in practical classes in
which students will work through examples in the course handout. The self-study part of the
course will be preceded by two introductory lectures. The purpose of these lectures is to outline
the basics tools required to follow the instructions in the course booklet, and to give a very brief
introduction to the concept of computer programming. Students must understand that it is not
the lecture course that will teach them how to program. Their most important resources for
learning will be the handout, the student sitting next to them in the practical class, the practical
class demonstrator, the other students on the course, and last but not least printed and on-line
reference materials.
Anyone attempting to teach themselves to program will benefit strongly from having a C++ refer-
ence book beside them at all times (see some suggestions below) and an open web-browser in
which to look up examples of code, etc.
Students are actively encouraged to discuss what they are doing with others doing the course, to
work in pairs or small groups, and to and ask questions of the demonstrators and the people sit-
ting near them in the examples classes.
The general structure of the course will be:
Two introductory lectures, followed by practical classes in the PWF in which the students
will work through the self-study guide. Each practical session will have a specific pro-
gramming task. The aim of the first half of the course is for every student to become famil-
iar with linux, gnuplot, a text editor, elementary C++ programming, and a C++ debugger.
In the second half of the course, students will each complete two or three mini-projects.
Each mini-project will consist of a core task which all students will have to complete and
optional parts introducing more interesting computational/physics ideas.

As s es s m en t
The assessment will be weekly. After each practical session, each student will be required to up-
load work which shows how they solved the tasks described in the handout for that week. (Work
may also be handed in early!) Each submission will lead to a simple pass/fail mark for that week.
There are no bonus marks for fancy submissions -- the simpler the submission the better. For
each project there will be two deadlines - (i) the recommended deadline, and (ii) the extended
deadline. The latter will be one week after the former. All students should hand in work by dead-
line (i) in order to keep pace with the course, but applications for extension to deadline (ii) will be
automatically granted when requested to cover problems caused by illness etc. Any work submit-
ted later than the (already extended!) deadline (ii) will not be accepted therefore under any cir-
cumstances.

Week 1
Com p u t in g con cep t s What a C++ program looks like. Conditionals, loops. Monte Carlo meth-
ods.
Com p u t in g s kills Using linux, bash, text editor, C++ compiler, execution.
Week 2
Com p u t in g con cep t s Representation of numbers in a computer. .
Com p u t in g s kills Boolean expressions. Relational operators. Simple control structures. C++
debugger.
Week 3
Com p u t in g con cep t s Functions. Debugger.
Com p u t in g s kills Defining, declaring, and calling functions. Passing values to and returning
values from functions. Using gnuplot.
Weeks 4-6
Com p u t in g con cep t s Pointers. Memory allocation. Arrays. Passing arrays to functions. Code-
testing.
BOOKS
Any web-search or visit to a book-shop or library will rapidly show that there are hundreds of C
and C++ books on the market. Any of them is better than nothing, as all contain important refer-
ence material an example programs. Use whatever you have in your college library, or anything
owned by "someone on your staircase", as any book is better than nothing. If you can really find
no other sources, and want guidance, you could do worse than buy one of the following:
Recommended by the 2007 and 2008 lecturer:
C++: A Beginner's Guide, Second Edition (Beginner's Guides (McGraw-Hill)) by Herbert Schildt
The resource the current lecturer learned C++ from:
C++ Primer by Stanley B. Lippman, Jose Lajoie, and Barbara E. Moo,
The first and most influential (but not necessarily the best written) book about C++:
The C++ Programming Language, Special Edition by Bjarne Stroustrup
Everyone needs pocket reference, and it is only 4 on Amazon:
C++ Pocket Reference (Pocket Referemce) by Kyle Loudon
Likely to be useful:
Accelerated C++: Practical Programming by Example (C++ in Depth Series) by Andrew Koenig
and Barbara E. Moo
Sams Teach Yourself C++ in One Hour a Day by Jesse Liberty, Siddhartha Rao, and Bradley L.
Jones

Not about C++ per se, and far beyond what the course requires, but worth reading if the rest of
the course is too easy and you want to do "real" object-oriented programming:
Design patterns : elements of reusable object-oriented software by Erich Gamma, Richard Helm,
Ralph Johnson, and John Vlissides

Webs it e:
The course website for the last academic year may be found at
http://www.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/lester/c++2009/

MATHEMATI CAL METHODS
D A Green
This course is offered to students taking either or both of Physics A and Physics B, and who are
not also taking the NST IB Subject Mathematics. In conjunction with the material from the NST
Part IA subject Mathematics for the Natural Sciences Tripos, this provides all the mathematics
required for Physics A, Physics B, and the core and options courses in Part II Experimental and
Theoretical Physics.

The full synopsis is given on p.24 of this course guide.

GREAT EXPERI MENTS
M A Parker and others
This non-examinable course looks at a selection of great experiments, considering both the spe-
cial techniques, and also the context in which they were conceived and their effect on our under-
standing of physics.

The course runs in the Lent Term, on Mondays at 10, which unfortunately conflicts with both Bio-
chemisty & Molecular Biology, and Geology A: students not taking either of these subjects, and
taking either or both of Physics A and Physics B, are warmly encouraged to attend.

Full details are given on p.25.

I B PRACTI CAL CLASS PHYSI CS B
periments during the year. Candidates offering a single Physics course will usually undertake a to-
tal of 7 experiments during the year (3 in the Michaelmas term and 4 in the Lent term) attending
two 3 hour long afternoon sessions (over a fortnight) per experiment. Candidates offering both
Physics courses are expected to undertake 6 experiments in the Michaelmas term and 5 experi-
ments in the Lent term, but will complete each of these over the course of a week (usually in one
day). They also undertake a longer experimental investigation in groups of four, spread over the
final two weeks of the Lent term.

For full details of the classes, see p.39

Part IB Practical Work (Physics A & B) 39
I B PRACTI CAL CLASS PHYSI CS A a n d B

periments during the year.

Candidates offering a single Physics course will usually undertake a total of 7 experiments during
the year (3 in the Michaelmas term and 4 in the Lent term) attending two 3 hour long afternoon
sessions (over a fortnight) per experiment. One experiment must be written up as a Head of
Class report.

Candidates offering both Physics courses are expected to undertake 6 experiments in the
Michaelmas term and 5 experiments in the Lent term, but will complete each of these over the
course of a week (usually in one day). They also undertake a longer experimental investigation in
groups of four, spread over the final two weeks of the Lent term. One of the experiments under-
taken in the Michaelmas term must be written up as a Head of Class report.

The p r im a r y aim of the classes is to provide students with an opportunity to develop the key
skills associated with the design and execution of experiments, and with analysing experimental
data, hypothesis testing, presenting results and, importantly (especially for theoreticians), assess-
ing others experimental results and analyses. Topics covered include a systems approach to ex-
perimental design, managing noise, offsets and systematic errors, and using experiments to tie
down physical phenomena whose theoretical basis is uncertain or unknown this is the standard
situation for a research physicist. For those taking both the A and B courses, presentational skills
and team-working also feature in the extended investigation at the end of the Lent term.

A s econ d a r y aim of the classes is to demonstrate aspects of, and reinforce the content of, some
of the Michaelmas and Lent term lectures.

The following sections outline the full set of 14 experiments available during the year, although
students will only ever be expected to undertake a subset of these. Students m u s t refer to the ta-
ble at the end of this section to determine which experiments they will be required to undertake.
MI CHAELMAS TERM: SYSTEMS AND MEASUREMENT
These experiments demonstrate key aspects of real world physics, i.e. as an experimentally-
driven subject where measurements both validate theories and provide the stimulus for new theo-
retical developments. Many of the experiments also demonstrate critical features of the physics
introduced in the Physics A Experimental Methods, Oscillations, Waves and Optics, and Electro-
magnetism lecture courses. Students will usually be expected to work in pairs, with the classes
running from week 2 through week 7 of the term.

There are six experiments in total, each lasting about six hours, as follows.

[ 1] Ba s ic s kills : Using an oscilloscope; measuring input and output impedances, frequency re-
sponse and phase shift; ensuring the measuring device does not affect the measurement; using an
operational amplifier.

[ 2] Op er a t ion a l a m p lifier s a n d feed ba ck: Systems such as amplifiers and integrators are
constructed and explored, and the system concepts of negative and positive feedback are investi-
gated.

[ 3] Hys t er es is : An investigation of the non-linear phenomenon of hysteresis in three magnetic
materials.

[ 4] Field -effect t r a n s is t or s : These non-linear devices are investigated and used to construct
frequency-doubling and frequency-mixing systems.

[ 5] Sign a ls a n d n ois e in a n op t ica l lin k: An optical communication link is constructed.
Phase-sensitive detection is used to extract the signal in the presence a very high level of con-
taminating noise.

[ 6] Twa n gs a n d clicks ( d a t a s a m p lin g a n d Fou r ier m et h od s ) : An investigation of sam-
pling, aliasing and Nyquists theorem, followed by the design, construction and use of apparatus
(including a PC) to test the validity of a model developed to explain the properties of a tuning
fork.

LENT TERM: WAVES AND OPTI CS Fir s t of t er m
The first part of the Lent term focuses on investigations that continue the development of the
skills associated with the design, execution, and interpretation of experiments. Additionally, they
provide further opportunities to demonstrate some of the relevant physical principles developed
in the Physics A and B lecture courses.

Students taking only on e of Physics A or Physics B will be expected to work in pairs and attend
each week from week 1 through week 7 of the term for one afternoon session each week. They will
undertake the short initial class Key experimental techniques in week 1, and thereafter will use
three pairs of afternoon sessions to undertake three other experiments from the list below. Th er e
will be n o a t t en d a n ce for t h es e s in gle s u bject s t u d en t s in week 8 , a n d t h ey will n ot
u n d er t a ke t h e ext en d ed in ves t iga t ion .

Students taking Physics A wit h Physics B will be expected to work in pairs and attend each week
from 1 through week 5 of the term. They will undertake the short initial class Key experimental
techniques in week 1, and thereafter will use four subsequent sessions to undertake four other
experiments from the list below. Th er e will be n o a t t en d a n ce for t h es e d ou ble s u bject
s t u d en t s in week 6, bu t t h ey will u n d er t a ke a n ext en d ed in ves t iga t ion in weeks 7 a n d
8 ( s ee below for d et a ils ) .

In this first part of the term seven experiments will be run, the first taking roughly 3 hours, and
the remainder about seven hours, as follows.

[ 7] Key exp er im en t a l t ech n iqu es : Developing observational skills: descriptive skill, using a
Picoscope for data acquisition and laptop-based software for data analysis, observation as a tool
for developing theories, review of random and statistical errors and their diagnosis, practice with
Excel.

[ 8 ] Fr a u n h ofer d iffr a ct ion of ligh t : This is investigated experimentally using a laser and a
variety of apertures. Quantitative analysis of the measurements is used as a sensitive test of this
diffraction theory. The experiment also provides a visualisation of Fourier transforms and helps
develop intuition for these and the concept of spatial filtering.

[ 9] Ult r a s on ic wa ves : This experiment is designed to investigate the propagation of ultrasonic
waves in air and other fluids. Not only is it possible to examine the standard wave-like behaviour
of ultrasound (reflection, diffraction, etc.), but also the experiment demonstrates how ultrasound
can be used to probe the kinetic properties of materials.

[ 10 ] Wa ves in liqu id s : A wave tank is used to study the propagation of waves at the interface
layer between two liquids. The dispersive nature of the system makes it particularly interesting.
The propagation and spectral structure of wavepackets is also studied.

[ 11] Fr es n el d iffr a ct ion of ligh t : This experiment demonstrates important features of Fresnel
diffraction and allows a quantitative verification of Fresnel theory. It also allows the investigation
of off-axis effects which are difficult to analyse theoretically.

[ 12] Micr owa ves a n d wa vegu id es : A solid-state device, a Gunn diode, is used to generate
microwaves which are used to investigate a wide variety of electromagnetic phenomena. Propaga-
tion in free space, in materials and along waveguides is studied.

[ 13] I n t er fer om et er s a n d s p ect r os cop y: Interferometry is a very important tool for spec-
troscopy and one aim of this experiment is to demonstrate the great accuracy that can be
achieved. Two types of interferometer are used, a Michelson interferometer and a Fabry-Perot
etalon. A variety of effects is demonstrated, and an introduction provided to the practical prob-
lems of setting up and calibrating high precision instrumentation.

LENT TERM: EXTENDED I NVESTI GATI ON La s t of t er m
In weeks 7 and 8 of the Lent term students taking bot h Physics A and Physics B will be expected
to undertake a more open-ended and less structured investigation of a single topic over two con-
secutive weekly sessions. These will be executed in randomly-selected groups of four. The assess-
ment of the investigation will primarily be via an hour long oral and slide-based presentation to a
Head of Class in which all the members of the group will be expected to participate. This presen-
tation will take place at the start of the Easter term.

[ 14] Ext en d ed in ves t iga t ion : The topic of the investigation will change from year to year.

CHOI CE OF EXPERI MENTS in Len t Ter m
The selection of experiments available for students taking Physics A or B alone and students tak-
ing both the Physics A a n d Physics B courses is summarized in the table below. Experiments
marked with a tick () are compulsory. Where a box is greyed-out in a particular column, that ex-
periment is not available for the particular combination of subjects. Experiments identified with a
report icon ( ) can be chosen from to write a Head of Class report.

Physics A only Physics B only Physics A+B
[1] Basic skills
[2] Operational amplifiers and feedback
[3] Hysteresis

[4] Field-effect transistor

[5] Signal and noise in an optical link

[6] Twangs and clicks

Len t Ter m fir s t of t er m
[7] Key experimental techniques
[8] Fraunhofer diffraction of light

[9] Ultrasonic waves

[10] Waves in liquids

Do four out of
five
[11] Fresnel diffraction light
[12] Microwaves and waveguides

[13] Interferometry and spectroscopy
Len t t er m la s t of t er m
[14] Extended investigation

In all cases, students must attend the first class of the Term on their pre-assigned day of the week
at which time the detailed timetable and sequence of experiments will be determined. Students
must do all the experiments checked in the relevant column of the table above.

HEAD OF CLASS REPORTI NG
All students are required to write up one of the experiments they have performed in the form of a
formal Head of Class write-up. Students taking on ly t h e Ph ys ics A or Ph ys ics B cou r s e may
choose to submit a Head of Class write-up in either the Michaelmas or Lent Terms. The report
must be on one of the experiments marked with the report icon ( ) in the table above. Students
taking bot h t h e Ph ys ics A a n d Ph ys ics B cou r s e must submit their Head of Class write-up in
the Michaelmas term, again on one of the experiments marked with the report icon in the right-
hand column.

Each write-up will be assessed by a Head of Class and the marks awarded will count towards the
end of year assessment. Students who undertake the extended investigation in the Lent term must
also present the results of their investigation in the form of an hour-long oral and slide-based
presentation to a Head of Class at the beginning of the Easter Term. As for the Head of Class
write-up, this presentation will be assessed by the Head of Class and the marks awarded will
count towards the end of year assessment.

Ad vis or y n ot e t o ca n d id a t es offer in g on ly Ph ys ics B: The practical work in the Michael-
mas and Lent Terms draws heavily on lecture material presented in the Physics A course in the
Michaelmas Term: students are advised to attend at least the Experimental Methods lectures
from the Physics A course for the necessary background to the practical classes.
Part II Experimental & Theoretical Physics 43
Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics

Comments may be sent to II-physics@phy.cam.ac.uk

6. 1 THE THREE- AND FOUR-YEAR
COURSES
It is assumed that all students taking Part II Phys-
ics will have attended both Physics A and Physics
B in Part IB (or equivalent courses in the Mathe-
matics Tripos).
The University offers two routes to a first degree
in physics, both leading to a wide range of career
options. Both groups of students take the same
course in the third year.
Students with a deep interest in the subject who
do not intend to become professional physicists
may choose to take the honours B.A. degree at the
end of the third year. Students who wish to pur-
sue a professional career in physics (for example
in academic or industrial research) do not gradu-
ate after the third year, but take Part III Physics in
the fourth year. This course leads to an honours
M.Sci. degree (Master of Natural Sciences), to-
gether with a B.A. which is not conferred until the
end of the fourth year. Those who are contemplat-
ing the four-year course should have secured req-
uisite funding, and approval from their College.
The course is very flexible, and can range from
strongly experimental to highly theoretical phys-
ics, with a range of specialist options. There are
possibilities for substantial independent work and
for experience of industrial research.
Part II Physics and we usually have about 120
students, the largest class in any Part II Natural
Science subject.
6. 2 OUTLI NE OF THE COURSES
The detailed timetable is printed in the Reporter
(and at the end of this section). The course begins
with a meeting on the first Wednesday of Full
Term ( 5
t h
Oct ober 20 11) a t 9. 30 a m in t h e
Pip p a r d Lect u r e Th ea t r e a t t h e Ca ven d is h
La bor a t or y.
Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics con-
tains work of two types: Core lectures in the
Michaelmas term and Options lectures in the
Lent/Easter terms, which are examined at the end
of the year in the usual way, and units of Further
Work, which are assessed during the year. Stu-
dents take three or more of the Lent/Easter lec-
ture courses together with at least three units of
Further Work.
We do not expect any student to take more than
the minimum number of units of work in any
category. The great majority of students will find
the workload demanding even at this level. We
recognise, however, that students may have good
reasons for wishing to take additional courses for
credit. Marks for all examination papers sat will
appear on the students University transcripts.
Within any part of the examination (options
courses, Further Work) the best results meeting
the minimum requirement will count towards the
class for the year.
The aim of the Michaelmas Term lecture courses
is to complete basic instruction in physics. In this
term, there are four core courses:
- Advanced Quantum Physics;
- Relativity;
- Optics and Electrodynamics;
- Thermal and Statistical Physics.
In the Lent and Easter terms, four option courses
are offered, introducing broad areas of physics:
- Astrophysical Fluids;
- Particle and Nuclear Physics;
- Quantum Condensed Matter;
- Soft Condensed Matter.
All students are also expected to take the course
on Computational Physics, which is assessed by a
series of short exercises. In addition, an extended
Computational Physics project is available as one
of the optional units of Further Work.
The remainder of the Further Work offers a free
choice. Students may select an experimentally-
biased course by carrying out up to two experi-
mental investigations (E1 and E2), each lasting
two weeks. Alternatively, there are two possible
courses in Theoretical Physics (TP1 and TP2),
consisting of lectures plus examples classes, which
run respectively in the Michaelmas and Lent
terms. We expect that almost all students will of-
fer at least one of E1 and TP1. Further optional
elements of Further Work are a Computing Pro-
ject, Research Review, Physics Education or a
Long Vacation Project. All units of further work
are outlined in Section 6.3 and a table setting out
the range of options is given on p.45.
There are also two unexamined courses, on Topics
in Astrophysics and Concepts in Physics.
6. 3 FURTHER WORK
Of the optional Further Work, note that not more
than two Experiments may be offered. Other rules
for choosing Further Work are set out in Section
6.6 on Examinations and in the Table on page 45.
Students will be contacted by e-mail and asked to
register on-line via the teaching web pages
start of Michaelmas Term and to give an indica-
tion of which units of Further Work they intend to
complete. In particular, they will be asked to
make a provisional choice of experiments for E1
and E2 if they intend to take those options. These
arrangements may be modified at the registration
meeting at the beginning of term. Students wish-
ing to change their choice during the course of the
year (for example those wishing to take E2 instead
of TP2 in light of their TP1 results) should contact
the Teaching Office.
The arrangements for submitting and assessing
Further Work are described in 6.6.4 below and in
the Course Synopses later in this handbook.
6. 3. 1 Com p u t in g
All students are expected to attend the Computa-
tional Physics lectures in Lent term, which build
on the Part IB C++ course. Associated with the
lectures are Computing exercises which are
equivalent to 0.2 units of work, and are compul-
sory for all Part II Physics students. In addition,
students may elect to offer an extended Comput-
ing Project, which will involve analysing a physics
problem, and writing a program to solve it. This
project is optional, and counts as one unit of Fur-
ther Work. Further details are given on p.64.
6. 3. 2 Exp er im e n t a l I n ves t iga t ion s
Each experiment will involve 30 to 40 hours work
and will be equivalent to one unit of Further
Work. The E1 and E2 sessions are run in the
Michaelmas and Lent terms respectively, with in-
dividual experiments starting on the first, third
and fifth Mondays in Term. The details of these
sessions will be announced during registration at
the start of term. E1 is assessed during the
Michaelmas Term so that any appropriate advice
and constructive criticism can be given before a
decision has to be taken on whether or not to offer
E2. Students opting for E2 only after taking the
TP1 examination (see Section 6.3.3) are likely to
be allocated to E2b or E2c. No student is allowed
to offer more than two units of experimental in-
vestigation.
The experiments available in Part II are offered by
the experimental research groups from within the
Department. A list is given on p 67 below. The ex-
periments give you the chance to develop profes-
sional ability, both in performing a substantial
experiment and in relating experiment to theory.
Most students find these experiments more de-
manding and more satisfying than the short ex-
periments of the Part I classes. They are assessed
by a Head of Class write up followed by an oral
examination.

6. 3. 3 Cou r s es in Th eor et ica l Ph ys ics
The Theoretical Physics Courses are challenging
courses aimed at students who find mathematics
relatively easy and who have a strong interest in
the mathematical description of physical systems.
The majority of students taking these courses will
have taken Part IB Mathematics for NST, but the
Mathematical Methods course offered as part of
Physics A and B in Part IB provides nearly all of
the necessary background. Usually the mark dis-
tributions for these courses have a tail of low
marks obtained by students who would probably
have scored higher marks if they had done ex-
perimental work.
Theoretical Physics Course TP1 is taken in the
Michaelmas Term and students take a written test
paper at the start of the Lent Term. The results
will be made available to guide your choice of fur-
ther work for the Lent term. A second Theoretical
Course, TP2, is taken in the Lent Term and tested
at the start of the Easter Term. TP1 and TP2 each
count for one unit of Further Work. As well as
lectures, four examples classes are given in each of
TP1 and TP2. Detailed synopses are given on
p.65.
Pa r t I I Ph ys ics Cor e a n d Op t ion s Sch em es

Lectures Course Half Subject ETP
Mich a elm a s
Ter m Cor e cou r s es

18 Thermal and Statistical Physics
24 Relativity choose
24 Advanced Quantum Physics 2
16 Optics and Electrodynamics
Len t / Ea s t er
Ter m s Op t ion Cou r s es

8 Computational Physics FW (0.2 units)
24 Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
22 Particle and Nuclear Physics choose choose
22 Quantum Condensed Matter 1 3 or 4
22 Soft Condensed Matter

Fu r t h er Wor k (FW), (1 unit 1.5hrs examination) FW units
Research Review 1
Physics Education (limited numbers) 1
Computational project 1 choose choose
Experiment E1 & E2 1 each 2 3 or more
Theory TP1 & TP2 1 each
Long Vacation project (approval required) 1
FW units 2 3+
Exam Units 3 7+
Not es : % FW 40% 30%
Papers: 2hrs for each course ( 4 Units FW)
Half Subject Physics students choose a Research Review as the
topic for their discertation in Part II Physical Sciences.

Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics 46
6. 3. 4 Res ea r ch Review
A Research Review is equivalent to one unit of
Further Work, and consists of a review (of 3000
words max.) on some area of physics, approved in
advance. Such a review must have a Supervisor.
In about the sixth week of the Lent Term supervi-
sors will organise a meeting at which students will
have the chance to present their interim work to
other students working on reviews in similar ar-
eas and their supervisors. As well as providing a
chance to obtain feedback this should ultimately
raise the standard of the submitted work. You re-
ceive 5% of the available marks for the Research
Review for giving the presentation (irrespective of
its quality). Research Reviews are assessed by two
staff members with a short oral examination early
in the Easter Term. This examination will usually
begin with a short oral presentation.
Further details are given on p.70.
6. 3. 5 Lon g-Va ca t ion Wor k
Scientific work during the Long Vacation prior to
your third year can count as project work worth
one unit of Further Work. The full details can be
obtained from Prof. Withington
(stafford@mrao.cam.ac.uk, Astrophysics Group),
but you must get your proposal approved in ad-
vance, before the end of the preceding Easter
Term. Forms are available from Prof. Withington.
You will be required to name in advance a suitably
qualified on-site supervisor who is willing to write
retrospectively to Prof. Withington describing the
work you have done and giving an assessment of
your effectiveness. Normally the programme must
be of at least two months duration and must in-
clude a substantial element of independent or
original work. It is important that the project in-
cludes a significant amount of physics and is not,
for example, simply a series of routine measure-
ments or entirely devoted to computer program-
ming.
Vacation projects within the University may be of-
fered through the Undergraduate Research Op-
portunities Programme (UROP). See
http://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/UROPS/uro
p.php for details. Some of these projects may be
suitable as assessed Long-Vacation Work. The
teaching web pages http://www
teach.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/vacWork.php might
offer some useful suggestions.
6. 3. 6 Ph ys ics Ed u ca t ion
The Physics Education course counts as one unit
of further work. It offers the possibility of devel-
oping and presenting teaching material in a sec-
ondary school. It develops a wide range of
transferable skills and provides a real opportunity
to explore the possibility of a career in teaching.
Details of the nature and scope of this course are
given at length in the course synopsis on page 51
below. Numbers are restricted and students wish-
ing to take part must attend the introductory ses-
sion between 2-5pm on Th u r s d a y 13
t h
Oct ober
20 11.
6. 4 SUPERVI SI ONS AND EXAM-
PLES CLASSES
Supervision for Part II is organised by the De-
partment on behalf of the Colleges. During the
Michaelmas term ETP students are supervised in
all four core lecture courses, and Half Subject
Physics students in two. Supervisions for these
courses will be allocated automatically according
to the option for which you are registered.
In the Lent and Easter terms students choose
their supervisions according to their choice of
subjects for examination. The sign-up procedure
is web-based, and you will be notified by email in
plenty of time. We ask you to sign up by 2.00 pm
on the last Friday of Mich a elm a s Full Term, so
that arrangements can be made during the
Christmas vacation. Obviously this does not allow
you to sample the courses: if you subsequently de-
cide that you wish to change options, then please
visit or email the Teaching Office to request a
change of supervisor.
The number of supervisions for each course is
summarised in the table below.
Supervision will normally be in groups of three,
although you may occasionally find yourself in a
two or a four, to allow supervisors to accommo-
date odd numbers or students who are wildly
mismatched in their ability in a particular subject.
You m u s t be p r ep a r ed t o wor k m u ch m or e
in d ep en d en t ly t h a n a t Pa r t I . Difficulties that
arise in lectures are often more conveniently dis-
cussed with the lecturers themselves at the end of
lectures, or by arrangement at other times
You must take responsibility for ensuring that the
supervisions go as far as possible in meeting your
needs. Supervisors are usually willing within rea-
sonable limits to be flexible about the detailed ar-
rangements. You should expect to be asked to
hand in work for each supervision, in time for
your supervisor to look through the work and
identify any potential problems. However, the
quantity and complexity of the work at this level
means that supervisors may be unable to provide
the detailed personal marking that you experi-
enced in Parts IA and IB
Supervisors may range from established lecturers
with long teaching experience to relatively inexpe-
rienced graduate students. New supervisors are
expected to seek advice on supervising, to attend
the courses provided by the University, and to
commit to the necessary preparation for each su-
pervision. However, experience is the only real
teacher, and inevitably some supervisors will be
more confident than others, particularly at an-
swering subtle and unexpected questions.

SUPERVI SI ONS I N PART I I ( 20 11-12)

Half
Subject
ETP
MICHAELMAS
Thermal and Statistical 4
Electrodynamics & Light Choose 2 4
Relativity 4
Adv. Quantum Physics 4
SUBTOTAL 8 16

LENT/EASTER (1 su-
pervision in Easter term)

Astrophysics
Particle & Nuclear Phys-
ics
choose 1 choose 3
Quantum Condensed
Matter
subject subjects
Soft Condensed Matter
SUBTOTAL 4 12

EASTER
Revision of Michaelmas 2 4

TOTAL 14 32

Without an influx of new supervisors the system
will rapidly decay, so please be understanding. If
you do have problems with your supervisor that
cannot be solved by direct two-way discussion,
please contact your Director of Studies in the first
instance. If he or she feels that intervention is
warranted, s/he should contact the Supervisions
coordinator (currently Dr Rachael Padman).
6. 5 NON-EXAMI NED WORK
There is a non-examinable course of 24 lectures in
the Michaelmas term on Topics in Astrophysics.
These lectures should be interesting for all stu-
dents and are intended to provide valuable back-
ground for those who are interested in pursuing
Astrophysical courses in Part III
There is a non-examinable course of 8 lectures in
the Lent term on Concepts in Physics, intended to
place in perspective some major themes of phys-
ics, to sketch connections between them and to
investigate unresolved questions. Attendance is
strongly encouraged for all students.
Open Days (open to Part II and Part III students)
will be held during the year and are intended to
give an idea of the range of current research in the
laboratory. Dates are given in the Lecture List is-
sue of The Reporter and posted on the Part II and
Part III notice boards.
Undergraduates are encouraged to attend the
Cavendish Physical Society lectures, at 4.00 pm
on some Wednesdays. Part II students are also
welcome at the many Research Seminars and
other lectures in the Department, particularly
those organised by the Cambridge Physics Centre.
These are advertised on notice boards, and on the
Cavendish groups web pages.
given in notices put up on the Part II notice board
outside the Pippard Lecture Theatre. You should
make sure that you read these regularly.
6. 6. 2 Th e Wr it t e n Pa p e r s for Pa r t I I
The exact content of each Paper is a matter for the
relevant Examiners. Each of the core and op-
tional lecture courses is examined in a separate
two hour paper.
6. 6. 3 Requ ir em en t s
The written examinations consist of the core lec-
ture course papers, plus three or four of the op-
tion lecture course papers. In addition to the
computing exercises, three or more other units of
Further Work must be offered and may be drawn
from the various choices described in Section 6.3
(see the Table on p.45).
6. 6. 4 Exa m in a t ion En t r ies
You are required to make a preliminary indication
of which papers you intend to offer when you fill
in your exam entry on CamSIS at the start of
Michaelmas term. You will then be required to
specify which final combination of papers you in-
tend to offer by modifying the exam entry during
Lent term, in liaison with your College Tutorial
Office. Any questions on completing the exam en-
try should be discussed with your Director of
Studies
6. 6. 5 Su bm is s ion of Fu r t h er Wor k
When any piece of Further Work is submitted it
should be in a complete and final form.
Students are permitted to submit more than the
minimum number of units of Further Work. Once
a piece of Further Work has been submitted, it
will be marked: the best marks for the required
minimum number of units will count towards the
class, but all marks will appear in the markbook,
and on the transcript.
TP1 and TP2 are assessed by written tests during
the year. Once you have entered the room for the
TP1 or TP2 test the unit of Further Work will
count towards the final total.
In accordance with the Universitys regulations,
work submitted after the advertised deadline will
n ot count towards your final examination mark,
unless the Department grants an extension of
time on the grounds that there are mitigating
circumstances. Any application for such an ex-
tension should be made by your college Tutor or
Director of Studies to the Deputy Head of De-
partment (Teaching), c/ o Teaching Office,
Cavendish Laboratory, (teaching-
office@phy.cam.ac.uk). In such circumstances,
you should submit the work as soon as possible
after the deadline.
The Regulations require that assessed Records of
Further Work be submitted to the Examiners
through the Head of the Department; this hap-
pens automatically after assessment.
Th er e is a lis t of im p or t a n t d a t es a t t h e en d
of t h is s ect ion .
6. 7 HALF SUBJ ECT PHYSI CS
Half Subject Physics is part of Natural Sciences
Part II Physical Sciences. It comprises about half
of the work load of Part II Experimental and
Theoretical Physics, and may be combined with a
subject from Part IB not previously taken.
Ca n d id a t es offer
i) Two of the core lecture course papers.
ii) One of the option lecture course papers.
iii) Computing exercises and two units of Further
Work (not including a Research Review).
In addition, Physical Sciences students must offer
a dissertation on a topic consistent with their Half
Subject. For Half Subject Physics this dissertation
will be on a topic from those offered for Research
Reviews, but with a word limit of 5000 (rather
than 3000 for a Research Review.
You will be required to specify which combination
of papers you intend to offer by the third week of
the Lent Term.
Vacation work may be arranged as described in
Section 6.3.6, and, if approved as there detailed,
may be counted as one unit of Further Work.
The arrangements for submitting Further Work
are the same as those for Part II Physics candi-
dates.
Tuesday 4
th
Wednesday 5
th
October 2011 9.30 General Registration (Pippard Lecture Theatre, Caven-
dish Laboratory)
Monday 10
th
October 2011 14.00 Briefing for E1a, in relevant laboratory
Mon d a y 10
t h
Oct ober 20 11 16. 0 0 Va ca t ion wor k r ep or t d ea d lin e
Monday 10
th
October 2011 14.00 First TP1 lecture
Thursday 13
th
October 2011 14.00 Physics Education preliminary meeting (Committee
Room, Bragg Building)
Friday 14
th
October 2011 Physics Education interviews
Tuesday 18
th
October 2011 14.00 First TP1 examples class
Friday 21
st
October 2011 17.00 E1a laboratories close
Monday 24
th
October 2011 14.00 Briefing for E1b, in the relevant laboratory
Wed 26
t h
Oct ober 20 11 16. 0 0 E1a r ep or t d ea d lin e
Friday 28
th
October 2011 Research review topics preliminary selection deadline
Friday 4
th
November 2011 17.00 E1b laboratories close
Monday 7
th
November 2011 14.00 Briefing for E1c, in the relevant laboratory
Wed 9
t h
Novem ber 20 11 16. 0 0 E1b r ep or t d ea d lin e
Wednesday 16
th
November 2011 14.00 Last TP1 lecture
Friday 18
th
November 2011 17.00 E1c laboratories close
Wed
23
r d
Novem ber 20 11
16. 0 0 E1c r ep or t d ea d lin e
Tuesday 29
th
November 2011 14.00 Last TP1 examples class
Friday 2
nd
Friday 2
nd
December 2011 17.00 Sign up for Lent Term supervisions
Tuesday 17
th
Wed 18
t h
J a n u a r y 20 12 TP1 exa m in a t ion
( ch eck t h e Pa r t I I Not iceboa r d for d et a ils )
Monday 23
rd
January 2012 14.00 Briefing for E2a, in relevant laboratory
Thursday 26
th
January 2012 12.00 First TP2 lecture
Tuesday 31
st
January 2012 14.00 First TP2 examples class
Friday 3
rd
February 2012 17.00 E2a laboratories close
Monday 6
th
February 2012 14.00 Briefing for E2b, in the relevant laboratory
Wed 8
t h
Febr u a r y 20 12 16. 0 0 E2a r ep or t d ea d lin e
Friday 17
th
February 2012 17.00 E2b laboratories close
Monday 20
th
February 2012 14.00 Briefing for E2c, in the relevant laboratory
Wed
22
n d
Febr u a r y 20 12
16. 0 0 E2b r ep or t d ea d lin e
Thursday-
Wed
23
rd
- 29
th
February 2012 Presentations of Research Reviews (will be organised by
your supervisor)
Friday 2
nd
March 2012 17.00 E2c laboratories close
Tuesday 6
th
March 2012 12.00 Last TP2 lecture
Wed 7
t h
Ma r ch 20 12 16. 0 0 E2c r ep or t d ea d lin e
Tuesday 13
th
March 2012 14.00 Last TP2 examples class
Friday 16
th
Tuesday 24
th
Wed 25
t h
Ap r il 20 12 TP2 exa m in a t ion
( ch eck t h e Pa r t I I Not iceboa r d for d et a ils )
Mon d a y 30
t h
Ap r il 20 12 16. 0 0 Com p u t in g Rep or t d ea d lin e
Mon d a y 30
t h
Ap r il 20 12 16. 0 0 Res ea r ch Review d ea d lin e
Mon d a y 30
t h
Ap r il 20 12 16. 0 0 Ph ys ics Ed u ca t ion d ea d lin e
Tuesday-
Monday
1
st
May
- 14
th
May 2012
Oral examinations on Research Reviews
(will be organised by your supervisor)
Fr id a y 8
t h
J u n e 20 12 Dea d lin e for obt a in in g a p p r ova l for Pa r t I I s t u -
d en t s t o d o Lon g-Va ca t ion Wor k for s u bm is s ion
a s p a r t of Pa r t I I I
Friday 15
th

6. 10 LECTURE LI ST

PART I I EXPERI MENTAL AND THEORETI CAL PHYSI CS

PHYSI CAL SCI ENCES: HALF SUBJ ECT EXPERI MENTAL AND THEORETI CAL
PHYSI CS

Departmental Contact: Helen Marshall: E-mail: II-physics@phy.cam.ac.uk

Students taking Part II ETP must take all four Cor e cou r s es in the Michaelmas Term, three or
more of the Op t ion s cou r s es in the Lent and Easter Terms, and Com p u t a t ion a l Ph ys ics . They
must in addition take three or more courses from Ph ys ics Ed u ca t ion , Th eor et ica l Op t ion s
and Ot h er Fu r t h er Wor k. There is a test (under exam conditions) of the material of the Th eo-
r et ica l Op t ion s at the start of the term following that in which each block, TP1 and TP2, is given.
All students are recommended to attend the Non -exa m in a ble cou r s e s Concepts in Physics and
Current Research Work in the Cavendish Laboratory.

Students taking Half Subject Experimental and Theoretical Physics as part of Part II Physical Sci-
ences will take any two of the Cor e cou r s es in the Michaelmas term and any one of the Op t ion s
cou r s es in the Lent and Easter terms. Candidates also take two units of further work selected
from Th e or et ica l Op t ion s , Ph ys ics Ed u ca t ion and Exp er im en t s or Lon g Va ca t ion Pr o-
ject . A prior knowledge of Physics equivalent to the material covered in Part IB Physics A and Part
IB Physics B will be assumed.

The course will begin with a meeting on the first Wednesday of Full Term (5 Oct.) at 9.30 a.m. in
the Pippard Lecture Theatre.

Lectures are given at the Cavendish Laboratory (West Cambridge), in the Pippard Lecture Thea-
tre unless otherwise stated.

MI CHAELMAS
Cor e Cou r s es
PROF. E. M. TERENTJEV
Thermal and Statistical Physics.
(Eighteen lectures)
Th. 10 (First two weeks only) Tu. F. 9
PROF. N. R. COOPER
Advanced Quantum Physics.
M.W.Th. 9
DR. H. P. HUGHES
Optics and Electrodynamics.
M. W. 10
PROF. M. P. HOBSON
Relativity M.W.F. 11

LENT
Op t ion s Cou r s es
DR M. GROSCHE
Quantum Condensed Matter
Physics. Tu. Th. 10
PROF. D. R. WARD AND
DR C. G. LESTER
Particle and Nuclear Physics.
M. W. 11
DR P. CICUTA
Soft Condensed Matter. T. Th. 9
DR M. WYATT
Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics.
M. W. F. 10
Sackler Lecture Theatre, IoA

EASTER
Op t ion s Cou r s es ( con t in u ed )
DR M. GROSCHE
The same continued. Tu. W. F. 10
(First six lectures)
PROF. D. R. WARD AND
DR C. G. LESTER
The same continued. M. W. F. 9
DR P. CICUTA
The same continued. M. 10. Tu. Th. 9

Com p u t a t ion a l Ph ys ics
DR J. S. RICHER AND OTHERS
Computational Physics. M. W. 12

MI CHAELMAS
Non -exa m in a ble cou r s es
PROF. A. C. FABIAN
Topics in Astrophysics.
M. W. F. 12.15
Sackler Lecture Theatre, IoA

LENT

PROF. R. NEEDS
Concepts in Physics. M. W. 12
(Eight lectures beginning 20 Feb.)
THE STAFF OF THE CAVENDISH
LABORATORY
Current Research Work in the
Cavendish Laboratory (not exam-
inable). See Part III Experimental
and Theoretical Physics
EASTER

Th eor et ica l Op t ion s
PROF. W. J. STIRLING AND
DR C. H. W. BARNES
Theoretical Physics TP1. M. W. 2
(Twelve lectures beginning 10 Oct.);
Tu. 2-4 (Four classes, 18 Oct.,
1 Nov., 15 Nov., 29 Nov.)

PROF. N. R. COOPER AND
PROF. R. J. NEEDS
Theoretical Physics TP2. Tu. Th. 12
(Twelve lectures beginning 19
Jan.); Tu. 2-4 (Four classes, 31
Jan., 14 Feb., 28 Feb., 13 Mar.)

Ph ys ics Ed u ca t ion
DR L. JARDINE-WRIGHT AND OTHERS
Physics Education.

DR L. JARDINE-WRIGHT AND OTHERS
The same continued.

Ot h er Fu r t h er Wor k
DR W. ALLISON AND OTHERS
Experiment E1.
DR F. M. GROSCHE AND OTHERS
Research Review.
PROF. S. WITHINGTON
Long Vacation Project

DR W. ALLISON AND OTHERS
Experiment E2.
DR F. M. GROSCHE AND OTHERS
The same continued.

Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics Core courses 52
ADVANCED QUANTUM PHYSI CS
N R Cooper
Review of Qu a n t u m Ph ys ics : Postulates of quantum mechanics, operator methods, time-
dependence, symmetry. Solutions to the Schrdinger equation in one dimension. Angular mo-
mentum and spin; matrix representations.
Mot ion of ch a r ged p a r t icle in elect r om a gn et ic field : normal Zeeman effect; diamagnetic
hydrogen; gauge invariance; Aharonov-Bohm effect; Landau levels.
Ap p r oxim a t e Met h od s : Time-independent perturbation theory, first and second order expan-
sion; Degenerate perturbation theory; Stark effect; nearly free electron model. Variational
method: ground state energy and eigenfunctions; excited states. The WKB method: bound states
and barrier penetration.
I d en t ica l p a r t icles : Particle indistinguishability and quantum statistics; free particle systems;
quantum statistical mechanics and the Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein distributions; BEC.
At om ic a n d m olecu la r s t r u ct u r e: Revision of Hydrogen Atom. Fine structure: relativistic
corrections; Spin-orbit coupling; hyperfine structure. Multi-electron atoms: central field ap-
proximation; LS coupling; Hunds rules; Zeeman effect. Born-Oppenheimer approximation; H
2
+

ion; molecular orbitals; H
2
molecule; ionic and covalent bonding.
Tim e-d ep en d en t p er t u r ba t ion t h eor y: Two-level system, Rabi oscillations, Magnetic reso-
nance. Perturbation series, Fermis Golden rule, scattering and the Born approximation. Radia-
tive transitions, dipole approximation, spontaneous emission and absorption, stimulated
emission, Einsteins A and B coefficients, selection rules; Cavity rate equations and lasers.
Elem en t s of qu a n t u m field t h eor y: Quantization of the classical atomic chain; phonons;
rules of field quantization and quantum electrodynamics; number states, coherent states, non-
classical light.

BOOKS
Quantum Physics, Gasiorowicz S (2
nd
edition Wiley, 1996; 3
rd
edn Wiley, 2003)
Quantum Mechanics, Non-relativistic theory vol. 3, Landau, L D and Lifshitz L M, (3
rd
edition
Butterworth-Heineman, 1981)
Quantum Mechanics, F. Schwabl (Springer, 4
th
edition, 2007)
Quantum Mechanics, Bransden B H and Joachain C J (2
nd
edition Pearson, 2000)
The Physics of Atoms and Quanta, Haken H and Wolf H C (6
th
edition Springer, 2000)
The Principles of Quantum Mechanics Shankar R (2
nd
edition Springer, 1994)
Problems in Quantum Mechanics, Squires G L (CUP 1995)
OPTI CS AND ELECTRODYNAMI CS
H P Hughes
Note that the later parts of this course depends on material from the Part II Relativity course,
which runs in parallel with this in the Michaelmas Term.

Elect r om a gn et ic Wa ves a n d Op t ics : Revision of Maxwells equations. Light as an EM wave.
Polarization and partial polarization. Light in media; anisotropic media; polarizers and wave-
plates; optical activity; Faraday rotation. Jones matrices. Layered media; photonic structures.
Temporal and spatial coherence.

Elect r od yn a m ics : Vector potential A. Calculation of A in simple cases; Aharonov-Bohm ef-
fect; Maxwells equations in terms of A and |; choice of gauge. Wave equations for A and |; and
general solution; retarded potentials.

Ra d ia t ion : Time-varying fields and radiation. Hertzian dipole; power radiated including angu-
lar distribution; magnetic dipoles. Properties of antennas: effective area; radiation resistance;
power-pattern. Half-wave dipole. Antenna arrays. Scattering: cross-section; Thomson and
Rayleigh scattering; denser media and the structure factor.

Rela t ivis t ic Elect r od yn a m ics : Charges and currents; 4-current; 4-potential; transformation
of E and B; covariance of Maxwells equations; invariants of the EM field; energy and momentum
of the EM field; magnetism as a relativistic effect.

Ra d ia t ion a n d r ela t ivis t ic elect r od yn a m ics : fields of a uniformly moving charge; erenkov
radiation; accelerated charges; Larmor and Linard formul; cyclotron and synchrotron radia-
tion; Bremsstrahlung.

BOOKS:

Optics, Hecht E (4
th
edn Addison Wesley 2002)
Optical Physics, Lipson S G, Lipson H & Tannhauser D S (3
rd
edn CUP1995)
Electromagnetic Fields and Waves, Lorrain P & Corson D R (3
rd
edn Freeman 1998)
Classical Electrodynamics, Jackson J D (3
rd
edn Wiley 1998)
RELATI VI TY
M P Hobson
Fou n d a t ion s of s p ecia l r ela t ivit y: Inertial frames, spacetime geometry, Lorentz transforma-
tions, spacetime diagrams, length contraction and time dilation, Minkowski line element, particle
worldlines and proper time, Doppler effect, addition of velocities, acceleration and event horizons
in special relativity.

Ma n ifold s , coor d in a t es a n d t en s or s : Concept of a manifold, curves and surfaces, coordinate
transformations, Riemannian geometry, instrinsic and extrinsic geometry, the metric tensor,
lengths areas and volumes, local Cartesian coordinates, tangent spaces, pseudo-Riemannian geo-
metry, scalar, vector and tensor fields, basis vectors, raised and lowered indices, tangent vectors,
the affine connection, covariant differentiation, intrinsic derivative, parallel transport, geodesics.

Min kows ki s p a cet im e a n d p a r t icle d yn a m ics : Cartesian inertial coordinates, Lorentz trans-
formations, 4-tensors and inertial bases, 4-vectors and the lightcone, 4-velocity, 4-acceleration,
4-momentum of massive and massless particles, relativistic mechanics, accelerating observers,
arbitrary coordinate systems.

Elect r om a gn et is m : the electromagnetic force, the 4-current density, the electromagnetic field
equations, the electromagnetic field tensor, the Lorentz gauge, electric and magnetic fields, inva-
riants, electromagnetism in arbitrary coordinates.

Th e equ iva len ce p r in cip le a n d s p a cet im e cu r va t u r e: Newtonian gravity, the equivalence
principle, gravity as spacetime curvature, local inertial coordinates, observers in a curved space-
time, weak gravitational fields, intrinsic curvature, the curvature tensor, the Ricci tensor, parallel
transport, geodesic deviation, tidal forces, minimal coupling procedure.

Gr a vit a t ion a l field equ a t ion s : the energy-momentum tensor, perfect fluids, relativistic fluid
dynamics, the Einstein equations, the weak field limit, the cosmological constant, particle motion
from the field equations.

Sch wa r zs ch ild s p a cet im e: static isotropic metrics, solution of empty-space field equations,
Birkhoffs theorem, gravitational redshift, trajectories of massive particles and photons. Singulari-
ties, radially infalling particles, event horizons, Eddington-Finkelstein coordinates, gravitational
collapse, tidal forces, Hawking radiation.

Exp er im en t a l t es t s of gen er a l r ela t ivit y: precession of planetary orbits, the bending of light,
radar echoes, accretion discs around compact objects, gyroscope precession.

Fr ied m a n n -Rober t s on -Wa lker s p a cet im e: the cosmological principle, comoving coordi-
nates, the maximally-symmetric 3-space, the FRW metric, geodesics, cosmological redshift, the
cosmological field equations.

Ker r s p a cet i m e: the general stationary axisymmetric metric, the dragging of inertial frames,
stationary limit surfaces, event horizons, the Kerr metric, structure of a rotating black hole, tra-
jectories of massive particles and photons, Penrose process.

Li n ea r i s ed gr a v i t y a n d gr a v i t a t i on a l w a v es : weak field metric, linearised field equa-
tions, Lorenz gauge, wave solutions of linearised field equations.

Topics in italics are non-examinable, and might be omitted.
BOOKS

General relativity: an introduction for physicists, Hobson M P, Efstathiou G P & Lasenby A N
(CUP 2005). This covers all parts of the course.

Relativity: special, general and cosmological, Rindler W (OUP 2001). Good for the concepts and
methods. Provides a lot of physical and geometrical insight.

Introducing Einstein's Relativity, d'Inverno R (OUP 1992). Provides a clear description covering
most of the gravitation course material.

Gravity: an introduction to Einsteins general relativity, Hartle J B (Addison Wesley 2003). A
clear introduction that does not rely too much on tensor methods.

Spacetime and geometry, Carroll S M (Addison Wesley 2004). A very thorough, yet highly read-
able, introduction to general relativity and the associated mathematics

General theory of relativity, Dirac P A M (yes, that Dirac!) (Princeton University Press 1996). A
short and well-argued account of the mathematical and physical basis of general relativity. Proba-
bly only useful once you already understand the subject.

THERMAL AND STATI STI CAL PHYSI CS
E M Terentjev
I n t r od u ct ion a n d r evis ion of Th er m od yn a m ics :
The ideal gas; the van der Waals gas; equations of state; phase diagrams. Thermodynamic vari-
ables and potentials. Thermodynamic equilibrium in closed systems, maximum entropy; open
systems and availability relation to thermodynamic potentials and to the probability of a state

Fu n d a m en t a ls of s t a t is t ica l m ech a n ics :
Principle of equal equilibrium probability; microcanonical, canonical and grand canonical ensem-
bles; partition function and grand partition function relation to thermodynamic potentials and
variables; maximisation of partition function. Paramagnetic salt in an external field; ensemble of
simple harmonic oscillators.

Cla s s ica l id ea l ga s :
Counting of states in the phase space; equipartition theorem; indistinguishability; ideal gas in the
canonical ensemble; additional degrees of freedom and external potentials; chemical reactions
and chemical equilibrium. Grand partition function; density series expansion; p-T ensemble; -p-
T ensemble; ideal gas in the grand canonical ensemble

Qu a n t u m s t a t is t ica l m ech a n ics :
Quantum to classical crossover; Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac statistics; quantum states of an
ideal gas. The ideal Fermi gas; low-temperature limit; entropy and heat capacity of fermions of at
low temperatures. The ideal Bose gas; Bose-Einstein condensation. Black-body radiation, pho-
nons and spin waves

Cla s s ica l in t er a ct in g s ys t em s :
Liquids; radial distribution function; internal energy and equation of state; pair interaction and
virial expansion; van der Waals equation of state revisited. Mixtures and mixing entropy; phase
separation; phase diagrams and critical points. Phase transformations; symmetry breaking and
order parameters; the Ising model; the Landau theory of phase transitions; 1st and 2nd order
transitions, critical points and triple points; transitions in external fields; critical behaviour and
universality

Flu ct u a t ion s a n d s t och a s t ic p r oces s es :
Fluctuations in thermodynamic variables; probability distribution of fluctuations; fluctuations at
critical points. Thermal noise; Brownian motion; stochastic variables and Langevin equation; fluc-
tuation-dissipation theorem. Probability distribution and simple diffusion; diffusion in external
potentials; the Kramers problem; generalised diffusion equations
BOOKS
Equilibrium Thermodynamics, Adkins (3rd edn CUP 1983).
Introductory Statistical Mechanics, Bowley & Sanchez (Oxford 1996).
Statistical Physics (Course of Theoretical Physics, v.5), Landau & Lifshits (Pergamon 1980)
Brownian Motion, Mazo (Oxford 2002)
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ASTROPHY
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uniform gra
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cooling law.
tic and isoth
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a bilit y. De L
mass loss.
al Physics O
UI D DYNAM
t
As well as obv
of other sys
up the rings
techniques
are some imp
ccelerated by
ows are highl
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sues in astro
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alactic gas. T
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nomical env
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ynamical equ
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nalyses and a
systems;
pplications;
application t
discs.
d velocity. K
f mass. Deriv
ion for a flu
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The Virial T
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hermal). De
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Options Cou
MI CS
vious fluids (
stems are am
s of Saturn a
of conventio
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ly compressi
so prominen
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nternal struct
These includ
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vironments, s
y pressure re
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apply to wav
o astrophysi
Kinematics: s
vative follow
uid under gr
, role of
Theorem.
ressure and
avitating iso
models of sta
escription of
blast waves
and its relev
urses
(e.g. the gas
menable to a
and even the
onal (terrestr
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gravitational
ible and stro
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as the propa
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in spherical
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steady and u
wing the fluid
ravity, applic
Poisson
density, phy
othermal slab
ars, mass-rad
f why shock
and superno
vance to astro
57
that is in
fluid dy-
orbits of
rial) fluid
onomical
fields to
ng shock
of galax-
agation of
s and the
most im-
r and gal-
te dwarfs
as well as
n and La-
and disc
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unsteady
motion.
cation to
n's equa-
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dius rela-
ks occur.
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ophysical
Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics Options Courses 58
Flu id in s t a bilit ies . Rayleigh-Taylor instability, Schwarzschild criterion; Thermal instability,
Field criterion; statement of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, Jeans instability.
Vis cou s flows . Linear and circular shear flows. Accretion discs.
Ma gn et oh yd r od yn a m ics . The ideal MHD equations ( E +v^B = 0). Alfven waves.

BOOKS
Elementary Fluid Dynamics, Acheson, D (Oxford University Press 1994)
An Introduction to Fluid Dynamics, Batchelor, G K (CUP 1991)
Principles of Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics, Clarke, C J & Carswell, R F (CUP 2007)
Hydrodynamics, Lamb, H (CUP 6
th
edn 1932, reprinted 1993)
Fluid Mechanics, Landau & Lifshitz, (Pergamon Press 1987)
An informal introduction to theoretical Fluid Mechanics Lighthill, M J (Oxford University Press
1993)
PARTI CLE AND NUCLEAR PHYSI CS
C G Lester and D R Ward
This course assumes familiarity with many of the topics in the "Advanced Quantum Physics"
course. At the end of the course, the students should be familiar with the following features of
Nuclear Physics:

- the structure of nuclei, and simple nuclear models such as the liquid drop model and the
shell model;
- techniques in scattering theory which are relevant in nuclear physics -- partial waves,
Born approximation and compound nucleus formation;
- the main types of nuclear decays, and with models for calculating these and the associated
selection rules;
- the key features of nuclear fission and fusion and their applications;

and with the following aspects of Particle Physics:

- how forces arise from virtual particle exchange (in outline only);
- the particle content and interactions of The Standard Model, together with an under-
standing of how to apply (spinless) Feynman Diagrams to make order-of-magnitude esti-
mates for rates and signatures of allowed/disallowed Standard Model processes;
- the types of evidence upon which the three key parts of The Standard Model (i.e. electro-
magnetic, strong and weak), are founded;
- how to determine which hadron decays would or would not be consistent with the quark
content of the Standard Model, with parity violation/conservation, with energy-
momentum conservation, etc.

I NTRODUCTI ON
Ma t t er a n d For ces : Matter and generations. Leptons, quarks, hadrons and nuclei. Forces and
gauge bosons.

NUCLEAR PHYSI CS
Ba s ic Nu clea r Pr op er t ies : Stable nuclei. Binding energy. Nuclear mass (Semi-Empirical Mass
Formula). Spin and parity. Reactions and cross-sections. Scattering in Quantum Mechanics. Form
factors and nuclear size. Nuclear moments.

Sca t t er in g a n d t h e Nu clea r For ce: General features. The deuteron. Nucleon-nucleon scatter-
ing. Partial waves. Scattering Length. Resonances. Partial decay widths. Breit-Wigner cross-
section.

Nu clea r St r u ct u r e: Magic numbers, the Nuclear Shell Model and its predictions, excited states
of nuclei (vibrations and rotations).

Nu clea r Deca y: Particle decays. Radioactivity and dating. decay. decay, Fermi theory of
decay. decay, Mssbauer effect.

Nu clea r Fis s ion a n d Fu s ion : Nuclear fission. Reactors. Nuclear fusion. Nucleosynthesis. So-
lar Neutrinos.

PARTI CLE PHYSI CS
Rela t ivis t ic Kin em a t ics : Natural units. Four-vectors. Colliders and \s.

Th e St a n d a r d Mod el: Summary of the Standard Model of particle physics. Theoretical frame-
work. Klein-Gordon equation. Antimatter. Interaction via particle exchange. Yukawa potential.
Virtual particles. Feynman diagrams.

Elect r om a gn et ic I n t er a ct ion : QED. Electromagnetic interaction vertices. Scattering in QED.
Discovery of quarks. Drell-Yan process. Experimental tests of QED. Higher orders and running of
o.

St r on g in t er a ct ion : QCD. Strong interaction vertices. Gluons, colour and self-interactions.
QCD potential, confinement and jets. Nucleon-nucleon interactions. Running of the strong cou-
pling
.
Scattering in QCD. Experimental evidence for gluons, colour, self-interactions and the run-
ning of o
s
.

Qu a r k Mod el of Ha d r on s : Hadron wavefunctions and parity. Light quark mesons and masses.
Baryons, baryon masses and magnetic moments. Hadron decays. Discovery of the J/. Charmo-
nium. Charmed Hadrons. Discovery of the T. Bottomonium and bottom hadrons.

Wea k I n t er a ct ion : Bosons and self-interactions. Weak charged current (W
boson). Parity vio-

lation. Weak charged current lepton vertices. and decay. Lepton universality. Weak charged
current interactions of quarks. Cabibbo suppression and the CKM matrix. Weak charged current
quark vertices

Elect r owea k Un ifica t ion : Neutral currents (Z
0
boson). Electroweak Unification and the
Glashow-Weinberg-Salam Model. Weak neutral current vertices. Summary of Standard Model
vertices and drawing Feynman diagrams. Precision tests of the Standard Model at the Large Elec-
tron Positron collider (LEP).

Th e St a n d a r d Mod el a n d Beyon d : The top quark. Neutrino oscillations. The Higgs mecha-
nism. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Supersymmetry.

Topics in italics are non-examinable, and might be omitted.

BOOKS
Introductory books that cover the whole course:
Nuclear and Particle Physics, Burcham W E and Jobes M (Longman Scientific and Technical
1995).
The Physics of Nuclei and Particles, Dunlap P A (Thomson Brooks/Cole 2003).

Particle physics books:
Particle Physics, Martin B R &, Shaw G (2nd edn Wiley 1997).
Introduction to High Energy Physics, Perkins D H (4th edn CUP 1999).

Nuclear physics books:
Introductory Nuclear Physics, Krane K S (Wiley 1988).
Basic Ideas and Concepts in Nuclear Physics, Heyde K (IoP Publishing 1992).
Nuclear Physics, Principles and Applications, Lilley J (Wiley 2002).
QUANTUM CONDENSED MATTER PHYSI CS

F M Grosche

This course will focus on collective quantum phenomena in solids, namely how physical phenom-
ena emerge from the interaction of large numbers of atoms.

Elect r on s a n d p h on on s : The free Fermi gas. Elementary excitations. Heat capacity of insula-
tors and metals. Semiclassical approach to electron transport in electric and magnetic fields.
Screening and Thomas-Fermi theory. Plasma oscillations. Optical conductivity of metals.

St r u ct u r e a n d bon d in g in s olid s : The variety of condensed matter: ordered, partially ordered
and disordered. Types of bonding. Description of periodic solids. Bonding and structure. X-ray
diffraction and reciprocal space.

Elect r on s in p er iod ic s olid s : Blochs theorem, Brillouin zones, band structure. Crystal mo-
mentum. Nearly localised electrons: tight binding method, 1D chain, polymers. Nearly free elec-
trons: plane waves and band gaps. High magnetic field: quantum oscillations and quantum Hall
effect. Band structures of real materials: insulators and metals, optical transitions, de Haas-van
Alphen, photoemission, tunnelling spectroscopies.

Sem icon d u ct or s a n d s em icon d u ct or d evices : Crystal structure and bandstructure. Effec-
tive mass. Thermal equilibrium of quasiparticles in an intrinsic semiconductor. Doped semicon-
ductors. pn junctions. Heterostructures and quantum wells. Devices: LED, solar cell,
semiconductor lasers, field effect transistor.

I n s t a bilit ies : Charge density waves. Interactions in the electron gas. Condensates. The standard
model of condensed matter physics and how it may fail.

BOOKS

Band Theory and Electronic Properties of Solids, J. Singleton (OUP 2008)
Solid State Physics, Ashcroft N W and Mermin N D, (Holt, Rinehart and Winston 1976)
Introduction to Solid State Physics, Kittel C (7th edn Wiley 1996)
Principles of the Theory of Solids, Ziman J M (CUP 1972)
SOFT CONDENSED MATTER
P Cicuta
I n t r od u ct ion : What is soft matter? Forces, energies and timescales.

Flow a n d vis cos it y: Navier-Stokes equation; Reynolds number; Laminar and boundary layer
flows; Stokes Law and drag; Hydrodynamic interaction between colloidal particles; Implications
for living systems; How bacteria swim; Viscosity of a hard sphere suspension; Non-Newtonian
behaviour; Idea of complex viscosity; Linear viscoelasticity; Simple phenomenological models.

Polym er s a n d biologica l m a cr om olecu les : Examples of polymers; Single-chain statistics,
self-avoiding walks and excluded volume; Wormlike chain and persistence length; Phase transi-
tions: Flory Huggins free energy for solutions; Good, theta and poor solvent conditions; Osmotic
pressure in dilute conditions; Scaling in semi-dilute solutions; Chain dynamics in the Rouse
model; Single chain elasticity (DNA) and the worm-like chain; Rubber elasticity.

Self a s s em bly: Chemical potential of systems that aggregate; Aggregation equilibria; Critical
micelle concentration; Micelles and lamellar phases; Simple arguments for the shape of micelles;
Lipid bilayers; Nature of the cell membrane; Amphiphiles; Curvature elasticity; Fluctuations of
membranes; Examples of self assembly: viruses and nanotechnology.

Su r fa ce en er gy a n d in t er a ct ion s : Surface energy and tension; Cahn-Hilliard model of a liquid
interface; Amphiphiles at surfaces; Wetting: Youngs equation and contact angles; hydrophobicity
and hydrophilicity; Electrolyte solutions: Debye-Huckel theory; Interactions between colloidal
particles, and stabilisation; DLVO potential.

BOOKS
Fluid Dynamics for Physicists, Faber T.E (CUP 1995)
Soft Condensed Matter, Jones R.A.L. (OUP 2002)
Biological Physics, Nelson P. (Freeman 2003)
Molecular Driving Forces, Dill K.A. and Bromberg S., (Garland 2003)

ADVANCED TEXTS
Statistical Thermodynamics of Surfaces, Interfaces and Membranes, Safran S.A. (Addison
Wesley 1994)
Applied Biophysics, Waigh, T.A. (Wiley 2007)
Physical Biology of the Cell, Phillips, R. Et al, (Garland 2009)
Molecular Biophysics, Daune M. (OUP 1999)
Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics Computing Exercises 63
COMPUTATI ONAL PHYSI CS
J S Richer
Su m m a r y

This compulsory course builds on the IB course Introduction to Computing, and aims to develop
further the computational physics skills acquired in that course. It consists of eigh t lect u r es in
the first four weeks of Lent term, and fou r 3-h ou r p r a ct ica l cla s s es in the PWF during weeks
4, 5, 6 and 7 of the Lent term. In the lectures, various computational techniques used in physics
will be presented, as well as general advice on programming and creating good quality software.
In the practical classes, students will solve a series of computational physics problems. As in the
IB course, programs will be written in C++ running under a LINUX environment. More sophisti-
cated techniques and problems will be addressed, using external numerical libraries to handle
some of the detailed computations. The focus is on self-learning, and learning by doing: the lec-
tures are important, but it is only in the practical classes that real skills are developed. Demon-
strators will be on hand in the PWF to assist with problems.

This course also covers the material required for students planning to offer an (optional) Comput-
ing Project (see separate page for full description).

As s es s m en t

The credit for this course is approximately equal to one fifth of a unit of further work. During
each of the practical sessions, a computational physics problem is to be solved by writing, running
and testing a piece of software. When complete and tested, students will upload their solutions for
checking to a dedicated file space for marking. The expectation is that students will gain high
marks if they complete the exercises satisfactorily.

Sylla bu s

The computational physics topics covered will include
Representation of numbers; roundoff error.
Solution of Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs): Euler and Runge-Kutta schemes; accuracy
and stability.
Dealing with data: interpolation, extrapolation; Fourier Transform techniques, including the FFT;
fitting models to data.
Pseudo Random Numbers; Monte-Carlo techniques; Ising model.
Linear algebra
Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics Further Work 64
COMPUTATI ONAL PHYSI CS PROJ ECT
J S Richer

A Computational Physics Project constitutes one unit of further work and may be offered, option-
ally, by all Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics students. There are no lectures or practi-
cal classes, but the compulsory course in Computational Physics provides the essential
background for this work. Students chose one of a range of problems to investigate independ-
ently, using PWF facilities or other equivalent facilities if they prefer. They will analyse the prob-
lem, write and test computer program to investigate and solve it, then write up their work in a
report. It is required that the programs will be written in C++ running under LINUX, as in the IB
course. However, if a student wishes to use other supporting languages (e.g. Java, or a scripting
language like Python), this may be acceptable given prior consent from the Head of Class.

Students may start their project work at any time in the Lent term. The deadline for submission of
the project report is 4. 0 0 p m on t h e fir s t Mon d a y of Ea s t er t er m ( 30
t h
Ap r il 20 12) .

On e cop y of the report should be handed in to the Tea ch in g Office (Room 212B, Bragg Build-
ing) in person before the submission deadline. In order to preserve anonymity when your report is
looked at by the Part II examiners, you r n a m e m u s t n ot a p p ea r on t h e r ep or t it s elf, bu t
on ly on t h e cover s h eet wh ich you will be given wh en you h a n d it in . You should ensure
that your candidate number appears on the first page of the report, t oget h er wit h t h e t it le of
t h e r ep or t .

I n a d d it ion , you should also upload, by the same deadline, your report in PDF for m a t to the
electronic course pigeon holes on the Physics PWF, along with the s ou r ce cod e, p r ogr a m ex-
ecu t a ble, and possibly other relevant files you have created for the project (e.g. Makefiles, large
graphic files, videos, etc).

The form of solution expected, and of the write up, will be described in more detail in the handout
which contains the suggested projects. It will be marked by one of the Heads of Class, acting as
Assessor for the Examiners. After the examination, you will receive a copy of the mark sheet,
which will provide feedback on your performance. Th e m a r ks a lloca t ed by t h e Hea d of Cla s s
a r e s u bject t o m od er a t ion a n d s ca lin g by t h e exa m in er s , s o t h e m a r k you r eceive
m a y n ot m a t ch t h e fin a l m a r k for t h is p iece of wor k in t h e College Ma r kbook.

Candidates may be selected for viva voce examination after submission, as a matter of routine,
and therefore a summons to a viva should not be taken to indicate that there is anything amiss.
You will be asked some straightforward questions on your project work, and may be asked to
elaborate on the extent of discussions you may have had with other students. So long as you can
demonstrate that your write-ups are indeed your own, your answers will not alter your project
grades.
THEORETI CAL PHYSI CS 1 ( TP1)
W J Stirling and C H W Barnes
The course covers theoretical aspects of the classical dynamics of particles and fields, with empha-
sis on topics relevant to the transition to quantum theory. This course is recommended only for
students who have achieved a strong performance in Mathematics as well as Physics in Part IB, or
an equivalent qualification.

La gr a n gia n a n d Ha m ilt on ia n m ech a n ics : Generalised coordinates and constraints; the La-
grangian and Lagrange's equations of motion; symmetry and conservation laws, canonical mo-
menta, the Hamiltonian; principle of least action; velocity-dependent potential for
electromagnetic forces, gauge invariance; Hamiltonian mechanics and Hamilton's equations;
Liouville's theorem; Poisson brackets and the transition to quantum mechanics; relativistic dy-
namics of a charged particle.

Cla s s ica l field s : Waves in one dimension, Lagrangian density, canonical momentum and Ham-
iltonian density; multidimensional space, relativistic scalar field, Klein-Gordon equation; natural
units; relativistic phase space, Fourier analysis of fields; complex scalar field, multicomponent
fields; the electromagnetic field, field-strength tensor, electromagnetic Lagrangian and Hamilto-
nian density, Maxwell's equations.

Sym m et r ies a n d con s er va t ion la ws : Noether's theorem, symmetries and conserved currents;
global phase symmetry, conserved charge; gauge symmetry of electromagnetism; local phase and
gauge symmetry; stress-energy tensor, angular momentum tensor; transition to quantum fields.

Br oken s ym m et r y: Self-interacting scalar field; spontaneously broken global phase symmetry,
Goldstone's theorem; spontaneously broken local phase and gauge symmetry, Higgs mechanism.

Pr op a ga t or s a n d ca u s a lit y: Schrdinger propagator, Fourier representation, causality; Kram-
ers-Kronig relations for propagators and linear response functions; propagator for the Klein-
Gordon equation, antiparticle interpretation.

BOOKS
The Feynman Lectures, Feynman R P et al. (Addison-Wesley 1963) Vol. 2. Perhaps read some at
the start of TP1 and re-read at the end.
Classical Mechanics, Kibble T W B and Berkshire F H (4th edn Longman 1996): A clear basic text
with many examples and electromagnetism in SI units.
Classical Mechanics, Goldstein H (2nd edn Addison-Wesley 1980): A classic text that does far
more than is required for this course, but is clearly written and good for the parts that you need.
Classical Theory of Gauge Fields, Rubakov V (Princeton 2002): The earlier parts are closest to
this course, with much interesting more advanced material in later chapters.
Course of Theoretical Physics, Landau L D & Lifshitz E M: Vol.1 Mechanics (3rd edn Oxford 1976-
94) is all classical Lagrangian dynamics, in a structured, consistent and very brief form;
Vol.2 Classical Theory of Fields (4th edn Oxford 1975) contains electromagnetic and gravitational
theory, and relativity. Many interesting worked examples.
THEORETI CAL PHYSI CS 2 ( TP2)
N R Cooper and R J Needs
In this course, we cover some more advanced and mathematical topics in quantum mechanics
(with which you have some familiarity from previous courses) and apply the mathematical tools
learnt in the IB Mathematics course (complex analysis, differential equations, matrix methods,
special functions, etc) to topics such as scattering theory.

This course is recommended only for students who have achieved a strong performance in
Mathematics as well as Physics in Part IB, or an equivalent qualification.

Fou n d a t ion s of Qu a n t u m Mech a n ics : Operator methods. Observables. Resolution of the
identity. Basis transformations. Position and momentum representations. Discrete and continu-
ous spectra.

Qu a n t u m Dyn a m ics : Time development operator. Schrodinger, Heisenberg and interaction
pictures. Canonical quantisation and constants of motion. The propagator. Introduction to path
integral formulation.

Ap p r oxim a t e Met h od s : Variational methods and their application. The JWKB method and
connection formulae, with applications to bound states and barrier penetration. The anharmonic
oscillator.

Sca t t er in g Th eor y: Scattering amplitudes and differential cross-section. Partial wave analysis.
Optical theorem. Green functions, weak scattering and the Born approximation. Beyond the Born
approximation. Bound states.

Den s it y Ma t r ices : Pure and mixed states. The density operator and its properties. Time de-
pendence of the density operator. Applications in statistical mechanics. Density operator for sub-
systems. Quantum damping.

Topics in italics are non-examinable.

BOOKS
Quantum Mechanics, Merzbacher E (3
rd
edn Wiley 1998)
Introductory Quantum Mechanics, Liboff R L (4
th
edn Addison-Wesley 2003)
Modern Quantum Mechanics, Sakurai J J (2
nd
edn Addison-Wesley 1994)
Advanced Mathematical Methods for Scientists and Engineers, Bender C M & Orszag S A
(Springer 1999)
Quantum Optics, Scully M O & Zubairy M S (CUP 1997)
PART I I EXPERI MENTS
W Allison
There are 12 separate experiments, with varying numbers of places. Not all experiments will run
in all six sessions availability will depend in part on demand, and partly on the effort required to
run them. The experiments are listed below.

([..] = maximum numbers of places available)

Wa vegu id e [ 6] Dr Kei t h Gr a i n ge
Part II Laboratory, Room 170 AP
Waveguide propagation of a cm wavelength radio wave is investigated.

Ph a s e-Locked Loop s [ 6] Dr An d r ew I r v i n e
Part II Laboratory, Room 183 ME
Operation and optimisation of phase-locked loops is investigated, for frequency locking and for
recovery of signals buried in noise.

Op t ica l Pu m p in g of Rb [ 3] Dr Met e At a t r e
Part II Laboratory, Room 169 AMOP
The Zeeman effect in the ground state of the rubidium atom is studied, nuclear spins of
85
Rb and
87
Rb are obtained and multi-photon absorption and power broadening are investigated.

Sem icon d u ct or Qu a n t u m Devices [ 6] Pr of . Da v id R i t ch i e
Part II Laboratory, Room 170 SP
The resonant tunnelling of electrons in semiconductors is investigated at both room temperature
and 77K.

Mobilit y [ 6] Pr of . Hen n in g S i r r i n gh a u s
Part II Laboratory, Room 183 OE
Propagation of carriers through a semiconductor is measured by a direct method.

Fer r o-flu id s [ 6] Pr of . Ulli S t ei n er
Part II Laboratory, Room 183 BSS
An investigation is made of instabilities and pattern formations at Ferro-fluid interfaces.

Ga d olin iu m [ 6] Pr of . Gi l Lon z a r i ch
Part II Laboratory Room 170 QM
The specific heat of gadolinium is measured in the range 80-350 K, with particular reference to
the anomaly of the Curie point.

I llu m in a n ce Flu ct u a t ion Sp ect r os cop y [ 5] Dr Ch r i s Ed gcom be
Part II Laboratory, Room 167/8 SMF
The Boltzmann constant is obtained by studying the correlated fluctuations in scattering of laser
light from polystyrene spheres dispersed in water.

J os ep h s on [ 5] Dr Mi k e S u t h er la n d
Part II Laboratory, Room 186 QM
The ratio of e/h is measured by studying the I-V characteristic of a Josephson junction immersed
in liquid helium.

Pa r t icle Tr a cks [ 6] Dr Da v i d Mu n d a y
Bragg, Room 178 HEP
Properties of short-lived hyperons are measured by analysing photographs from a liquid hydrogen
bubble chamber.

Sca n n in g Tu n n ellin g Micr os cop y [ 4] Dr An d r ew J a r d i n e
Part IB Laboratory, Room 152 SMF
The growth kinetics of graphite oxidation pits are investigated on atomic length scales.

Pu ls ed NMR a t 15 MHz [ 10 ] Dr R i ch a r d An s or ge
Part II Laboratory Room 183 BSS
This experiment investigates and demonstrates the principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
(NMR). Spin-echo methods are employed to study the characteristic NMR properties of a number
of samples.

Su bm is s ion of you r r ep or t

On e cop y of your report should be handed in to the Tea ch in g Office (Room 212B, Bragg Build-
ing) in person before the submission deadline. In order to preserve anonymity when your report is
looked at by the Part II examiners, you r n a m e m u s t n ot a p p ea r on t h e r ep or t it s elf, bu t
on ly on t h e cover s h eet wh ich you will be given wh en you h a n d it in . You should ensure
that your candidate number, if known, appears on the first page of the report, t oget h er wit h t h e
n a m e of t h e exp er im en t a n d t h e n a m e of you r Hea d of Cla s s .

Before the end of the relevant term, the report will be assessed by the Head of Class, who will then
conduct a viva voce examination (typically 30 minutes long). The student will be asked to give a
short verbal summary (typically 10 minutes), normally uninterrupted, of the report during the ex-
amination. Students should expect to be contacted by the Head of Class shortly after the submis-
sion of their report, to arrange the examination.

These Head of Class will write a report to the Part II Examiners and will recommend a mark.
These marks are not necessarily final and may be amended by the examiners, who will also look at
the report and the Head of Classs written assessments. After the viva, you will receive a copy of
the mark sheet, which will provide feedback on your performance. Th e m a r ks a lloca t ed by t h e
Hea d of Cla s s a r e s u bject t o m od er a t ion a n d s ca lin g by t h e exa m in er s , s o t h e m a r k
you r eceive m a y n ot m a t ch t h e fin a l m a r k for t h is p iece of wor k in t h e College Ma r k-
book.
The following guidelines for allocation of marks to Part II experimental reports will be given to the
Head of Class.
Understanding: (30%): of the physical system being measured, and of the experimental design.
The experiment (40%): how well the work was done, quality of results, discussion of errors.
Communications skills 1 - Report (20%): Was the report well written and clearly organised, with
clear and well balanced arguments, appropriate use of figures, tables and references.
Communications skills 2 - Viva (10%): Was the student able to summarise the work and respond
coherently to questions?

After the viva, the Head of Class will send the report and recommended mark to the Teaching Of-
fice. After publication of the Part II Class List, students may, if they wish, retrieve their report
from the Teaching Office.

If there are any queries concerning these arrangements, contact, Dr Bill Allison (Room 413B, Mott
Building, tel: 37416, email: wa14@cam.ac.uk)

Con t a ct d et a ils

St a ff m em ber Telep h on e
( s ecr et a r y)
Room Gr ou p E-m a il
Ansorge, Dr R E 66103 240 BSS rea1@phy.cam.ac.uk
Atatre, Dr M 66465(66298) 982 AMOP ma424@cam.ac.uk
Edgcombe, Dr C 37335 443 PCS cje1@cus.cam.ac.uk
Grainge, Dr K J B 37298 925 AP kjbg1@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Irvine, Dr A C 37555 M232 ME aci20@cam.ac.uk
Jardine, Dr A P 37279(37336) 417 PCS apj24@cam.ac.uk
Lonzarich, Prof. G G 37391(37351) 502 QM QM-secretary@phy.cam.ac.uk
Munday, Dr D J 37232(37227) 952 HEP djm1@hep.phy.cam.ac.uk
Ritchie, Prof. D A 37331/37255 361 SP dar11@cam.ac.uk
Steiner, Prof. U 37390 35 BSS u.steiner@phy.cam.ac.uk
Sirringhaus, Prof. H 37557 M208 OE/ME hs220@cam.ac.uk
Sutherland, Dr M 37389 463 QM mls41@cam.ac.uk

RESEARCH REVI EWS
F M Grosche
A research review is aimed at producing a descriptive and critical review of an area of physics of
particular interest to the student. Its precise form may vary, and is to be agreed with the supervi-
sor. The topic could range from a review of the very latest research in a particular area to, for ex-
ample, a classic discovery of the twentieth century. In some cases the supervisor may indicate one
or two articles which serve as an introduction; in other cases the student may need to search in
computerised databases or citation indices to find relevant papers.

The research review abstracts are available on the web:
see (www.teach.phy.cam.ac.uk/pt2reviews/) for a direct link to the research review page). Stu-
dents may also suggest reviews of their own, but they must have a supervisor (who may be exter-
nal) and the review must be approved in advance. Students interested in a particular review
should discuss it as soon as possible with the relevant supervisor. The list of reviews on the web
will be continuously updated as new ones are added.

By Fr id a y 28
t h
Oct ober 20 11, students should select (via a form on the Web) the review topics
they would like to do, in order of preference. A ballot will then be held in order to assign titles to
students in a fair way, and students and supervisors informed of the outcome.

Reviews can be started during the Michaelmas term or they may be deferred until the Lent term.
It might be a good idea to start some reading over the Christmas vacation. It is important to re-
member that the review counts for only about half a Tripos paper, so students should bear this in
mind when deciding how much time to devote to it. During the preparation for the writing of the
report, students will be asked to give a short talk presenting their preliminary work to a group of
students writing research reviews in similar areas. It is expected that supervisors will organise
these group sessions, which will consist of, say, four to eight students, in the last two or three
weeks of the Lent term. Students will receive feedback on the content and presentation of their re-
views from the supervisors present and from their fellow students. This form of presentation is
aimed at developing communication and presentational skills. You will be awarded 5% of the
available marks for the Research Review upon giving the presentation (irrespective of its quality).

The Web of Science database (http://wos.mimas.ac.uk) may be used to find relevant papers. Stu-
dents must first sign a form (available from the Rayleigh Library) unless they signed one last year.

The write-up of the review will typically be in the style of a paper published in a scientific journal.
The style of the review should be agreed with the supervisor. The review should describe and ex-
plain the main features of the subject, suggesting in which direction the field is moving, and draw-
ing some conclusions. The main text should be concise (30 0 0 wor d s m a xim u m , including any
appendices). In addition, there must be an abstract of not more than 250 words. The student and
supervisor should discuss the general structure of the review before writing is started, but the su-
pervisor should not read a full version of the text until it is submitted. A set of handy tips and in-
formation is given in the booklet entitled Keeping Laboratory Notes and Writing Formal
Reports, which is handed out to students at the start of the year - make sure you get one.

The deadline for submission of the research review is 4: 0 0 p m on t h e fir s t Mon d a y of Ea s t er
Fu ll Ter m ( 30
t h
Ap r il 20 12) . Two cop ies of the review should be handed in to the Tea ch in g
Office (Room 212B, Bragg Building) in person before the submission deadline. In order to pre-
serve anonymity when your review is looked at by the Part II examiners, you r n a m e m u s t n ot
a p p ea r on t h e r eview it s elf, bu t on ly on t h e cover s h eet wh ich you will be given wh en
you h a n d it in . You should ensure that your candidate number appears on the first page of the
research review, t oget h er wit h t h e t it le of t h e r eview a n d you r s u p er vis or s n a m e.

As soon as possible after submission, the review will be assessed by two people, normally the su-
pervisor and another staff member, who will conduct an informal oral examination (typically 30
minutes long) of the student on the work. The student will be asked to give a short verbal sum-
mary, normally uninterrupted, of the review during the interview. The assessor, who will be ap-
pointed by the Teaching Committee, will generally not be a specialist in the field. Students should
expect to be contacted by their supervisor shortly after handing their review in, to arrange the oral
examination.

These assessors will write a report to the Part II Examiners and will recommend a mark. These
marks are not necessarily final and may be amended by the examiners, who also look at the re-
views. After the viva, you will receive a copy of the mark sheet, which will provide feedback on
your performance. Th e m a r ks a lloca t ed by t h e a s s es s or s a r e s u bject t o m od er a t ion a n d
s ca lin g by t h e exa m in er s , s o t h e m a r k you r eceive m a y n ot m a t ch t h e fin a l m a r k for
t h is p iece of wor k in t h e College Ma r kbook.

The following guidelines for allocation of marks to Part II Research Reviews will be given to asses-
sors. Each heading carries equal weight.

Scien t ific con t en t : How much appropriate understanding of science (particularly physics) was
shown?
Qu a lit y of wor k: How carefully/accurately/successfully was the work planned and performed?
Was an appropriate amount of relevant material included?
Com m u n ica t ion s kills : Report: was the report well written and clearly organised, with clear
and well-balanced arguments, appropriate use of figures and tables, etc? Viva: was the student
able to summarise the work and to respond coherently to questions?

After the oral examination, the assessors will send the report and recommended mark to Dr Malte
Grosche, (Room 501, Mott Building) and will return the review to the Teaching Office (Room 208,
Bragg Building). After publication of the Part II Class List, students may, if they wish, retrieve one
copy of their review from the Teaching Office.

If there are any queries concerning these arrangements, contact Dr Malte Grosche, (Room 501,
Mott Building, telephone 37392, e-mail: fmg12@cam.ac.uk).
PHYSI CS EDUCATI ON
L Jardine-Wright
Physics Education represents one unit of Further Work. It is aimed at those students considering
a career in Physics Education, and offers experience of developing and presenting teaching mate-
rial at the secondary-school level. This course aims to provide practical experience for the devel-
opment of a wide range of transferable skills including: planning and organisation; time-
management; communication and negotiation.

The course will typically be based on planning and preparing for, and successfully completing, a
day per week placement at a local school during the Lent Term, including developing and de-
livering a Special Project, under the supervision of a teacher. The student and their Supervising
Teacher will collaborate to identify the basis of the Special Project. The Special Project must sup-
port physics education in the placement school and be approved by the Supervising Teacher.

All those interested in undertaking this course must attend a Preliminary Meeting, which will be
held at the Cavendish Laboratory between 2-5p m on Th u r s d a y 13
t h
Oct ober 20 11, and pass a
background check conducted by the Criminal Records Bureau. Access to places on this course is
limited and candidates will be selected by interview and reference from their Director of Studies.
Interviews will take place on Fr id a y 14
t h
Oct ober 20 11 and students will be asked to sign up for
times at the preliminary meeting on the 13
th
.

Placements will be identified for each student by the end of November 2009. It will be the respon-
sibility of the student to contact their Supervising Teacher to arrange an appropriate date and
time to begin their placement, and to make appropriate arrangements to complete a placement to-
talling 30 hours contact time. All placements must begin before the end of the first week of the
Lent Term, and be completed before the end of Lent Term.

Students must write a written report about their work. The written report should be concise
(20 0 0 wor d s m a xim u m , excluding any appendices) on some area of Physics Education, ap-
proved in advance by the Head of Class. The student should discuss the general structure of the
report with their Supervising Teacher, and the Head of Class, before writing is started, but the
Head of Class should not read a full version of the text until it is submitted. During the prepara-
tion for the writing of the report, students will be asked to give a short talk presenting their pre-
liminary work to the Head of Class and a group of students writing similar reports. It is expected
that the Head of Class will organise the group session in the last two or three weeks of the Lent
term. Students will receive feedback on the content and presentation of their reports from those
present. This form of presentation is aimed at developing communication and presentational
skills. You will be awarded 5% of the available marks for the written report upon giving the pres-
entation (irrespective of its quality).

Assessment will be based on:
- The candidates class presentation (5 %);
- A written assessment of performance from the Supervisory Teacher (5%)
- The candidates project delivery, written report and viva-voce examination with the Head
of Class and an Assessor (90 %).
The written assessment of performance by the Supervisory Teacher is considered confidential to
the Head of Class, and will therefore be sent directly to the Head of Class by the Supervising
Teacher: it will not be seen by the student.

The deadline for submission of the written report is 4. 0 0 p m on t h e fir s t Mon d a y of Ea s t er
Fu ll Ter m ( 30
t h
Ap r il 20 12) .

Two cop ies of the report should be handed in to the Tea ch in g Office (Room 212B, Bragg
Building) in person before the submission deadline. In order to preserve anonymity when your
report is looked at by the Part II examiners, you r n a m e m u s t n ot a p p ea r on t h e r ep or t it -
s elf, bu t on ly on t h e cover s h eet wh ich you will be given wh en you h a n d it in . You
should ensure that your candidate number appears on the first page of the report, t oget h er wit h
t h e t it le of t h e r ep or t , t h e n a m e of t h e Hea d of Cla s s , a n d t h e n a m e of you r Su p er vis -
in g Tea ch er .

As soon as possible after submission, the report will be assessed by two people, normally the Head
of Class and another staff member, who will then conduct the viva voce examination (typically 30
minutes long) to be given by the student. The student will be asked to give a short verbal summary
(typically 10 minutes), normally uninterrupted, of the report during the examination. The asses-
sor, who will be appointed by the Teaching Committee, will generally not be a specialist in the
field. Students should expect to be contacted by the Head of Class shortly after the submission of
their report, to arrange the examination. These assessors will also be given a copy of the Supervis-
ing Teachers written assessment.

These assessors will write a report to the Part II Examiners and will recommend a mark. These
marks are not necessarily final and may be amended by the examiners, who will also look at the
reports and the Supervising Teachers written assessments. After the viva, you will receive a copy
of the mark sheet, which will provide feedback on your performance. Th e m a r ks a lloca t ed by
t h e a s s es s or s a r e s u bject t o m od er a t ion a n d s ca lin g by t h e exa m in er s , s o t h e m a r k
you r eceive m a y n ot m a t ch t h e fin a l m a r k for t h is p iece of wor k in t h e College Ma r k-
book.

The following guidelines for allocation of marks to Part II Physics Education reports will be given
to assessors.
- Quality of work (60%): How carefully and accurately was the work planned and per-
formed? Was an appropriate amount of relevant material included?
- Communications skills 1 - Report (20%): Was the report well written and clearly organ-
ised, with clear and well balanced arguments, appropriate use of figures, tables and refer-
ences.
- Communications skills 2 - Viva (10%): Was the student able to summarise the work and
respond coherently to questions?

After the formal presentation, the assessors will send their report and recommended mark to the
Head of Class and will return the students report to the Teaching Office. After publication of the
Part II Class List, students may, if they wish, retrieve one copy of their report from the Teaching
Office.

If there are any queries concerning these arrangements, contact, Dr L Jardine-Wright (Room 702,
Link Building, telephone 33318, email ljw21@cam.ac.uk).
Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics Non-examinable courses 74
CONCEPTS I N PHYSI CS
R Needs
This course is not specifically examinable, but the material covered overlaps with and illustrates
many aspects of the Part II syllabus. It aims to consolidate core physics and provide revision of a
number of key topics from a somewhat different perspective to that presented in the core course.
The aim is to provide additional background to a number of major themes of physics, to sketch the
connections between them and to investigate unresolved questions. Attendance is strongly ad-
vised for all Part II students. The lectures are likely to cover at least some of the following topics:

Th e Ga lileo Ca s e: Ptolemy, Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Kepler and the Galilean revolution. The
origins of experimental science, Galileos physics, what Galileo got right and what he got wrong.
The trial of Galileo. Physics as a hypothetical-deductive system. Galilean relativity, the Newtonian
revolution.

Th e Or igin of Ma xwells Equ a t ion s : Origins of electromagnetism, Maxwell and analogy in
physics, vortices and magnetic fields, a physical model for the aether, the origin of the displace-
ment current, a paper which is great guns - light as electromagnetic waves. Hertz and the proper-
ties of electromagnetic waves. The discovery of the photoelectric effect.

Th er m od yn a m ics a n d St a t is t ica l Mech a n ics : The nature of heat, caloric theories vs heat as
motion, real steam engines and the genius of Carnot, caloric as entropy, the problems of kinetic
theory, the statistical nature of the Second Law, Shannons theorem, the origin of irreversibility.

Sca lin g La ws in Ph ys ics a n d Els ewh er e: Dimensional analysis and the Buckingham H theo-
rem, general pendulum, explosions, drag in fluids, flow past a sphere, Kolmogorov spectrum of
turbulence, law of corresponding states.

Collect ive coh er en ce: Huygens discovery of mode-locking of 2 coupled oscillators, and why the
large N limit is simpler, fireflies, heart cells and wobbly bridges; coupled quantum oscillators la-
sers, superfluids and superconductors.

Or d er : the development of long-range order as a broken symmetry; why phase transitions are
abrupt; scaling laws and critical phenomena.

Self-or ga n is ed Cr it ica lit y a n d Ch a os : Examples of scaling laws in physics and elsewhere,
fractal behaviour, the physics of sand piles and rice piles, modelling self-organised criticality. Dis-
covery of chaotic behaviour. Necessary conditions. Damped, driven, non-linear pendulum, Phase-
space diagrams, Poincare sections, bifurcation diagrams, Lorenz attractor. Logistic maps, limit cy-
cles, period doubling, Hyperion.

Th e Or igin of Qu a n t u m Mech a n ics : The discovery of quanta with all the tricky bits put back
in. Classical derivation of the Stefan-Boltzmann law. Plancks (non)-statistical mechanics, how
Einstein discovered photons, fluctuations in black-body radiation and the wave-particle duality.

Rela t ivit y: The real story of the discovery of the Special Theory of Relativity, the difficult route to
the General Theory, Machs principle, tests of General Relativity, unresolved issues

Ph ys ics of t h e Cos m os : The technology of cosmology. Application of laboratory physics to the
Universe on the largest scales: its successes, the origin of the Cosmic Microwave Background Ra-
diation.

Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics Non-examinable courses 75
BOOKS
The following books may be useful as background reading to help your understanding:
Theoretical Concepts in Physics, Longair M S (2nd edn 2003)
The New Physics, Davies P C W (CUP 1989)
The Galileo Affair, Finocchiaro M A (U Calif Press 1989)
Inward Bound: Of Matter and Forces in the Physical World, Pais A (OUP 1986)
Subtle is the Lord. The Science and Life of Albert Einstein, Pais A (OUP 1982)
Scaling, Self-similarity, and Intermediate Asymptotics, Barenblatt G I (CUP 1996)
How Nature Works: the Science of Self-Organised Criticality, Bak P (Copernicus 1996)
Does God Play Dice? Stewart I (2nd edn Penguin 1997)
Chaos: Making a New Science, Gleick J (Viking NY 1987)
Chaotic Dynamics - an Introduction, Baker G L and Gollub J P (CUP 1990)
Part III Experimental and Theoretical Physics 76
Part III Experimental and Theoretical Physics

Comments may be sent to III-physics@phy.cam.ac.uk

7. 1 I NTRODUCTI ON

The four-year course, of which Part III is the final
component, is designed for students who wish to
pursue a professional career in physics, in aca-
demic or industrial research. It leads to an hon-
ours degree of Master of Natural Sciences, M.Sci.,
together with a B.A., though the latter cannot be
conferred until the end of the fourth year.
Part III ETP is a demanding course, and courses
assume an upper second class level of understand-
ing of the core and relevant optional material in
Part II ETP. Ca n d id a t es for t h e fou r -yea r
cou r s e m u s t a ch ieve a t lea s t a 2. 2 in Pa r t I I ,
(or have received from the Faculty Board a dis-
pensation from this condition). Admission to Part
III Physics is also available to those who have ob-
tained a First Class in Half Subject Physics in Part
II Physical Sciences. Admission to the course is
subject to several requirements.
(i) You must achieve the qualifying standard
of a 2.2 in Part II Experimental and Theoreti-
cal Physics (or Part II Astrophysics, or in Part
II Mathematics). An alternative qualification
is to have obtained a First Class in Half Sub-
ject Physics in Part II Physical Sciences of the
Natural Sciences Tripos.
(ii) You must have made financial provision
by securing a four-year grant from your LEA
or equivalent funding body during your sec-
ond year. If you have any doubt about this,
you should see your college Tutor or Director
of Studies without delay.
7. 2 OUTLI NE OF THE COURSE
The course aims to bring you close to the bounda-
ries of current research, and is therefore some-
what linked to the expertise from within the
specific research groups. You make a series of
choices as the year proceeds which allow you, for
instance, to select a bias towards particular broad
areas of physics such as condensed matter phys-
ics, particle physics, astrophysics, or semiconduc-
tor physics. You can also range over the spectrum
from strongly experimental to highly theoretical
physics, and choose from a range of specialist op-
tions.
All students undertake a substantial research pro-
ject, the equivalent of about six weeks of full-time
work.
The Michaelmas Term lectures are the Major Top-
ics, which cover substantial areas of physics. You
are examined in three or more of them at the start
of the Lent Term.
The Lent Term lectures are the Minor Topics,
which cover more specialised areas, mostly of ac-
tive research interest in Cambridge. You are ex-
amined in three or more of them at the start of the
Easter Term.
We do not expect any student to take more than
the minimum number of units of work in any
category. The great majority of students will find
the workload demanding even at this level. We
recognise, however, that students may have good
reasons for wishing to take additional courses for
credit. Ma r ks for a ll exa m in a t ion p a p er s s a t
will a p p ea r on t h e s t u d en t s Un iver s it y
t r a n s cr ip t s . Wit h in a n y p a r t of t h e exa m i-
n a t ion ( Ma jor Top ics , Min or Top ics ) t h e
bes t r es u lt s m eet in g t h e m in im u m r e-
qu ir em en t will cou n t t owa r d s t h e cla s s for
t h e yea r . You are of course free to attend as
many lecture courses as you wish, without neces-
sarily offering them for examination.
Some of the Major and Minor Topics are given by
staff from other Departments such as the Institute
of Astronomy and the Department of Earth Sci-
ences. You can also take as Major or Minor Topics
certain courses given in Part III of the Mathemati-
cal Tripos but you should note that the style of the
Part III Mathematical Tripos Options and Exami-
nation is different from that experienced in the
Part III Physics Options, reflecting the difference
in approaches of the two Departments.
The possibility exists of undertaking a vacation
project during the previous Long Vacation or the
optional course on Entrepreneurship during the
Lent Term, for credit in the Tripos by replacing a
Minor Topic in each case.
Ability in general physics is fostered by examples
classes in the Easter Term and examined by a
general paper at the end of the Easter Term.
7. 3 DETAI LS OF THE COURSES
Students will be e-mailed to register via
start of Michaelmas Term. The course will begin
with a meeting on the first Wednesday of Full
Term ( 5
t h
Oct ober 20 11) a t 12. 30 p m in t h e
Sm a ll Lect u r e Th ea t r e a t t h e Ca ven d is h
La bor a t or y.
7. 3. 1 Pr oject wor k
All students must undertake a project which is
worth a third of the years marks. A list of projects
will be provided by the beginning of the Michael-
mas Term. Many of these will be supervised by
members of the Physics Department, but mem-
bers of other Departments will also be involved.
The projects can be experimental, theoretical,
computational, observational, or some suitable
combination of these. There will be scope for ini-
tiative and originality in carrying out a project,
and it should form a valuable preparation for a re-
search career.
Project work will take place mainly in the Lent
Term. Weeks are set aside for finishing up pro-
jects at the beginning of the Easter Term.
Communication skills are essential if you are to
have a successful career in science. Toward the
end of Lent term a meeting will be arranged in
which you will have the chance to give a fifteen
minute oral presentation on your project to other
students working in similar areas and their super-
visors. This presentation counts for 5% of the
available marks for the project (irrespective of the
quality of your presentation). You should note
that about one-third of the total marks for the
project will be based on an assessment of the
quality of your written report and your ability to
explain and defend your work in the viva.
Bench work on experimental projects should be
substantially complete by the end of the Lent
Term. You must submit your project report by the
third Monday of the Easter Term, and it will be
assessed by two staff members after an oral ex-
amination.
7. 3. 2 Ma jor Top ics
The seven options given during the Michaelmas
Term cover major areas, and in each, physics is
presented as a connected discipline drawing upon
the material of the first three years to take the
topic close to the frontiers of current research.
Candidates choose three or more Major Topics for
examination. The courses (of 24 lectures) are:
Advanced Quantum Condensed Matter
Physics
Soft Matter and Biological Physics
Relativistic Astrophysics and Cosmology
Particle Physics
Physics of the Earth as a Planet
Quantum Condensed Matter Field Theory
Atomic and Optical Physics

All of the courses above are examined at the start
of the Lent Term.
Students wh o a r e es p ecia lly s t r on g in
Ma t h em a t ics may wish to replace one of the
Topics above with an approved course, also of 24
lectures, taken from Part III of the Mathematics
Tripos. The course available in Part III Mathemat-
ics in the coming year is:
Quantum Field Theory

Students taking this course take the same paper as
the Part III Mathematics students, in June.

7. 3. 3 Min or Top ics
You choose for examination three or more of the
Lent Term Minor Option courses from about
twelve (although you may substitute other courses
for these: see below). They are more specialised
than the Major Topics and most build upon the
material presented in the Michaelmas Term.
Some of them assume specific knowledge of par-
ticular Major Topics the syllabuses make clear
which. The Minor Topics are:
(i) Theoretically biased:
Gauge Field Theory
Quantum Information
Superconductivity and Quantum Coherence
Phase Transitions and Collective Phenomena

(ii) Condensed-Matter Physics:
Superconductivity and Quantum Coherence
Frontiers in Experimental Condensed Matter
Physics
The Physics of Nanoelectronic Systems

(iii) Astrophysics and Particle Physics
The Frontiers of Observational Astrophysics
Particle Astrophysics
The Formation of Structure in the Universe

(iv) Other:
Atmospheric Physics
Medical Physics
Biological Physics
Non-linear Optics and Quantum States of
Light
7. 3. 4 Ot h er Len t Ter m cou r s es
You may also take any of the courses below: each
may be substituted for one Minor Option.
(i) Interdisciplinary Courses:
Materials, Electronics and Renewable Energy
(taught by Physics)
Climate Change
(Department of Earth Sciences)
Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Change
(Department of Chemistry)

(ii) Shared Course with Engineering

Nuclear Power Engineering

(iii) Shared Course with Materials

Nuclear Materials

All of these courses except for "Materials, Elec-
tronics and Renewable Energy" are taught by de-
partments other then Physics. They are examined
in separate papers the Interdisciplinary Courses
and Nuclear Materials at the end of Easter Term,
and Nuclear Power Engineering with the Part IIB
Engineers at the start of Easter Term.
(iv) The 24 lecture Part III Mathematics courses
Advanced Quantum Field Theory
Galaxies
may each be substituted for one of the Minor
Topics. Th es e cou r s es a r e on ly s u it a ble for
s t u d en t s wh os e m a t h em a t ics is p a r t icu -
la r ly s t r on g and will also be examined to-
wards the end of the Easter Term.
7. 3. 5 Fu r t h er Wor k
One or two units of Further Work may be substi-
tuted for Minor Topics. The two types of Further
Work available in 2011-12 are:
(i) A Long Vacation Project
(ii) A course in Entrepreneurship
These are described in the following sections.
7. 3. 6 Lon g-Va ca t ion Pr oje ct s
Scientific work during the Long Vacation prior to
your fourth year can count as project work which
may replace a Minor Option. The full details can
be obtained from Prof. Withington
(stafford@mrao.cam.ac.uk, Astrophysics Group),
but you must get your proposal approved in ad-
vance, before the end of the preceding Easter
Term. Forms are available from Prof. Withington.
You will be required to name in advance a suitably
qualified on-site supervisor who is willing to write
retrospectively to Prof. Withington describing the
work you have done and giving an assessment of
your effectiveness. Normally the programme must
be of at least two months duration and must in-
clude a substantial element of independent or
original work. It is important that the project in-
cludes a significant amount of physics and is not,
for example, simply a series of routine measure-
ments or entirely devoted to computer program-
ming.
Vacation projects within the University may be of-
fered through the Undergraduate Research Op-
portunities Programme (UROP). See
http://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/UROPS/urop.php
for details. Some of these projects may be suitable
as assessed Long-Vacation Work. The teaching
web pages
http://www-
teach.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/vacWork.php might of-
fer some useful suggestions.

7. 3. 7 En t r ep r en eu r s h ip
The synopsis for the Entrepreneurship course is
given later. The course will be lectured together
with the Minor Topics, but will be assessed by the
completion of assignments as described in the
synopsis.
7. 3. 8 Exa m p les Cla s s in Gen er a l Ph ys -
ics
The Part III course is designed to build upon the
physics covered in the first three years and will
take many subjects to the frontiers of current un-
derstanding. However, it is important that core
physics is reinforced at the same time, and the ex-
amples classes, which run during the Easter Term
are designed to help with this. They will focus on
the key topics covered in the core Physics courses
and may include introductory summary talks and
examples sheets modelled upon short questions
and more general problems. The June 2003 - 2011
General Papers indicate the type of question
which will be set. They will be designed to empha-
sise the straightforward application of core phys-
ics to reasonable problems, and be an appropriate
preparation for the three-hour examination in
general physics which forms part of the final as-
sessment.
7. 4 RESTRI CTI ONS ON COMBI NA-
TI ON OF COURSES
While every effort is made to arrange the timeta-
ble, it is inevitable that some combinations of
courses will be ruled out by their schedule.
7. 5 SUPERVI SI ONS
We do not offer formal supervisions in Part III.
Lecturers are expected to provide some form of
learning support, but the form it takes is up to the
individual lecturer. It is likely to take the form ei-
ther of examples classes, with or without demon-
strators (depending on the number of students) or
of large-group supervisions or seminars.
A consequence of this is that, neither students nor
lecturers need wait before arranging sessions. The
lecturer may choose to announce arrangements
during the first lecture, or may announce them
through the class email list.
The class email list depends on each student sign-
ing up for the particular course. You will be re-
minded about the sign-up before the start of each
of Michaelmas and Lent Terms. If you decide to
change options during the Term, you should make
the necessary change on the teaching website, and
a ls o notify the relevant lecturers directly.
7. 6 NON-EXAMI NED WORK
In the Lent Term there are two non-examinable
courses, one on Philosophy of Physics and one on
Ethics of Physics.
To advertise research opportunities at the Caven-
dish various open days will be held which cover
the activities of the major groups in the labora-
tory. Dates are will be posted on the Part II and
Part III notice boards.
Part III students are also welcome at the large
number of Research Seminars and other lectures
in the Department, particularly those organised
by the Cavendish Physical Society lectures at
4.00pm on some Wednesdays. These are adver-
tised on notice boards, and summarised on the
Cavendish web page.
The Major Topics and the Project each contribute
approximately one-third of the total marks. The
Minor Topics and General Physics Paper each
contribute approximately one-sixth of the total
marks.
The marks all courses will appear on the Univer-
sity transcript, with the best marks for the mini-
mum requirement being used to establish the final
class for the Examination.
given in notices put up on the Part III notice
board outside the Pippard Lecture Theatre. You
should make sure that you read these regularly.
7. 7. 2 Exa m in a t ion En t r ies
Examination entries are made through the Cam-
SIS on-line system, and should be completed in
consultation with your Director of Studies. The
deadline is usually about the middle of November.
You will have a further chance during Lent Term
to modify your entry for the Minor Topics papers.
These procedures are largely outside of the De-
partments control, and are continually evolving.
We will provide further information about proce-
dures for examination entries as it becomes avail-
able.
7. 7. 3 Th e Wr it t e n Pa p e r s for Pa r t I I I
Major Topic Papers:
These are taken at the beginning of the Lent
Term (2 hours each).

Minor Topic Papers:
These are taken at the beginning of the Easter
Term (1.5 hours each).

General Physics Paper:
This is taken towards the end of the Easter
Term (3 hours).

QFT/ AQFT/ Galaxies Paper:
Those students who have substituted these
Part III Mathematics courses for Major or
Minor Topics will take the same examination
as the Mathematics students, towards the end
of the Easter Term.


Interdisciplinary courses:
Each of the interdisciplinary courses is
treated as a Minor Topic. The three interdis-
ciplinary courses will all be examined in sepa-
rate papers during the main Examinations
Period at the end of Easter Term.

Nuclear Power Engineering and Nuclear
Materials:
Students taking these Topics will be examined
with the Part IIB Engineers in one and a half-
hour paper at the start of the Easter Term.
A summary of the choices available is given
below.
Lectures Course Exams
Major Topics
Choose
3
24 Advanced Quantum Condensed Matter Physics
2h paper for each
option, Start of
Lent
24 Atomic and Optical Physics
24 Particle Physics
24 Physics of the Earth as a Planet
24 Quantum Condensed Matter Field Theory
24 Relativistic Astrophysics and Cosmology
24 Soft Matter
from Part III Mathematics
24 Quantum Field Theory 3h paper, June
Len t Ter m
Minor Topics
Choose
3
16 Atmospheric Physics
1.5h paper for each
option, Start of
Easter
12 Biological Physics
16 Formation of Structure in the Universe
12 Frontiers of Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
12 Frontiers of Observational Astrophysics
12 Gauge Field Theory
12 Medical Physics
12 Non-linear Optics and Quantum States of Light
16 Particle Astrophysics
12 Physics of Nanoelectronic Systems
12 Quantum Information
12 Superconductivity and Quantum Coherence
12 Phase Transitions and Collective Phenomena
Interdisciplinary Papers
12 Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Change
1.5h paper for
each, June
12 Climate Change
12 Materials, Electronics & Renewable Energy
from Part III Mathematics
24 Advanced Quantum Field Theory 3h paper for each,
June 24 Origin and Evolution of Galaxies
from Part III Materials
12 Nuclear Materials 1.5h paper,
Start of Easter
from Part IIB Engineering
12 Nuclear Power Engineering 1.5h paper,
Start of Easter
Further Work
Entrepreneurship
Course work
Report of Vacation Project
Ot h er r equ ir em en t s
Research Project Course work
General Paper 3h paper, June

Tuesday 4
th
Wednesday 5
th
October 2011 12.30 General Registration (Small Lecture Theatre, Cavendish
Laboratory) and buffet lunch outside the Pippard Lecture
Theatre
Wednesday 5
th
October 2011 Start choosing a project
Mon d a y 10
t h
Oct ober 20 11 16. 0 0 Va ca t ion wor k r ep or t d ea d lin e
Wed 12
t h
Oct ober 20 11 14. 0 0 Dea d lin e for s ign in g u p for s u p er vis ion s on
Ma jor Top ics
Thursday 20
th
October 2011 Supervisors can now make decisions on students for
projects
Fr id a y 28
t h
Oct ober 20 11 16. 0 0 Dea d lin e for h a n d in g in p r oject r is k a s s es s m en t ,
hand in to the Teaching Office
Fr id a y 28
t h
Oct ober 20 11 Dea d lin e for ch oos in g a p r oject ( bu t d on t lea ve it
t h is la t e!)
Fr id a y 2
n d
Decem ber 20 11

16. 0 0 Dea d lin e for fir s t br ief p r ogr es s r ep or t on Pr oject
(summarising the goals of the project); hand in to the
Teaching Office
Friday 2
nd
Mon d a y-
Wed
16
t h
18
t h
J a n u a r y 20 12 Exa m in a t ion s on Ma jor Top ics ( ch eck t h e Pa r t I I I
Not iceboa r d for d et a ils )
Tuesday 17
th
Wed 25
t h
J a n u a r y 20 12 14. 0 0 Dea d lin e for s ign in g u p for s u p er vis ion s on
Min or Top ics
Mon d a y 6
t h
Febr u a r y 20 12 14. 0 0 Dea d lin e for com m it m en t t o exa m in a t ion in t h e
En t r ep r en eu r s h ip Cou r s e
Monday-
Friday
5
th
March
- 16
th
March 2012
Presentations of projects (will be organised by your super-
visor). Some supervisors prefer to do these early in Easter
Term.
Wed 7
t h
Ma r ch 20 12 16. 0 0 Dea d lin e for s econ d br ief p r ogr es s r ep or t on Pr o-
ject (outlining progress and confirming that you have
adequate material to complete the project); hand in to the
Teaching Office
Friday 16
th
Tuesday 24
th
Tu es d a y-
Fr id a y
24
t h
-27
t h
Ap r il
20 12
Exa m in a t ion s on Min or Top ics ( ch eck t h e Pa r t I I I
Not iceboa r d for d et a ils )
Friday 27
th
April 2012 14.00 Examples Classes on General Physics begin (eight classes
on Tuesdays and Fridays, 14:00-16:00) in the Pippard
Lecture Theatre; see the Part III Noticeboard for details
Mon d a y 14
t h
Ma y 20 12 16. 0 0 Dea d lin e for h a n d in g in Pr oject Wor k ( t wo cop ies )
15
t h
25
t h
Ma y 20 12 Oral examinations on Projects (will be organised by your
supervisor)
Mon d a y 4
t h
J u n e 20 12 Exa m in a t ion on Gen er a l Ph ys ics ( ch eck t h e Pa r t
I I I Not iceb oa r d for d et a ils )
Friday 15
th



In accordance with the Universitys regulations, a Part III Project (which amounts to more than 10% of the
total years mark) submitted after the advertised deadline will n ot count towards your final examination
mark, unless the Universitys Applications Committee grants an extension of time on the grounds that there
are mitigating circumstances. Any application for such an extension should be made by your college Tutor
to the Applications Committee.

For units of Further Work amounting to less than 10% of the total years mark, the Department may grant
an extension of time on the grounds that there are mitigating circumstances. Any application for such an
extension should be made by your college Tutor or Director of Studies to the Deputy Head of Department
(Teaching), c/ o Teaching Office, Cavendish Laboratory, (teaching-office@phy.cam.ac.uk).
In either case, you should submit the work as soon as possible after the deadline.
7. 9 LECTURE LI ST

PART I I I EXPERI MENTAL AND THEORETI CAL PHYSI CS

Departmental Contact: Helen Marshall: E-mail: mailto:teaching-office@phy.cam.ac.uk

Students must offer three or more courses from Ma jor Top ics , together with three or more courses from
Min or Top ics . Qu a n t u m Field Th eor y may be substituted for one Ma jor Top ic. A Va ca t ion p r oject
and courses from I n t er d is cip lin a r y Top ics , Ad va n ced Qu a n t u m Field Th eor y, Ga la xies , Nu clea r
Power En gin eer in g, Nu clea r Ma t er ia ls and Fu r t h er Wor k may each be substituted for one Min or
Top ic.

The courses from the Ma jor Top ics and Min or Top ics , Nu clea r Power En gin eer in g, Nu clea r Ma t e-
r ia ls are examined at the start of the term following that in which they are given. Qu a n t u m Field Th eor y,
Ad va n ced Qu a n t u m Field Th eor y, Ga la xies and courses from the I n t er d is cip lin a r y Top ics will be
examined in June. The Entrepreneurship course from Fu r t h er Wor k is continually assessed.

All students are recommended to attend the Non -exa m in a ble cou r s es .

The course will begin with a meeting on the first Wednesday of Full Term (5 Oct.) at 12.30 p.m. in the Small
Lecture Theatre.

Lectures are given at the Cavendish Laboratory (West Cambridge) unless otherwise stated
The lecture rooms are indicated as follows: (P) Pippard Lecture Theatre, (S) Small Lecture Theatre, (M)
Mott Seminar Room.
All Part III Mathematics courses are given in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Clarkson Road in the
rooms indicated in parentheses.

MI CHAELMAS
Ma jor Top ics

PROF. H. SIRRINGHAUS (S)
Advanced Quantum Condensed
Matter Physics.
T. Th. 11-12:30
DR. U. KEYSER AND PROF. R GOLDSTEIN
(CMS MR13)
Soft Matter and Biological Physics.
M. W. F. 12.10
PROF. A. C. FABIAN AND
PROF. A. N. LASENBY (S)
Relativistic Astrophysics and Cosmol-
ogy. M. W. F. 10
PROF. M. A. THOMSON (S)
Particle Physics. M. W. F. 9
PROF. K. F. PRIESTLEY, PROF. D. MCKENZIE
AND DR J. RUDGE (S)
Physics of the Earth as a Planet.
M. W. F. 11
PROF. B. D. SIMONS (S)
Quantum Condensed Matter Field
Theory. Tu. Th. 2-3:30
PROF. M. K. KHL AND
DR Z. HADZIBABIC (S)
Atomic and Optical Physics. M. W. 2-3:30
LENT
Min or Top ics
Twelve-lect u r e cou r s es u n les s ot h er wis e
s t a t ed .
DR J. R. BATLEY (S)
Gauge Field Theory. Tu. Th. 9
DR W. ALLISON (M)
The Frontiers of Experimental Condensed Mat-
ter Physics. M. F. 9
PROF. G. G. LONZARICH (M)
Superconductivity and Quantum Coherence.
W. F. 11
DR R. D. E. SAUNDERS (S)
The Frontiers of Observational Astrophysics.
Tu. 3 F. 2
DR R. E. ANSORGE AND OTHERS (S)
Medical Physics. M. W. 2
DR K. CHALUT (S)
Biological Physics. M. 12, W. 9
DR C. J. B. FORD (M)
The Physics of Nanoelectronic Systems. M. W.
10
PROF. M A. PARKER AND
PROF. G. EFSTATHIOU (S)
Particle Astrophysics. Tu. Th. 10
(16 lectures)

EASTER

MICHAELMAS LENT
Min or Top ics ( con t in u ed )
PROF. P. ALEXANDER (S)
Formation of Structure in the Universe. M. W.
10 (16 lectures)
DR M. ATATURE (M)
Nonlinear Optics and Quantum States of Light.
W. F. 12
DR C. H. W. BARNES(S)
Quantum Information. Tu. Th. 2
DR M. HERZOG AND PROF. H. GRAF(M)
Atmospheric Physics. Tu. Th. 11
(16 lectures)
PROF. B .D. SIMONS (S)
Phase Transitions and Collective
Phenomena. M. W. 3 (starting 30 Jan.)
EASTER

Qu a n t u m Field Th eor y
The following course from Part III
Mathematics may be offered for ex-
amination in place of on e Ma jor
Top ic.
PROF. A. C. DAVIS (CMS MR2)
Quantum Field Theory. Tu. Th. 9
F. 2

Ad va n ced Qu a n t u m Field Th eor y
The following course from Part III Mathemat-
ics may be offered for examination in place of
on e Minor Topic.
PROF. H. OSBORN (CMS MR2)
Advanced Quantum Field Theory.
M.W.F. 9

Or igin a n d Evolu t ion of Ga la xies
The following courses from Part III Mathe-
matics may be offered for examination in
place of on e Minor Topic.
PROF. M. G. O. HAEHNELT(CMS MR9)
Origin and Evolution of Galaxies.
M.W.F. 12

Nu clea r Power En gin eer in g
The following course from Part IIB Engineer-
ing may be offered for examination in place of
on e Minor Topic.
DR G. T. PARKS (LT1, Inglis Building, Dept of
Engineering)
Nuclear Power Engineering. M. 12 W. 9

MI CHAELMAS

LENT
I n t er d is cip lin a r y Top ics
PROF. N. C. GREENHAM AND OTHERS (S)
Materials, Electronics and Renewable
Energy. (Interdisciplinary course
(IDP1)). Tu. Th. 12
PROF. D. HODELL AND OTHERS (Tilley LT)
Climate Change. (Interdisciplinary
course (IDP2)). Tu. Th. 10
DR. N. HARRIS AND OTHERS
(Unilever Lecture Theatre)
Atmospheric Chemistry and Global
Change. (Interdisciplinary course
(IDP3)).
Tu. Th. 9
EASTER

Exa m p les Cla s s es
DR J. R. BATLEY AND OTHERS (P)
Examples Classes in General Physics.
Tu. F. 2-4 (Nine classes, beginning 27
April, no class on 11 May)

Non -exa m in a ble cou r s es
THE STAFF OF THE CAVENDISH LABORA-
TORY
Postgraduate Research Opportunities
at the Cavendish.
Reception on Th. 17 Nov. at 1 p.m. in
the
Committee Room.
Exhibition from 14 Nov. to 25 Nov.

PROF. W. J. STIRLING AND OTHERS
Cavendish Physical Society Seminars.
W. 4 (Alternate weeks beginning 12
Oct.)

DR J. N. BUTTERFIELD (Ryle Seminar
Room)
Philosophy of Physics. M. 11 (Four
lectures beginning 23 Jan.)
DR R. C. JENNINGS (Ryle Seminar Room)
Ethics of Physics. M. 11 (Four lectures
beginning 20 Feb.)

THE STAFF OF THE CAVENDISH
LABORATORY
Current Research Work in the Caven-
dish Laboratory.
Open Days for students reading Part
II or Part III Physics W. 2-5. The
Open Days will start with introductory
talks at 2 p.m. in the Cavendish
Laboratory
Research in the TCM Group (1 Feb.
2.15 in the TCM Seminar Room)

The same continued.

The same continued.

Fu r t h er Wor k
PROF. S. WITHINGTON
Long Vacation Project

DR S. BARAKAT AND OTHERS
(Mill Lane Lecture Theatre 6)
Entrepreneurship. M. Th. 4 (beginning
19 Jan.)

Pr oject Wor k
PROF. C. G. SMITH AND OTHERS
Project Work.

The same continued.

The same continued.

Part III Experimental and Theoretical Physics Major Topics 87
ADVANCED QUANTUM CONDENSED MATTER PHYSI CS
H Sirringhaus
It is expected that students will have taken the Part II options course Quantum Condensed Matter
Physics. However, the course includes an introductory section which discusses and refreshes all
solid state concepts needed. It is therefore possible to take the course without having taken Quan-
tum Condensed Matter Physics.

ELECTRONI C STRUCTURE OF SOLI DS

Des cr ip t ion of elect r on ic s t a t es of N-elect r on s ys t em : Band structure, phonons.

How s olid s t a t e p h ys ics fit s t oget h er .

I NTERACTI ONS, OPTI CAL AND ELECTRI CAL PROPERTI ES OF SOLI DS, AND COL-
LECTI VE PHENOMENA

Elect r on -elect r on in t er a ct ion s : Exchange interactions, Hartree-Fock & Density Functional
Theory. Quasiparticles; Fermi liquids; highly correlated, narrow-band electron systems.

Ma gn et is m : Magnetic exchange interactions, Ising/Heisenberg model, spin waves. Colossal
and giant magnetoresistance.

Elect r on -p h ot on in t er a ct ion s : Linear response function, Kramers-Kronig relations, optical
absorption. Excitons in low-dimensional systems.

Elect r on -p h on on in t er a ct ion s : Semiclassical transport in electrical and magnetic fields: scat-
tering, Boltzmann equation. Effective electron-electron interaction by exchange of phonons; pola-
rons. Quantum transport in low-dimensional semiconductors: conductance quantization, single-
electron effects.

Su p er con d u ct ivit y: Thermodynamics, Cooper pairs, introduction to BCS, status of High-T
c
su-
perconductors.

BOOKS
Solid State Physics, Ashcroft N W and Mermin N D (Holt, Rinehart and Winston 1976)
Introduction to Solid State Physics, Kittel C (7th edn Wiley 1996)
The Physics and Chemistry of Solids, Elliott S R (Wiley 1998)

Introduction to Solid State Theory, Madelung O (Springer 1978)
Fundamentals of Semiconductors, Yu P Y & Cardona M (Springer 1996)
Electron Correlations in Molecules and Solids, Fulde P (Springer 1991)
Solid State Physics, Grosso G & Pastori Parravicini G (Academic Press 2000)

A quantum approach to Condensed Matter Physics, Taylor P L & Heinonen O (CUP 2002)
Magnetism in Condensed Matter, Blundell S (Oxford University Press 2001)
Superconductivity, Superfluids and Condensates, Annett J F (Oxford University Press 2004)
Optical Properties of Solids, Fox M (Oxford University Press 2004)
ATOMI C AND OPTI CAL PHYSI CS
Z Hadzibabic and M Khl
There are no special requirements apart from a good knowledge of quantum physics (e.g. from the
mandatory "Advanced Quantum Physics" Part II course).

The ability to control and cool atoms by laser light has given a completely new twist to the tradi-
tional field of atomic physics in recent years. The Nobel prizes in physics of 1997, 2001, and 2005
document the fascinating recent advances in this field. Macroscopic quantum phenomena such as
Bose-Einstein condensation have become experimentally accessible and the fundamental laws of
quantum mechanics have been studied in new ways and with unprecedented precision. This
course will serve as an introduction to this exciting field and give insight into the current state of
research. It is intended to provide the basic understanding needed for the current research on a
wide range of topics involving atoms, lasers, quantum gases, and quantum computers. Emphasis
will be put on the connection between theory and experimental observation.

I n t r od u ct ion a n d r evis ion of ba s ic con cep t s : Bohrs theory, Einstein A&B coefficients,
Stern-Gerlach experiment

At om ic s t r u ct u r e: Hydrogen atom, fine structure, Lamb shift, hyperfine structure, electric di-
pole transitions, selection rules, Zeeman effect, magnetic dipole transitions, alkali atoms

Fu n d a m en t a ls of a t om -la s er in t er a ct ion : Driven two-level system, Ramsey spectroscopy
and atomic clocks, density matrix, optical Bloch equations, dissipation, cross-sections & line
shapes, Doppler-free laser spectroscopy, ac Stark effect, two-photon and Raman transitions

La s er coolin g & t r a p p in g: Scattering force, slowing of atomic beams, optical molasses, Dop-
pler cooling limit, magneto-optical trap, optical dipole trap, Sisyphus cooling below the Doppler
limit

Eva p or a t ive coolin g a n d Bos e-Ein s t ein con d en s a t ion of a t om ic ga s es : Requirements,
magnetic trapping, evaporative cooling, critical temperature, condensate fraction, experimental
observation of Bose-Einstein condensation

Pr op er t ies of a t om ic Bos e-Ein s t ein con d en s a t es : Atomic interactions, macroscopic wave
function, matter-wave interference of Bose-Einstein condensates, Gross-Pitaevskii equation,
Thomas-Fermi approximation, Bogoliubov excitation spectrum, superfluidity

Qu a n t u m com p u t in g a n d qu a n t u m in for m a t ion : Qubits, quantum gates, entanglement,
quantum algorithms, decoherence, experimental realization in ion traps

BOOKS

Atomic Physics, Foot C J, (Oxford University Press)
Laser Cooling and Trapping, Metcalf H & van der Straten P (Springer - Verlag)
Bose-Einstein Condensation in Dilute Gases, Pethick C J & Smith H (CUP)
Quantum Computation and Quantum Information, Nielsen M A & Chuang I L (CUP)
PARTI CLE PHYSI CS
M A Thomson
The Part III Particle Physics Major option course aims to provide a reasonably complete descrip-
tion of our understanding of modern particle physics. The Part II Particle and Nuclear Physics
course is not a prerequisite to this course although familiarity with basic particle physics termi-
nology is assumed. The course will concentrate on the Standard Model with the aim of providing
both a detailed description of current experimental data, and the theoretical understanding to
place these experimental results in context. The Minor Option course on Gauge Field Theory
covers particle physics theory at a more advanced level.

I n t r od u ct ion , cr os s s ect ion s a n d d eca y r a t es : The structure of the Standard Model; revi-
sion of basic concepts; relativistic phase space and its role in two-body decays and two-body
scattering.

Solu t ion s t o t h e Dir a c equ a t ion : The Klein-Gordon equation; the Dirac equation and Dirac
spinors; negative energy solutions and anti-particles; C and P symmetries; spin and helicity.

I n t er a ct ion by p a r t icle exch a n ge a n d QED: interaction by particle exchange; the QED ver-
tex; Feynman rules for QED; scattering and e
+
e
annihilation in QED; the role of spin and helic-

ity in QED and chirality; QED calculations using Dirac spinors.

Elect r on p r ot on s ca t t er in g: Rutherford scattering revisited; low energy electron proton scat-
tering and form factors; deep inelastic scattering and structure functions; Bjorken scaling and
the Callan-Gross relation; the quark-parton model; valance and sea quarks.

Th e qu a r k m od el a n d QCD: symmetries and conservation laws; SU(3) flavour symmetry;
mesons and baryon wave; SU(3) colour symmetry; confinement and gluons; Feynman rules for
QCD; colour factors; the QCD potential; running couplings and asymptotic freedom; experimen-
tal evidence for QCD.

Pa r t icle Det ect or s : Particle interactions in matter, particle detection and large detectors at
modern particle colliders.

Ch a r ged -cu r r en t wea k in t er a ct ion s : V-A Theory and parity violation; helicity structure of
the weak interaction; lepton universality; neutrino scattering; neutrino structure functions and
the anti-quark content of nucleon.

Neu t r in o p h ys ics a n d n eu t r in o os cilla t ion s : Neutrino interactions; detecting neutrinos;
solar and atmospheric neutrinos; neutrino oscillations and the PMNS matrix; CP and CPT in the
weak interaction; recent neutrino experiments.

Th e CKM m a t r ix a n d CP viola t ion : The Cabibbo angle and the CKM matrix; CP violation in
the early universe; the neutral kaon system and strangeness oscillations; CP violation in the
kaon system; the CKM matrix and CP violation in the Standard Model.

Elect r owea k Un ifica t ion a n d t h e St a n d a r d Mod el: W boson decay; the W and Z bosons
and a unified electroweak theory; the Z resonance; precision tests of the electroweak theory at
LEP; the Higgs mechanism; hunting the Higgs; problems with the Standard Model.
BOOKS
There are many books available on particle physics, at various levels. The following are suggested
as useful for this course:
Particle Physics, Martin B R and Shaw G (2nd edn Wiley 1997). A good introductory text, more
suited to Part II but covers most of the basic material.
Introduction to High Energy Physics, Perkins D H (4th edn CUP 2000).
Good coverage of experimental techniques and some aspects of theory. A slightly lower level
than this course with a more historical approach.
Introduction to Elementary Particles, Griffiths D (Harper & Row 1987) out of print
Theoretical treatment, going slightly beyond the level of this course, but well written and clear.
Good reference for those wishing to pursue some of the mathematical details.
Quarks and Leptons, Halzen F and Martin A D (Wiley 1984).
Goes beyond the level of this course, but provides a good description of the underlying theoreti-
cal concepts.
PHYSI CS OF THE EARTH AS A PLANET
K Priestley, D McKenzie and J Rudge
Our aim in this course is to show how concepts from physics, especially from classical physics
and continuum mechanics, can be used to understand the structure and evolution of the Earth,
and to a lesser extent, the other terrestrial planets. Our approach is different from that taken in
Part IA Geology, and does not assume knowledge of the material in that course. The course is
mainly intended for students who are theoretically inclined. It includes practicals, which are de-
signed to help students understand concepts discussed in the lectures. These practicals are like
those in IA Geology, or the unassessed practicals in IA Materials and Minerals, in that they are
not written up and demonstrators are present to help with any problems. An understanding of
the concepts involved in the practicals will be tested in the written examination. Some of the lec-
tures will be given by the other members of the Department of Earth Sciences whose present re-
search is concerned with the topics that are part of the course.

I n t r od u ct ion t o geop h ys ics : Theories of planetary formation, composition of terrestrial
planets and the bulk composition of the Earth, origin of the crust, mantle, and core, large scale
static structure of the Earth.

Pla t e t ect on ics : Rotation vectors and poles of rotation, triple junctions, present-day plate mo-
tion, reconstructing past plate motions.

Con t in u u m m ech a n ics : Fundamental laws of continuum mechanics, analysis of stress, de-
formation and strain.

Seis m ology a n d ela s t ic wa ve p r op a ga t ion : Linearised theory of elasticity and the wave
equation, P and S waves, Eikonal equation and geometrical ray theory, partitioning of seismic
energy at a boundary, ray characteristics in simplified flat and spherical Earth models, and sur-
face wave propagation.

Ea r t h s t r u ct u r e: Travel time curves; group and phase velocity dispersion curves; travel time,
dispersion and waveform inversion for velocity structure; velocity structure of the crust, mantle
and core.

Th e ea r t h qu a ke s ou r ce: Earthquake locations, fault plane solutions, the seismic moment
tensor, earthquake dynamics, body wave and surface wave modelling, earthquake mechanisms
and crustal deformation.

Th er m a l a n d m ech a n ica l s t r u ct u r e of p la t es : Structure of oceanic and continental plates,
isostasy and gravity, thermal models, depth of the oceans, subduction, basin formation, the elas-
tic layer on Earth and Venus.

Dyn a m ic p r oces s es : Heat sources of Earth and Venus, thermodynamics of convection, con-
vective regime of the mantle, the cooling of the mantle, thermal history of the mantle.

Immediately after the Michaelmas term is over, Part II students in the Department of Earth Sci-
ences take a week long tectonics field trip to Greece. This is an excellent way to see first hand the
surface manifestation of earthquake faulting and other geophysical topics discussed from a more
theoretical viewpoint in the Physics of the Earth as a Planet lectures. Students taking this Part III
Physics course are welcome to come on the Greece field course but the field trip is not connected
to the Physics of the Earth as a Planet lectures as such. The cost for the trip is around 85.

BOOKS
The solid Earth, Fowler C M R (2nd edn CUP 2004)
This is an excellent general book on geophysics. It covers about half of the course, but uses less
mathematics than we do. Fowlers discussion of seismology is briefer than that of the present
course, and she does not discuss mantle convection and dynamics at all.
Introduction to Seismology, P M Sheaver (CUP 1999)
This text covers most of the material discussed in the course lectures on seismology.
Geodynamics, Turcotte D L & Schubert G (Wiley 2002)
This covers much of the material of the course except seismology, at about the same mathematical
level that we will use. It contains many problems with their solutions.
QUANTUM CONDENSED MATTER FI ELD THEORY
B D Simons
As well as Part IB NST mathematics, the course will assume a basic knowledge of Lagrangian, sta-
tistical, and quantum mechanics. Exposure to the Part II theory courses (TP1 and TP2) and Quan-
tum Condensed Matter course is useful but not essential.

Collect ive Ph en om en a - Fr om Pa r t icles t o Field s : Linear harmonic chain and free scalar
field theory; functional analysis; quantisation of the classical field; phonons; relation to quantum
electrodynamics; concept of broken symmetry, collective modes, elementary excitations and uni-
versality.

Secon d Qu a n t is a t ion : Fock states; creation and annihilation operators for Bose and Fermi
systems; represention of one and two-body operators; canonical transformations; Applications to
the interacting electron gas; Wannier states, strong correlation and the Mott transition; quantum
ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism, spin representations and SU(2) spin algebra, spin-
waves;
spin liquids; weakly interacting Bose gas.

Pa t h I n t egr a l Met h od s : Propagators and the construction of the Feynman Path integral;
Gaussian functional integration, stationary phase and saddle-point analyses; relation to semi-
classics and statistical mechanics; quantum harmonic oscillator and the single well; double well,
instantons, and tunnelling phenomena;
metastability.

Ma n y-Bod y Field I n t egr a l: Bose and Fermi coherent states; Grassmann algebra; coherent
state path integral; quantum partition function; Bogoluibov theory of the weakly interacting Bose
gas and superfluidity; Cooper pair instability, and the BCS theory of superconductivity; Ginzburg-
Landau phenomenology and the connection to classical statistical field theory;
Gauge theory and

the Anderson-Higgs mechanism;
Resonance superfluidity in ultracold atomic gases and the BEC

to BCS crossover.

I t a li cs denote specific mathematical topics.
Items marked
will be largely used as source material for problem sets and supervision.
Lea r n i n g a i m s : By the end of this course, you will be familiar with the basic foundations of qua-
tum field theory including the method of second quantisation, the Feynman path integral, and
field integral techniques. On the Feynman path integral, you will be able to address the quantum
mechanics of single particle systems from the physics of bound state systems to the estimation of
tunnelling rates in unbound systems. On the field integral, you will be able to formulate the coher-
ent state path integral of many-particle bosonic and fermionic systems. In particular, you will be
able to address the quantum mechanics of superfluid and superconducting systems. Finally, you
will have an appreciation of how the concepts of quantum field theory provide a common lan-
guage to address phase transitions and collective phenomena in both high and low energy quan
tum many-particle systems.
BOOKS
Condensed Matter Field Theory, Altland A and Simons B D (CUP 2006).
Statistical Mechanics, Feynman R P and Hibbs A R (McGraw-Hill 1965).
Quantum Field Theory in Condensed Matter Physics, Nagaosa N (Springer 1999).
Quantum Many-Particle Systems, Negele J W and Orland H (Addison-Wesley 1988).
Techniques and Applications of Path Integration, Schulman L S (Wiley 1981).
The Physics of Quantum Fields, Stone M. (Springer 2000).
Path Integrals in Quantum Mechanics, Zinn-Justin J (Oxford Graduate Texts 2004).
Lectures on Statistical Physics, Levitov L S (http://www.mit.edu/~levitov/8.334/)
QUANTUM FI ELD THEORY
A C Davis (Part III Maths)
Quantum field theory is the language in which much of modern physics is formulated. It pro-
vides a synthesis of quantum theory and special relativity and offers a mathematical framework
in which to describe many particle systems. This course is an introduction to quantum field the-
ory using the canonical quantization approach in which classical degrees of freedom are replaced
by operators.

Th is cou r s e r equ ir es a h igh -level of m a t h em a t ica l fa cilit y.

Cla s s ica l Field Th eor y: Lagrangian field theory, Symmetries, Noethers theorem and con-
served currents, Hamiltonian field theory.

Ca n on ica l Qu a n t iza t ion : The Klein-Gordon equation, Free quantum fields, Vacuum energy,
Emergence of particles, The Heisenberg picture, Causality and propagators, Applications, Non-
relativistic field theory.

I n t er a ct in g Field s : Types of interaction, The interaction picture, Dysons formula, Scattering,
Wicks theorem, Feynman diagrams and Feynman rules, Amplitudes, Greens functions, Con-
nected diagrams and vacuum bubbles.

Th e Dir a c Equ a t ion : The Lorentz group, Clifford algebras, Spinor representation, The Dirac
Lagrangian, Chiral spinors, The Weyl equation, Symmetries and currents.

Qu a n t izin g t h e Dir a c Field : A glimpse at the spin-statistics theorem, Fermionic quantization,
Fermi-Dirac statistics, Propagators, Particles and anti-particles, Diracs hole interpretation.

Qu a n t u m Elect r od yn a m ics : Gauge invariance, Quantization, QED, Lorentz invariant propa-
gators, Feynman rules, Processes in QED involving electrons, positrons and photons.

BOOKS
An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory, Peskin M E and Schroeder D V (Addison-Wesley
1996) A very clear and comprehensive book. To a large extent, the course will follow the first sec-
tion of this book.
Quantum Field Theory, Ryder L H (2nd edn CUP 1996) An elementary text covering most of the
material in this course.
Quantum Field Theory in a Nutshell, Zee, A (Princeton University Press 2003). A charming book,
where the emphasis is placed on physical understanding and the author isnt afraid to hide the
ugly truth when necessary. However, Zee primarily uses the path integral approach which we
wont cover in this course.
The Quantum Theory of Fields, Vol 1. Weinberg S (CUP 1995). Weinberg takes a unique route
through the subject, focussing initially on particles rather than fields.

There is a course webpage with lecture notes at:
http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/tong/qft.html
RELATI VI STI C ASTROPHYSI CS AND COSMOLOGY
A C Fabian and A N Lasenby
This course builds on material from the Part II Relativity course. It will be helpful to have taken
Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics in Part II.

I n t r od u ct ion : The main constituents of the Universe: solar system, stars, nebulae, star clusters,
galaxies, clusters, radio sources, quasars etc. Sizes, velocities, masses, luminosities. The distance
scale.

Gen er a l Rela t ivit y: Review of foundations of general relativity: equivalence principle, strong
and weak forms, curved spaces, the geodesic equation, the field equations, Schwarzschild solution.

St a r s , wh it e d wa r fs , n eu t r on s t a r s : The physics of stars and stellar evolution, stellar struc-
ture, white dwarfs and the Chandrasekhar mass. General relativistic treatment of stellar struc-
ture, the Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations. Neutron star structure, mass-radius relation for cold
matter, pair production and annihilation.

Th e en d -p oin t s of s t ella r evolu t ion : Supernovae, pulsars, supernova remnants, shock waves,
accretion, accretion discs, the Eddington limit. X-ray binaries, the Crab Nebula, binary and milli-
second pulsars, tests of general relativity.

Bla ck h oles : Formation, observational evidence, accretion discs, effects of spin.

Act ive Ga la ct ic Nu clei ( AGN) : Radiation processes, energy budget, Eddington limit and
growth. Special relativistic effects in jetted sources. Gamma-ray bursts.

Gr a vit a t ion a l wa ves : wave solutions to Einsteins equations in vacuum. Detection of gravita-
tional waves. Astrophysical sources of radiation.

Ga la xies a n d clu s t er s of ga la xies : Observational properties and structure. Black hole feed-
back. Evidence for dark matter. Gravitational lenses, rotation curves.

Th e Rober t s on -Wa lker m et r ic: Basic observations. Hubbles law, isotropy and homogeneity
of the Universe, comoving coordinates and spatial curvature, redshift. Distance measures, decel-
eration parameter, luminosity-redshift and angular diameter-redshift relations. Observed flux
versus redshift relations. Number counts.

Th e s t a n d a r d Fr ied m a n n m od els : General solutions, cosmological constant, the redshift-
cosmic time relation, horizons, the flatness and isotropy problems. Ages of stars and galaxies.
Methods for determining the Hubble constant.

Th e Micr owa ve Ba ckgr ou n d Ra d ia t ion : Evolution of blackbody spectrum. Energy densities,
recombination and timescales. Imprints on the CMB and relation to the growth of structure.

Th e Ea r ly Un iver s e: Nucleosynthesis, baryon asymmetry. Inflation and the problems it ad-
dresses. Origin of perturbations. Cosmological parameters and observations. Clues to the earliest
times, links with fundamental theory.

BOOKS
At r ou gh ly t h e level of t h e cou r s e:
Essential Relativity, Rindler W (2nd edn Springer 1990). Good introduction to GR and cosmol-
ogy.
Principles of Cosmology and Gravitation, Berry M V (2nd edn IoP 1989). Elementary but clear
introduction to GR and cosmology, taking similar line to that used in course.
Black holes, White Dwarfs and Neutron Stars (The Physics of Compact Objects), Shapiro S L &
Teukolsky S A (Wiley 1983). Good textbook for parts of course. Aimed at advanced physics stu-
dents.
Accretion Power in Astrophysics, Frank J, King A & Raine D (2nd edn CUP 1992). Useful for high
energy astrophysics aspects.
High Energy Astrophysics, Vols 1 and 2, Longair M S (2nd edn CUP 1992 1994). Useful chapters.
Exploring Black Holes: Introduction to General Relativity, Taylor E F & Wheeler J A (Addison-
Wesley 2001).
Su p p lem en t a r y r ea d in g a t a n elem en t a r y level:
The Physical Universe, Shu F (University Science Books 1982). Excellent introduction to the
whole field of astrophysics and cosmology.
The Big Bang, Silk J (2nd edn Freeman 1989).
Our Evolving Universe, Longair M S (CUP 1996)
Black Holes, Luminet J (CUP 1992). Excellent paperback account of black holes
Gravitys Fatal Attraction: Black Holes and the Universe, Begelman M C and Rees M (Freeman:
Scientific American 1996)
Mor e a d va n ced books cover in g Gen er a l Rela t ivit y in gr ea t er d et a il:
Introducing Einsteins Relativity, dInverno R (OUP 1995)
Introduction to Cosmology, Narlikar J V (2nd edn CUP 1993)
General Relativity: An Introduction for Physicists, Hobson M P, Efstathiou G P & Lasenby A N
(CUP 2006)
SOFT MATTER AND BI OLOGI CAL PHYSI CS
U Keyser and R Goldstein
This course will provide an overview of the physics and mathematical description of soft matter as
well as living systems. The subjects and approaches, from phenomenology to detailed calculations,
will span the range of length scales from molecular to ecological. We will approach the topic from
the forces of interaction at the molecular level and go upwards through the length scales to discuss
complex, living materials.

Micr os cop ic p h ys ics
Poisson Boltzmann equation, Debye Huckel, surface potentials, Poisson-Boltzmann equation in
spherical, cylindrical geometry, Manning condensation of long chain molecules, Brownian mo-
tion, fluctuation-dissipation theorem.

Flu ct u a t ion in d u ced for ces
Review of polymer physics, freely jointed chains, worm-like chains, single chain experiments, pro-
tein unfolding, Van der Waals interaction, attraction of neutral objects of arbitrary shape, DLVO
theory.

Ela s t icit y
Curve dynamics, Lagrangian dynamics, general 2-dimensional curves, curve shortening equation,
global constraints, space curves, vortex rings, viscous drag, elastic coefficients , Elastohydrody-
namics, Stokes equation, reversibility, Euler Buckling, Strain and Stress tensor, generalization of
Hookes Law, Twisted worm-like-chain.

Ch em ica l kin et ics a n d p a t t er n for m a t ion
Michaelis Menten Kinetics, cooperativity, slaving, diffusive effects in pattern formation, instabili-
ties, reaction diffusion systems, Fitz-Hugh Nagumo model, separation of timescales, front dynam-
ics, bioconvection, gyrotaxis.

Mem br a n e t r a n s p or t
Passive diffusion- and energy-driven transport, nucleo-cytoplasmic transport, Diffusion through
membranes, lipophilic ions, ionchannels, ionophores.

Elect r okin et ic effect s
Polymer dynamics in gels, electrophoresis-/osmosis in channels, pressure driven flows, streaming
currents and potentials, electrokinetic and hydrodynamic effects in confinement, nanopores.

I n t r od u ct or y Rea d in g
Biological Physics, P. Nelson, W. H. Freeman (2007)
Mathematical Biology I. and II., J. D. Murray, Springer (2007, 2008)
Molecular Driving Forces, K. Dill and S. Bromberg, Garland Science (2009)

Ad va n ced a n d Com p lem en t a r y Rea d in g
Soft Condensed Matter Physics in Molecular and Cell Biology, D. Andelman & W. Poon, Taylor &
Francis (2006)
Van der Waals Forces, A. Parsegian, CUP (2005)
Intermolecular and Surface Force, J. N. Israelachvili, Academic Press (1992)
The Theory of Polymer Dynamics, M. Doi & S. Edwards, OUP (1986)
Theory of the Stability of Lyophobic Colloids, E. Verwey and J. Overbeek, Elsevier (1948)
Part III Experimental and Theoretical Physics Minor Topics 98
ATMOSPHERI C PHYSI CS
M Herzog and H Graf
The course is split into two parts. In the first part the principles of atmospheric physics will be in-
troduced followed by an overview of mean circulation and climate variability. The second part fo-
cuses on cloud physical processes and their treatment in numerical models. The titles of the
lectures are as follows:

1. Thermodynamics of the atmosphere
2. Atmospheric radiation
3. Basics of hydrodynamics
4. Vorticity and divergence
5. Waves in the atmosphere
6. General atmospheric circulation
7. Energy cycle in the atmosphere
8. Atmospheric ocean coupling, ENSO
9. Teleconnections, e.g. NAO
10. Climate system modelling
11. Clouds - classification and types
12. Cloud microphysics
13. Cloud dynamics
14. Cloud modelling
15. Cloud parameterization
16. Open science problems, e.g. aerosol cloud interaction

Lectures 1. to 6. and 11. to 16. will be given by Michael Herzog, lectures 7. to 10. by Hans Graf.

BOOKS

An Introduction to Atmospheric Physics. David G. Andrews, Cambridge
University Press, 2005.

A Short Course in Cloud Physics. R. R. Rogers and M. K. Yau, Elsevier
Science, 1996.

Global Warming, Understanding the Forecast. David Archer, Blackwell
Publishing, 2008.

BI OLOGI CAL PHYSI CS
K Chalut
This course is an introduction to the physics of biological systems at the molecular and cellular
level. The emphasis is on the design principles that living systems use to accomplish multifarious
cellular processes, enabling them to sense and react to their environment. A set of case studies
aims to demonstrate how physicists experience of the behaviour of complex systems can com-
plement experimental investigations by biologists to explain how living systems work, and why
biology is the way it is. The course also introduces some of the methods currently used in biologi-
cal physics. Exposure to material from the Part II Soft Condensed Matter and Biophysics course
will be beneficial.

Cells : What's in a cell? Component molecules. Cellular processes. Significance of Brownian mo-
tion, noise and stochasticity.

I n for m a t ion a n d Regu la t ion : DNA replication. RNA, transcription and translation. Promo-
tors, repressors and operons, DNA topology.

St r u ct u r a l elem en t s 1: Lipid bilayer, membranes and vesicles. Endocytosis and trafficking.

En er gy: Chemiosmotic theory. Membrane potential, Nernst relation, ion channels and pumps.
Metabolism and the synthesis of ATP.

St r u ct u r a l elem en t s 2: The cytoskeleton: mictrotubles, actin filaments, networks and gels.
Cell movements and locomotion.

Molecu la r m a ch in es : Motor proteins and isothermal ratchets. Mechanochemistry and the
Kramers equation. Muscle contraction. Processive motors. Rotary motors.

Sen s or y cells : Hair cells in the ear. Active signal detection and cochlear mechanics. Phototrans-
duction in the retina.

Ner ve im p u ls es : Axons and the action potential. Hodgkin-Huxley model. Spiking and bursting.

Met h od s 1: Light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, confocal and multiphoton microscopy,
FRET, FRAP.

Met h od s 2: Optical tweezers, other optical traps, atomic force microscopy and single molecule
experiments.

BOOKS
Essential Cell Biology, Alberts B et al. (Garland 2003).
Biological Physics: Energy, Information, Life, Nelson P (WH Freeman 2003).
Cell Movements, Bray D (Garland 2000).
Mechanics of Motor Proteins and the Cytoskeleton, Howard J (Sinauer 2000)
FORMATI ON OF STRUCTURE I N THE UNI VERSE
P Alexander
This course builds on material in the Relativistic Astrophysics and Cosmology Major option and
discusses how structure forms in the universe on all scales from planets and stars, through galax-
ies to the largest structures we know about. Throughout the course we develop physical models
motivated by the evidence from a wide range of observational data we now have available. The
topics covered are at the forefront of active research in astrophysics and failings of our current
understanding and models will be discussed along with likely developments in the near future.
It is assumed that students have taken Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics in Part II.
I n t r od u ct ion : overview of the evolution of structure in the universe; properties of galaxies in the
local universe; star-forming regions; a first-look at the high-redshift universe.
Ph ys ica l p r oces s es in ba r yon ic ga s : heating processes; cooling processes; cooling curves;
thermal stability and instability; multi-phase medium in galaxies; baryonic gas in the early uni-
verse.
Gr a vit a t ion a l s t a bilit y a n d in s t a bilit y: the isothermal sphere as a simple model; virial equi-
librium; Jeans analysis in an infinite medium; role of magnetic fields, turbulence and angular
momentum.
For m a t ion of s t a r s a n d p la n et s : inside-out collapse; formation of the first core and second
core; deuterium burning; hydrogen burning; angular-moment, discs and stellar jets; planet for-
mation; extra-solar planets.
St a r -for m a t ion on ga la ct ic s ca les : properties and structure of star-forming galaxies; initial
mass functions; factors controlling star formation; Schmidt-Kennicutt star-formation law; star-
bursts; a first look at star formation histories.
Cos m ologica l or igin s of s t r u ct u r e: Origin and early growth of density perturbations and the
matter power spectrum.
Ga la xy for m a t ion : collapse of a spherical over density; evolution of the baryonic gas; numerical
simulations; hierarchical structure formation; failure of the simple model; the need for feedback;
supernova feedback; AGN feedback; improved models for galaxy evolution; galaxy dynamics.
Th e h igh -r ed s h ift u n iver s e a n d ga la xy evolu t ion : properties of galaxies at high redshift;
Lyman-break galaxies; the Hubble deep field; old red galaxies; evolution of the AGN population;
evolution of the galaxy population; confronting predictions and observations.
La r ge-s ca le s t r u ct u r e: clu s t er s a n d s u p er clu s t er s ; correlation functions; remnants of pri-
mordial structure; the cosmic web.
Ch a llen ges : problems with our current models of galaxy formation; the end of the dark ages
the epoch of re-ionisation; the equation of state of dark energy; testing our predictions.
BOOKS

The physics of the interstellar medium, Dyson J E and Williams D A (2
nd
edition IoP)
Accretion processes in star formation, Hartman L (Cambridge)
An introduction to modern cosmology, Liddle A (2nd edition Wiley) a good and relatively sim-
ple text to put material in context
The Structure & Evolution of Galaxies, Philips S (Wiley)
Galaxy formation, Longair M S (2
nd
edition Springer)
Cosmology the origin and evolution of cosmic structure, Coles P and Lucchin F (2
nd
edition
Wiley) a more advanced text
GAUGE FI ELD THEORY
J R Batley
This course is an introduction to the gauge field theories of modern Particle Physics, focusing on
the gauge-invariant Lagrangian of the Standard Model of electroweak and strong interactions,
with particle masses introduced via spontaneous symmetry breaking (the Higgs mechanism).
There are no formal prerequisites for the course though it would be helpful to have attended the
Part III Particle Physics or Quantum Field Theory Major Options; for those who have not, the lec-
tures cover the essential material, including the necessary relativistic quantum field theory.

Rela t ivis t ic qu a n t u m m ech a n ics : Covariant notation; transition rates; phase space; two-
body decay and scattering; interaction and scattering via particle exchange; Feynman graphs;
Klein-Gordon equation; Dirac equation; free-particle spinors; helicity and chirality; electromag-
netic interactions, photons; charge conjugation; gamma matrix algebra; Compton scattering.

Rela t ivis t ic qu a n t u m field s : Classical field theory, Lagrangian densities; Klein-Gordon field;
Fourier analysis; second quantization; single-particle and two-particle states; quantising the elec-
tromagnetic field; vacuum energy and normal ordering; complex fields; symmetries and conserva-
tion laws; Noethers theorem; Dirac field; spin-statistics theorem; Majorana fields.

Ga u ge field t h eor ies : Gauge symmetry in QED; non-Abelian gauge symmetry; strong interac-
tions, QCD; weak interactions; electroweak interactions; spontaneous symmetry breaking; gauge
boson masses; the unitary gauge; Yukawa interactions, quark and lepton masses; Higgs mecha-
nism; parameters of the Standard Model; properties of the Higgs boson.

Ren or m a lis a t ion : Ultraviolet divergences; renormalisability; dimensions of fields and cou-
plings; non-renormalisable interactions and effective theories.

Beyon d t h e St a n d a r d Mod el: neutrino masses, the seesaw mechanism; grand unification,
SU(5).
BOOKS
Quantum Field Theory, Mandl F and Shaw G (2nd edn Wiley 2009)
A Modern Introduction to Quantum Field Theory, Maggiore M (OUP 2005)
Gauge Theories in Particle Physics, Aitchison I J R and Hey A J G (3rd edn 2 vols IoP 2003)
1995)

MEDI CAL PHYSI CS
R E Ansorge and Others
This course is intended to give an overview of some of the Medical applications of Physics. Most
of the lectures are given by Addenbrookes Hospital staff. The material should be accessible to all
Part III students.

I n t r od u ct ion : The scope of medical physics, introduction to the biological problem, radiation
terms and units, statutory responsibilities.

Mech a n is m s of en er gy los s by ion is in g r a d ia t ion in biologica l m a t er ia ls : Classical cal-
culation of energy loss by heavy charged particles, extension to electrons, ranges of charged parti-
cles and Bragg curves. Interaction of neutrons with matter. Mechanisms of energy loss by
electromagnetic radiation. X-ray production (kilovoltage and Megavoltage). Radiation dosimetry.

Us e of X-r a ys for d ia gn os is : X-ray imaging: X-ray image transducers and image intensifiers;
assessment of image quality and the modulation transfer function. Mammography. X-ray com-
puted tomography. Patient dose measurement and typical doses in diagnostic radiology. Radia-
tion Protection.

I m a gin g wit h r a d ioa ct ive t r a cer s : Single-photon imaging: optimal tracer properties; photon
detection using a gamma camera; acquisition modes. Tomographic image reconstruction: data re-
quired for tomography; analytical and iterative reconstruction algorithms. Positron-emission to-
mography (PET): cyclotron production of positron-emitters; positron emission and annihilation;
detection of annihilation photon pairs; acquisition modes; image reconstruction and data correc-
tions.

Dia gn os t ic u lt r a s ou n d : Interaction of ultrasound with tissue; ultrasound transducer and the
ultrasound field; A-, M-, B-modes and real-time imaging; common image artefacts; Doppler tech-
niques; safety considerations; clinical examples.

Ma gn et ic r es on a n ce im a gin g a n d s p ect r os cop y: Controlling the magnetic nucleus, proton
density T
1
and T
2
measurements, the imaging process, coil design, field strength and safety con-
siderations, MR spectroscopy.

Com bin in g im a gin g m od a lit ies : Techniques for image registration. Combining images from
multiple modalities.

Ra d iot h er a p y: Introduction to radiobiology. Relative biological effectiveness. Choice of radia-
tion for radiotherapy. Medical linear accelerators. Radiotherapy treatment planning with external
beams. Use of CT and MR images in treatment planning. Radiation distribution around closed
sources, source distributions and dose specification, equipment and clinical applications.
BOOKS
The physics of radiology, Johns H E & Cunningham J R (4th edn Charles C Thomas 1983). This is
a good general text on the interaction of radiation with matter, and on radiotherapy physics. See
particularly Chapters 2.8-2.11, 3, 4.1-4.5, 5, 6, 15.

The physics of medical imaging, Webb S (ed) (IoP Publ. 1988). This is a good general text for the
imaging part of the course, particularly chapters 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 & 8.

Physics for Medical Imaging, Farr R F and Allisy-Roberts P J (Saunders 1997)

Radionuclide Imaging Techniques, Sharp P F, Dendy P P & Keyes W I (Academic Press 1985). See
particularly chapters 2 & 3.

Diagnostic ultrasonics; principles and use of instruments, McDicken W N (3rd edn Churchill Liv-
ingstone 1991). Several chapters are relevant, but especially 3, 4, 8 & 11.

The Physics of Radiotherapy X-rays from linear accelerators. Metcalf P, Kron T and Hoban P.
(Medical Physics Publishing 1997)

Physics for Diagnostic Radiology, Dendy P P and Heaton B (2nd edn IOP Publishing 1999).
A good general introduction to diagnostic imaging before consulting other references for more de-
tailed physics.

The Theory and Practice of 3D PET, Bendriem B and Townsend D W (eds) (Kluwer Academic
1998). Covers scanner design, data acquisition, image reconstruction and image quantitation.

Atlas of Clinical Positron Emission Tomography, Maisey M N, Wahl R L and Barrington S F (Ar-
nold 1999). Up-to-date coverage of the clinical applications of PET.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Physical Principles and Sequence Design, Haacke E M, Brown R
W, Thompson M R and Venkatesan R (Wiley 1999). A very comprehensive technical reference.

MRI from Picture to Proton, McRobbie D W, Moore E A, Graves M J, Prince M R (CUP 2006). A
very readable, recent book, with a clinical bias which includes some of the basic physics.
NONLI NEAR OPTI CS AND QUANTUM STATES OF LI GHT
M Atatre
These minor option lectures will provide a basic overview on the field of nonlinear optics from
classical to quantum-mechanical descriptions of light. A survey of key nonlinear optical processes
will be covered and recent advances of the field leading to the generation of nonclassical states of
light displaying squeezing and entanglement will be discussed. Finally, some applications of
photonic states in quantum information processing will be highlighted.

Attendance at the Atomic and Optical Physics Major Option lectures will be advantageous, but is
not required.

I n t r od u ct ion : Historical development of nonlinear optics, physical origins of nonlinear re-
sponse, anharmonic oscillators, coupled wave equations, classical and quantum mechanical deri-
vation of nonlinear optical susceptibility.

Secon d -Or d er Non lin ea r I n t er a ct ion s : second harmonic generation, depleted pump effects,
Gaussian beams, pulse propagation in nonlinear medium.

Gen er a l Pa r a m et r ic Pr oces s es : up-conversion, amplification, and cavity-assisted oscillation,
optical gain, sum- and difference-frequency generation, phase matching, quasi-phase matching,
Sellmeier equations, optical tuning curves.

Non lin ea r it ies in Refr a ct ive I n d ex: Third-order nonlinearity, Kerr medium, intensity de-
pendence and self-focusing, effects of molecular orientation and semiconductor nonlinearities,
acousto- and electro-optic effects.

Non cla s s ica l ligh t : parametric fluorescence, squeezed light, quantum correlations and photon
statistics, Fock, thermal and coherent states of light, superposition and entanglement.

Ap p lica t ion s in qu a n t u m in for m a t ion p r oces s in g: Quantum Cryptography with weak co-
herent states and entangled photons, linear-optics quantum computation, NOON states and
quantum lithography.

Su p er vis ion s : The course will include 4 supervisions to cover example problems and supple-
mentary concepts.
BOOKS
Principles of Nonlinear Optics, Shen Y R (Wiley-Interscience 1984)
Nonlinear Optics, Boyd R W (Academic Press 2003)
Quantum Electronics, Yariv A (John Wiley & Sons 1989)
Quantum Theory of Light, Loudon R (OUP 2000)
Optical Coherence & Quantum Optics, Mandel L and Wolf E (CUP 1995)

PARTI CLE ASTROPHYSI CS
M A Parker and G P Efstathiou
This course will give a basic introduction to experimental and theoretical aspects of particle astro-
physics. The aim of the course is to emphasise the connection between the very large (cosmology)
and the very small (particle physics) and to demonstrate that the early Universe provides the `ul-
timate' particle accelerator, giving access to energies that will never be created by machines on
Earth.

Over view of a s t r op a r t icle p h ys ics : Links between particle physics and cosmology, the big
open questions.

Th e t h er m a l h is t or y of t h e Un iver s e: Timeline and concept of freezeout. Synthesis of light
elements. The mystery of baryon asymmetry, Sakharov criteria.

CP viola t ion a n d ba r yogen es is : How CP violation can create baryons. Experimental evidence
for CP violation. CP violation in SUSY models.

Th e m a t t er con t en t of t h e Un iver s e: Evidence for dark matter, possible explanations, current
searches. Dark energy.

I n fla t ion : Horizon and flatness problem, inflation, reheating. Problems of Higgs field in the early
universe. Use of CMB fluctuations as a cosmological probe.

Relics fr om t h e Ea r ly Un iver s e: Dark matter abundance, monopoles, cosmic strings and tex-
tures. Comparison of WMAP results with SUSY models and HEP constraints.

Cos m ic r a ys : spectrum, GKZ cut-off, astrophysical sources and acceleration mechanisms.

Neu t r in os : neutrino fluxes, detection, neutrino oscillations and masses. Double-beta decay ex-
periments, astrophysical constraints on neutrino masses. Relic neutrinos.

Mod ified gr a vit y: Gravitational waves. MOND. Extra dimensions, brane-worlds.
Tests of short-range gravity.

Bla ck h oles : Black holes, hawking radiation, quantum black holes.

BOOKS

Particle Astrophysics, Perkins D (Oxford University Press). This is available in paperback and is
pitched at about the right level for the course, though it does not cover inflationary cosmology in
much detail.

Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, Bergstrm L and Goobar A (Wiley 1999). Dated and has
more advanced material than is required for the course.

The Physical Foundations of Cosmology, Mukhnaov V (CUP 2005). Graduate level text, but with
useful pedagogical discussions of nucleosynthesis and baryogenisis.

The Early Universe, Kolb E and Turner M (Westview Press 1994). The classic graduate text, but
now very dated.
SUPERCONDUCTI VI TY AND QUANTUM COHERENCE
G G Lonzarich
The course presents a unified treatment of superconductivity, superfluidity and Bose-Einstein
condensation as an introduction to the general problem of quantum coherence. It is assumed that
students taking this course will have also done Advanced Quantum Condensed Matter Physics.

I n t r od u ct ion t o Su p er con d u ct ivit y: Historical overview; superconducting materials; macro-
scopic properties; Meissner effect and levitation; type-I and type-II states; Landau theory; critical
field B
c
.

Gin zbu r g-La n d a u Th eor y: The Ginzburg-Landau free energy and Ginzburg-Landau equa-
tions; London equations; penetration depth and coherence length; gauge transformations and
gauge symmetry breaking (broken symmetry in internal space).

Vor t ex Ma t t er : Flux quantization; vortex lines and vortex lattice; the critical fields B
c1
and B
c2
,
type-I and type-II superconductivity; vortex pinning and critical currents; vortex liquid state.

J os ep h s on Effect a n d SQUI Ds : DC and AC Josephson effects; gauge invariant phase; quan-
tum interference for weak links; the DC SQUID; applications.

Su p er flu id it y: Phenomenology; superfluid wavefunction; two-fluid model and the fountain ef-
fect; flow quantization and vortices; first and second sound; rotons; Landaus critical velocity.

Bos e-Ein s t ein Con d en s a t ion ( BEC) : Ultra-cold atomic gases; BEC with weak interactions;
coherent states and second quantization; the Bogoliubov Theory and connection to the phenome-
nological Ginzurg-Landau Theory.

Th e Ba r d een -Coop er -Sch r ieffer ( BCS) Th eor y: BEC to BCS cross-over; Cooper pairs; the
BCS wavefunction; the Bogoliubov quasiparticles and the energy gap; experimental evidence for
the validity of the BCS theory; order parameter and the Ginzburg-Landau coherence length.

Cu r r en t Pr oblem s in Su p er flu id it y a n d Su p er con d u ct ivit y: Unconventional forms of
quantum order; p-wave spin-triplet superfluidity in
3
He; spin-triplet superconductivity in
Sr
2
RuO
4
and UGe
2
; d-wave superconductivity in the high T
c
cuprates; phase-sensitive measure-
ments of the gap anisotropy; the pseudo-gap state; unconventional mechanisms for superconduc-
tivity; collective modes in superfluids and superconductors; the Anderson-Higgs mechanism and
superconductivity.

BOOKS

Superconductivity, Superfluids and Condensates, Annett J F (Oxford University Press, 2004)
Superconductivity of Metals and Cuprates, Waldram J R (Institute of Physics Publishing, 1996)

Also:

Bose-Einstein Condensation in Dilute Gases, Pethick C J and Smith H (Cambridge University
Press, 2002)
Introduction to Superconductivity, Tinkham M (McGraw-Hill, 1996)
THE FRONTI ERS OF EXPERI MENTAL CONDENSED MATTER PHYSI CS
W Allison
The development of condensed matter physics has relied on unexpected phenomena revealed by
experiment and a formidable array of experimental methods are available to probe matter on
atomic scales of length and time. The aim is to introduce a range of experimental tools that are
used in for characterising and analysing solids. The course will develop the Physics underlying
both microscopic and scattering probes. In that sense the material and presentation of the course
will reinforce, and build on, the basic concepts of the Part II course.

Pr obes a n d p h en om en ology: The scattering of electrons, photons and neutrons. Diffraction
and elastic scattering. Inelastic processes: energy-loss, absorption and excitations. Fundamental
excitations.

Su r fa ces a n d in t er fa ces : Effect of a surface on a bulk probe (electrons and photons). Basic
surface phenomenology: relaxation and reconstruction.

St r u ct u r e a n d excit a t ion s : Kinematic scattering from static lattices and periodic distortions.
Direct methods and Patterson function. Basic structure determination. Dynamical scattering,
thermal and diffuse scattering, Debye-Waller. Structure from x-ray absorption (EXAFS).

Elect r on ic p r op er t ies of s olid s : Photoemission: ultra-violet and x-ray photoemission. Core-
level shifts, Band-structure determination. Dynamical effects.

Elect r on m icr os cop y: Transmission and Scanning microscopy, factors affecting contrast and
resolution, Analytic methods: electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), x-ray emission. Ultra-
high resolution.

Sca n n ed p r obe t ech n iqu es : Tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy. Atom manipulation.
Atomic force microscopy and related probes of local forces.

At om -s ca le d yn a m ics : Observation of phenomena on sub-picosecond time-scales. Pump-
probe laser methods. Spin-echo technique.

BOOKS
No single text covers the course material. The following are recommended sources for the back-
ground material.

Diffraction Physics, Cowley J M (2nd revised edn North Holland 1990).
Structure and Dynamics, Dove M T (OUP 2002)
Modern Techniques in Surface Science, Woodruff D P and Delchar T A (2nd edn CUP 1994)
Scanning Probe Microscopy and Spectroscopy: Methods and applications, Wiesendanger R
(CUP 1994)

THE FRONTI ERS OF OBSERVATI ONAL ASTROPHYSI CS
R D E Saunders
Aim: to provide an entry to the observational methods and techniques of astrophysics, outlining
the physics underlying the equipment and methods, and studying selected projects at the fore-
front of current research.

There are no formal prerequisites, save for the core material in Part IB and Part II Physics.
Some passing exposure to astrophysical objects and phenomena would be helpful attendance
at some of the Astrophysics (the Part II Astrophysical Fluids or Topics in Astrophysics) lectures,
for example, will have provided this.

I n t r od u ct ion : Role and need for precision observations. The astronomical methodology.

Pr obes of t h e u n iver s e: The need to exploit the full EM spectrum to obtain information on dif-
ferent physical processes. Use of different radiation sources for diagnosing physical conditions.
Methods for measuring distances, temperatures, velocities, masses, densities etc.

Exp er im en t a l d es ign : Selection of samples of objects to replace laboratory experiments. In-
completeness, Malmquist bias and Lutz-Kelker bias. Bayesian inference.

Example: Measuring the size of the universe with supernovae: example of a case study where de-
tection of faint sources has to be understood given cosmological effects and selection biases.

Fu n d a m en t a l r equ ir em en t s a n d lim it a t ion s : Angular resolution, spectral resolution, sensi-
tivity, noise sources, polarisation measurement, sampling and digitisation.

Example: The detection of extra-solar planets: methods of detection - astrometry, radial velocities,
eclipses, microlensing, biases of different approaches. Implications for planet formation.

As t r on om ica l m ea s u r em en t t ech n iqu es : Types of imaging and spectral systems: traditional
collectors; interferometry; detectors in different wavebands.

Example: Imaging the CMB pros and cons of interferometric methods. Confusing foregrounds,
noise rejection. Results to date.

Th e effect of t h e a t m os p h er e: Opacity, thermal emission, phase effects. Seeing and turbu-
lence characterization and methods to overcome it.

Example 1: Adaptive optics: Description of perturbations, methods of wavefront sensing, design of
optimum systems, scientific results from adaptive optics.

Example 2: Optical interferometry: scientific rationale and technical implementation at arrays like
COAST/VLTI. Interferometry under phase unstable conditions.

BOOKS

Few astronomy textbooks focus on the experimental basis of the subject, and none covers the full
scope of this course. Where appropriate, during the course reference will thus be made to up-to-
date book chapters, and review and journal articles
THE PHYSI CS OF NANOELECTRONI C SYSTEMS
C J B Ford

This course aims to introduce students to the transport and optical physics of a range of systems
where electrons are confined within less than about 100 nm in one or more dimensions. Familiar-
ity with some solid-state physics in assumed (the Part II Quantum Condensed Matter Physics
course would be useful but is not vital). On completion of the course, students should be able to
appreciate the physics of low-dimensional systems, to describe experiments to measure such sys-
tems, and to calculate straightforward problems.

I n t r od u ct ion t o low d im en s ion a l s ys t em s : length and energy scales, overview of fabrication
techniques and possibilities, applications of low-dimensional physics, examples, top-down vs bot-
tom-up.

Elect r on ic p r op er t ies in low-d im en s ion a l s ys t em s : band engineering; heterostructures,
2D electron gas.

Ballistic motion, collimation, experiments.
Quantum transport in 1D wires: eigenstates, conductance, saddle-point potential, d.c. bias.

Electrons in high magnetic fields: Hall effects, Landau levels, oscillation of the Fermi energy.
Landauer-Bttiker formalism, integer quantum Hall effect, edge states.

Electron-electron interactions, quasiparticles. Fractional quantum Hall effect, composite fer-
mions.

Transport through 0D quantum dots, Coulomb blockade, resonant tunnelling, charge detection,
single-electron dots, artificial atoms, antidots. Surface-acoustic-wave current source.

Op t ica l p r op er t ies . Optical transitions, excitons. Semiconductor lasers as example of effects of
confinement. S-K growth, self-assembled quantum dots, microcavities, coupled modes. Single and
entangled photon sources for quantum cryptography.

Sp in t r on ics : Giant magnetoresistance (briefly), tunnelling magnetoresistance (spin-valve) in
layered structures. Spin injection from a ferromagnet to a semiconductor.

Quantum computation (briefly). Spin in a quantum dot as a qubit for quantum computation. De-
tection and manipulation of single spins charge-to-spin conversion, electron spin resonance.

Molecu la r s ys t em s . Self-assembly. Conjugated polymers electronic structure and devices.
Transport in carbon nanotubes and graphene. Single-molecule transport. Nanocrystals, nano-
rods.
BOOKS
A comprehensive set of notes will be given out. No book covers the whole course. Background
material may be found in semiconductor text books such as Kittel, and Ashcroft and Mermin.

Low-dimensional Semiconductors: Materials, Physics, Technology, Devices, Kelly M J (Claren-
don Press 1996).
The physics of low-dimensional semiconductors: an introduction, Davies J H (CUP 1997).
Nanophysics and Nanotechnology, E. L. Wolf (Wiley-VCH 2007).
QUANTUM I NFORMATI ON
C H W Barnes
There are no prerequisites for this course. It is a set of new concepts that people who have done
1B quantum could easily step into. It has a bit of matrix algebra, some Dirac notation and some
basic logic but nothing more.

I n t r od u ct ion : The postulates of quantum mechanics - the Copenhagen Interpretation. Quantum
entanglement. Density matrices.

Mea s u r em en t 1: What constitutes a measurement? Schrdingers cat and Wigners friend. The
Einstein-Podolsky -Rosen paradox.

Som e a lt er n a t ive in t er p r et a t ion s of qu a n t u m m ech a n ics : Many worlds. Bohms guiding
waves. Transaction interpretation. Histories. Quantum state diffusion.

Hid d en va r ia bles t h eor ies : Bells theorem; experimental tests.

Qu a n t u m En t a n glem en t : Bipartite systems: Schmidt decomposition, reduced density matrix,
entanglement measures. Tripartite systems.

Mea s u r em en t 2: Positive Operator Value Measure (POVM); Weak measurements.

Decoh er en ce: Decoherence time.

Qu a n t u m cr yp t ogr a p h y: The BB84 protocol. The no-cloning theorem. Eavesdropping strate-
gies. Privacy amplification. Other protocols. Experimental realisations.

Qu a n t u m t elep or t a t ion : Theoretical strategy and experimental realisations.

Qu a n t u m com p u t in g: Qubits. Logical operations. Algorithms for quantum computers: factori-
sation, database searches. Error correction. Possible systems for implementing quantum comput-
ing: ion traps; nuclear magnetic resonance; semiconductor quantum dots.
BOOKS
An easy to understand introduction to the subject can be found in the March 1998 edition of Phys-
ics World and articles on quantum information often appear in the news media.

The following books provide detailed coverage of parts of the course:

Quantum Computation & Quantum Information, Nielson MA & Chuang IL (CUP 2000)
The Physics of Quantum Information, Bouwmeester R, Ekart A, Zeilinger A (Spring 2000)
Introduction to Quantum Computation and Information, H.-K. Lo, S. Popescu and T. Spiller
(World Scientific 1998). Note that this book may not be routinely stocked in bookshops and may
have to be ordered.
Quantum Mechanics, Rae A I M (3rd edn IOP 1992).
The Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, Onnes R (Princeton 1994).
Quantum Theory: Concepts and Methods, A. Peres (Kluwer 1993).
There are some very good resources on the World Wide Web such as at:
http://www.theory.caltech.edu/~preskill/ph229 - Lecture notes and examples for a course on
Quantum Information taught by John Preskill at Caltech. Note however that this treatment is
much more mathematical than the present course.
http://www.qubit.org - The Quantum Information Research Group in Oxford.
http://www.cam.qubit.org - The Quantum Information Research Group in Cambridge.
PHASE TRANSI TI ONS AND COLLECTI VE PHENOMENA
B D Simons
As a theoretical option, this course will prove challenging to students without a mathematical
background. Although the course will develop methods of statistical field theory from scratch,
students will benefit from having attended either the Quantum Condensed Matter Field Theory
or Quantum Field Theory course in Part III.

I n t r od u ct ion t o Cr it ica l Ph en om en a : Phase transitions, order parameters, response func-
tions, critical exponents and universality.

Gin zbu r g-La n d a u Th eor y: Mean-field theory; spontaneous symmetry breaking; Goldstone
modes, and the lower critical dimension; fluctuations and the upper critical dimension; correla-
tion functions; Ginzburg criterion.

Sca lin g Th eor y a n d t h e Ren or m a lis a t ion Gr ou p : Self-similarity and the scaling hypothe-
sis; Kadanoffs Heuristic Renormalisation Group (RG); Gaussian model; Fixed points and criti-
cal exponent identities; Wilsons momentum space RG, relevant, irrelevant and marginal
parameters; c-expansions.

Top ologica l Ph a s e Tr a n s it ion s : XY-model; algebraic order; topological defects; Kosterlitz-
Thouless transition and superfluidity in thin films.

BOOKS
Statistical Physics of Fields, Kardar M (CUP 2007)
Principles of Condensed Matter Physics, Chaikin P M & Lubensky T C (CUP 1995)
Scaling and Renormalisation in Statistical Physics, Cardy J (CUP 1996)
ADVANCED QUANTUM FI ELD THEORY
H Osborn (Part III Maths)
Th is cou r s e is on ly s u it a ble for s t u d en t s wh os e m a t h em a t ics is ver y s t r on g. Physics
students taking this course may need to do some supplementary reading on Lie group theory, for
which the following are recommended:

G. 't Hooft, Lectures on Lie Groups in Physics (given at the University of Utrecht, 2007), available
at http://www.phys.uu.nl/~thooft/lectures/lieg07.pdf
For more advanced topics: Symmetries, Lie Algebras and Representations, Fuchs J and
Schweigert C, (C.U.P 1997), available in the Rayleigh Library.

Quantum field theory (QFT) is the basic theoretical framework for describing elementary particles
and their interactions (excluding gravity) and is essential in the understanding of string theory. It
is also used in many other areas of physics including condensed matter physics, astrophysics, nu-
clear physics and cosmology. The Standard Model, which describes the basic interactions of par-
ticle physics, is a particular type of QFT known as a gauge theory. Gauge theories are invariant
under symmetry transformations defined at each point in spacetime which form Lie Group under
composition. To quantise a gauge theory, it is necessary to eliminate non-physical degrees of
freedom and this requires additional theoretical tools beyond those developed in the introductory
quantum field theory course.

A variety of new concepts and methods are first introduced in the simpler context of scalar field
theory. The functional integral approach provides a formal non-perturbative definition of any
QFT which also reproduces the usual Feynman rules. The course discusses in a systematic fashion
the treatment of the divergences which arise in perturbative calculations. The need for regularisa-
tion in QFT is explained, and the utility of dimensional regularisation in particular is emphasised.
It is shown how renormalisation introduces an arbitrary mass scale and renormalisation group
equations which reflect this arbitrariness are derived. Various physical implications are then dis-
cussed.

The rest of the course is concerned specifically with gauge theories. The peculiar difficulties of
quantising gauge fields are considered, before showing how these can be overcome using the func-
tional integral approach in conjunction with ghost fields and BRST symmetry. A renormalisation
group analysis reveals that the coupling constant of a quantum gauge theory can become effec-
tively small at high energies. This is the phenomenon of asymptotic freedom, which is crucial for
the understanding of QCD: the gauge theory of the strong interactions. It is then possible to per-
form perturbative calculations which may be compared with experiment. Further properties of
gauge theories are discussed, including the possibility that a classical symmetry may be broken by
quantum effects, and how these can be analysed in perturbation theory. Such anomalies have
important implications for the way in which gauge particles and fermions interact in the Standard
Model.

BOOKS

1996) Quantum Theory of Fields, Vols. 1 & 2, Weinberg S (CUP 1996)
ORI GI N AND EVOLUTI ON OF GALAXI ES
M G O Haehnelt (Part III Maths)

The course will be self-contained, but is most suitable for astrophysicists. A general introductory
background in stellar dynamics and stellar astronomy would be helpful, but is not essential.

Galaxies are the ultimate examples of complex astrophysical systems, containing millions to bil-
lions of stars and a multi-phase gaseous interstellar medium, with components that evolve on
timescales ranging from a few million years to longer than the age of the Universe. As such galax-
ies provide a rich assortment of applications for stellar dynamical and gas-dynamical theory, and
the problem of understanding their structure, mass contents, and evolution stand among the lead-
ing challenges for 21st century astrophysics. This course will provide a comprehensive introduc-
tion to the structure, contents, and evolution of galaxies, bringing together current observations
and theoretical modelling. Our current theories of galactic structure and evolution are closely in-
tegrated with the larger theory of cosmology and large-scale structure of the Universe.

Specific topics to be covered include the following:

Mor p h ologica l a n d p h ys ica l cla s s ifica t ion , in t egr a t ed p r op er t ies , lu m in os it y a n d
m a s s fu n ct ion s .

St r u ct u r e of s p h er oid s a n d d is ks .

Kin em a t ics a n d d yn a m ics , s ca lin g la ws , d a r k m a t t er .

Nu clea r s t r u ct u r e, cen t r a l bla ck h oles , s ca lin g r ela t ion s .

St ella r a n d in t er s t ella r con t en t s in r es olved a n d u n r es olved ga la xies .

Syn t h es is m od elin g, a p p lica t ion s t o s t a r for m a t ion r a t es a n d h is t or ies of ga la xies .

Ch em ica l evolu t ion t h eor y a n d a bu n d a n ce p r op er t ies .

Ga la xy for m a t ion a n d evolu t ion m od els , obs er ved evolu t ion wit h com ologica l look-
ba ck t im e.

BOOKS

Galaxies in the Universe, Sparke, L. and Gallagher, J.S., 2nd ed., (CUP 2007)
Galactic Dynamics, Binney, J. and Tremaine, S., 2nd ed., (Princeton University Press 2008)
Galactic Astronomy, Binney, J., and Merrifield, M., (Princeton University Press 1998)
NUCLEAR MATERI ALS
A L Greer
This course is a module within Part III Materials Science & Metallurgy. It is available for students
from the Department of Physics and the Department of Engineering, providing a valuable insight
on some of the key issues facing the nuclear power generation industry. Many of these are related
to the materials involved, their response to, and their reliability under, extreme conditions. The
course is designed for those from a range of backgrounds in engineering, materials and physics.

I n t r od u ct ion : Nuclear reactions as sources of energetic particles, nuclear stability, radioactive
decay. Nuclear fission and fusion, brief outline of reactor types design and technology, and their
particular demands for high-performance materials. Introduction to materials issues associated
with nuclear power generation.

Ma t er ia ls for fu el, cla d d in g, m od er a t or , coola n t , s h ield , p r es s u r e ves s el. Materials se-
lection influenced by the need for a low capture cross-section for neutrons. The unique conditions
in nuclear plant, including the first wall of a fusion reactor.

I n t er a ct ion of n eu t r on s wit h m a t t er : ca p t u r e a n d s ca t t er in g. Collision cross-sections,
neutron flux and mean free path. Radiation damage: knock-on damage, transmutation, bubble
formation, swelling. Collision theory: displacement threshold, cut-off energy. Damage geometry:
displacement spike, thermal spike.

Effect s of r a d ia t ion on p h ys ica l a n d m ech a n ica l p r op er t ies . Enhanced diffusivity, creep,
phase stability, radiation hardening, embrittlement and corrosion. Radiation growth in uranium
and graphite, thermal ratcheting of reactor fuel assemblies. Annealing processes. Wigner energy
release in graphite.

Nu clea r m et a llu r gy. Structures and properties of materials with special relevance for nuclear
power generation: uranium and other actinides, beryllium, zirconium, rare-earth elements,
graphite. The materials of nuclear fuels and nuclear fuel element fabrication. Reprocessing of
nuclear fuel elements.

Ra d ia t ion -r es is t a n t con s t r u ct ion s t eels . Overview of structural-integrity issues. Fracture
mechanics and non-destructive testing. Stress-corrosion cracking.

Ot h er is s u es . World energy supply, fission, fusion, future directions for nuclear power genera-
tion, including use of thorium.

Nu clea r wa s t e a n d it s con t a in m en t . Stability and dissolution of nuclear waste glasses. Syn-
roc phases. Radionuclide-adapted mineral structures for fission products. Radiation damage in
zircon and related materials
BOOKS
Fundamentals of Radiation Materials Science: Metals and Alloys, Was, Gary S. (Springer)

Nuclear Renaissance: Technologies and Policies for the Future of Nuclear Power: Technologies
and Policies from the Future of Nuclear Power, Nutall, W.J. (IOP)
NUCLEAR POWER ENGI NEERI NG
G T Parks and R L Skelton

This course is module 4M16 (formerly 4A1) in the Engineering Tripos. It is open to third or fourth
year Engineering students and students doing some MPhil courses, for instance the MPhil in
Technology Policy, as well as Part III Physics students. There are no hard prerequisites in terms of
background knowledge, but familiarity with basic nuclear physics and heat transfer is certainly
helpful, and students who cannot solve second-order ordinary and partial linear differential equa-
tions will not enjoy parts of the course very much.

This module aims to give the student an introduction to and appreciation of the UK nuclear indus-
try, particularly the technology used in the production of electricity in nuclear power stations, the
preparation and subsequent treatment of the fuel and its by-products, and the detection of ionis-
ing radiation and the protection of workers within the nuclear industry and the general public
from it.

On completion of the module students should:
- Appreciate the nature of neutron-nucleus interactions;
- Be able to classify ionising radiation by physical nature and health hazard;
- Be able to conduct safely a simple experiment involving radiation;
- Understand the principles of radiation detection and shielding;
- Be able to explain the principles of operation of UK nuclear reactors;
- Be able to apply elementary models of neutron behaviour in reactors;
- Know how to compute simple power distributions in reactors;
- Know how to compute simple temperature distributions in reactors and appreciate their con-
sequences;
- Appreciate the significance of delayed neutrons and Xenon-135 to the control and operation of
reactors;
- Appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of on-load and off-load refuelling;
- Be able to perform simple calculations to predict the refuelling requirements of reactors;
- Be able to explain the operation of enrichment plant;
- Appreciate the problems of radioactive waste management;
- Appreciate the range of activities of the UK nuclear industry.

The course consists of 12 lectures, two within-lecture laboratory demonstrations and two exam-
ples classes.

LECTURE SYLLABUS

Hea lt h Ph ys ics : Principles of nuclear reactions; Radioactivity and the effects of ionising radia-
tion; Introduction to health physics and shielding.

Rea ct or Ph ys ics : The fission chain process; Interactions of neutrons with matter; Models for
neutron distributions in space and energy.

Rea ct or Des ign a n d Op er a t ion : Simple reactor design; Past, present and future reactor de-
signs and concepts; Heat transfer and temperature distributions in commercial reactors; Time-
dependent aspects of reactor operations; delayed neutrons and Xenon poisoning; In-core and out-
of-core fuel cycles.

Fu el Pr oces s in g: Enrichment and reprocessing; The containment and disposal of radioactive
wastes.

LABORATORY DEMONSTRATI ONS

Demonstration of the use of Geiger-Muller and scintillation counters for detecting ionising radia-
tion.

Demonstration of the detection and shielding of fast and thermal neutrons using a 37 GBq Ameri-
cium-Beryllium source.

BOOKS

Elements of Nuclear Power, Bennet D J and Thomson J R (Longman 1989)
Nuclear Reactor Engineering Volumes 1 and 2, Glasstone S and Sesonske A (Chapman and Hall
1991)
Principles of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Harms A A (RSP/Wiley 1987)
Introduction to Radiation Protection, Martin A and Harbison S A (Chapman and Hall 1996)
Nuclear Chemical Engineering, Benedict M, Pigford T H and Levi H W (McGraw-Hill 1981)
I NTERDI SCI PLI NARY TOPI CS NST PART I I I
Various departments

Within Part III of the NST, certain courses in the Lent Term, typically of 12 or 16 lectures, are
made available across the Tripos, rather than just to one subject within it. These Interdisciplinary
Courses are examined in a separate papers in the main examination period at the end of Easter
Term.

At present there are three interdisciplinary topics, all on an environmental theme. Students taking
Part III ETP may take any of these, each in place of one Minor Topic.

MATERI ALS, ELECTRONI CS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Prof. NC Greenham

This interdisciplinary course looks at the physical issues concerning energy generation, storage
and use. The style will be varied making use of simple physical estimates for a wide range of en-
ergy problems, but also looking in more detail at materials-based approaches to renewable energy.
Only IA-level physics is a prerequisite; those who have experience of solid-state physics will find
some parts of the course more straightforward, but the material will be taught and examined in
such a way that prior knowledge in this area is not required.

This course is given by the Department of Physics.

For m or e d et a ils , s ee t h e s ep a r a t e s yn op s is on p a ge 119.

CLI MATE CHANGE
Prof. D Hodell and others

This course is given by the Department of Earth Sciences and the Department of Geography.

Mor e d et a ils will be m a d e a va ila ble a t www. p h y. ca m . a c. u k/ t ea ch in g/ I DP. p h p wh en
t h ey a r e kn own .

ATMOSPHERI C CHEMI STRY AND GLOBAL CHANGE
Dr N Harris and others

This course looks at global change from the perspective of atmospheric composition and its lin-
kage to the climate system. Issues covered include the fundamental photochemical and dynamical
processes which control atmospheric composition and structure, and how they would differ in a
modified climate. The course is designed to complement the material covered in Course I2 (The
Earth system and Climate Change) although either course can be taken independently. The course
will be lectured and examined in a way which assumes no prior knowledge for those taking the
course.

This course is given by the Department of Chemistry.

Mor e d et a ils will be m a d e a va ila ble a t www. p h y. ca m . a c. u k/ t ea ch in g/ I DP. p h p wh en
t h ey a r e kn own
MATERI ALS, ELECTRONI CS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
N C Greenham

Interdisciplinary Course within Part III of the Natural Sciences Tripos
This course is given by the Department of Physics

This interdisciplinary course looks at the physical issues concerning energy generation, storage
and use. The course aims to develop skills in using simple physical estimates for a wide range of
energy problems, while also looking in more detail at materials-based approaches to renewable
energy. Only IA-level physics is a prerequisite; those who have experience of solid-state physics
will find some parts of the course more straightforward, but the material will be taught and exam-
ined in such a way that prior knowledge in this area is not required.

En er gy r equ ir em en t s a n d en er gy a va ila bilit y: Back-of-envelope models of energy con-
sumption and production. Current and projected usage. Alternatives to fossil fuels: nuclear, wind,
wave, tide, geothermal, solar.

Hyd r ogen a n d ba t t er ies : Hydrogen vs. electric vehicles. Generation and storage of hydrogen.
Electrochemical principles. Batteries. Fuel cells.

Exer gy: Heat engines, heat pumps. Exergy and exergy efficiency.

Hea t in g a n d coolin g: Practical heat pumps. Combined heat and power.

En gin es : The Otto cycle. Stirling engines.

Sola r en er gy: Sunlight, solar concentration, solar thermal. Scale of solar installations required.
Theoretical limits to conversion of solar energy.

Elect r on ic s t r u ct u r e of m olecu les a n d s olid s : Tight-binding band structure. Interaction
with light. Excitons. Electrons and holes. Doping.

I n or ga n ic s em icon d u ct or s ola r cells : The p-n junction. Photovoltaic operation. Cell design,
materials and performance.

Molecu la r s em icon d u ct or s : Materials and optical properties. Excitons. Marcus theory.
Photovoltaic devices: multilayers, bulk heterojunctions and dye-sensitised cells.

Ad va n ced p h ot ovolt a ics : Tandem cells. Multiple exciton generation.

Ph ot os yn t h es is : Structure and optoelectronic operation. Charge separation and recombination.
Efficiency. Biofuels.

BOOKS

Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air, Mackay D J C (UIT Cambridge 2009)
The Physics of Solar Cells, Nelson J (Imperial 2003)
Molecular Mechanisms of Photosynthesis, Blankenship R E (Blackwell 2002)

ENTREPRENEURSHI P
S Barakat

Over view

ETECH Projects is best suited for students who see themselves as would-be entrepreneurs or as
those who expect to work in situations where they will have to assess ideas, technologies or propo-
sitions for their commercial viability.
ETECH Projects has come a long way since its origins in 2001. Since then ETECH Projects has
grown to reach out to more university departments, and more than 600 students have gone
through the course and almost 50 inventors have been supported. The course is offered every year
in the Lent term primarily to students from Chemical engineering, Material Science, Biological
Sciences and Physics.
ETECH Projects allows students interested in entrepreneurship to work closely with inventors de-
veloping cutting-edge science and technology. The students work as a team to evaluate the com-
mercial potential of novel, potentially disruptive technologies. In many instances the teams are
multidisciplinary, offering further insights into how a disruptive technology is viewed from differ-
ent perspectives.
The blend of skills developed through the course are needed in a variety of contexts from early
stage companies, venture capital, corporate venturing and technology transfer environments. By
assessing commercial due diligence of novel technologies, ETECH Projects helps students develop
key entrepreneurial skills such as opportunity recognition and evaluation in the context of sci-
ence-based entrepreneurship.
Plea s e s ee m or e on h t t p : / / www. cfel. jbs .ca m .a c. u k/ p r ogr a m m es / et ech / in d ex.h t m l
ETECH Pr oject s object ives
Assessment of market potential and viability of novel technology based concepts
Build skills to carry out due diligence on the emerging technology.
Perform practical group work to apply these skills to new business ideas.
Work in a multi-disciplinary setting on projects.
Lect u r es
Twelve 1-hour sessions will cover the key elements of successful commercialisation of novel,
emerging technologies. There will be practitioner-delivered guest lecturers supplementing the lec-
ture/discussions to be led by the faculty. The guest lectures will be delivered by invited local en-
trepreneurs and investors providing practical insights that come from experience gained in
Europes top technology cluster.

Topics covered will include the key aspects of commercialisation as follows:

Com m er cia lis a t ion a s p ect Key t op ics
Technology Attributes, IP position
Application Viability, Linking technical and commercial advantages
Market and Industry Target markets, Size and growth rates
Competitors/Partners Current/future competition, Potential partners
Business Model Potential business models, Pros and cons
Recommendations Target market, Most suitable business model
Next Steps Immediate next steps to commercialisation


Tu t or Su p er vis ion s
Each student team will prepare a commercial feasibility report and present the findings to the in-
ventor(s). Students will be provided with supervision support during the course of the commer-
cial due-diligence process. The supervisions will be structured according to the requirements of
each ETECH Project, but will broadly cover opportunity evaluation, developing the business con-
cept and presenting the findings. A sample supervision guidance sheet is enclosed in Appendix B.

Rea d in gs a n d Su p p or t in g Ma t er ia l
Students will be provided with a comprehensive course pack that includes a course handbook and
providing much of the background material required for the commercial assessment. Reading lists
will be provided at the start of the course and at different points during the term that students can
draw on to deliver assignments and supplement the lecture notes. Lecture slides along with addi-
tional materials are posted on Camtools.
Students wishing to gain further insights into the field before the class should read the following
texts, both of which are excellent:
New Venture Creation, Timmons J A and Spinelli S (6th edn Irwin McGraw Hill 2004)
The High-Tech Entrepreneurs Handbook, Lang J and the Cambridge University Entrepreneur-
ship Centre (Pearson Education 2001)

As s es s m en t
The course will be assessed by two sets of coursework, which are designed to test candidates abil-
ity to apply the concepts, tools and techniques covered in the syllabus. Similar tasks are regularly
performed by entrepreneurs and investors and are important steps in developing the self-efficacy
and competence of those who take the course. One set of the assessed coursework is made up of
individual pieces of work and the other is the group project mentioned above, working with an in-
ventor and evaluating the commercial potential of a real invention. Full details are in the course
handbook distributed in class.
Part III Experimental and Theoretical Physics Non-examinable courses 122
ETHI CS I N PHYSI CS
R Jennings
This course of four workshops will address ethical issues that arise in doing physics. The format
will be a moderated discussion of ethical problems that arise in four areas as follows:

Wor ks h op 1 the use and abuse of data
Wor ks h op 2 intellectual property and allocation of credit
Wor ks h op 3 the politics of science and government funding policy
Wor ks h op 4 military research

Broadly speaking the first two workshops are concerned with the responsible conduct of research
and the second two with the applications of physics. My intention is to run a fairly open plan
course, and I am willing to introduce topics of particular interest to participants. That said, the
default topics are as follows:

Wor ks h op 1

To compare Robert Millikans dubious presentation of data in his 1913 paper, "On the elementary
Electrical Charge and the Avogadro Constant," [The Physical Review Series II, Volume II, No. 2,
(1913), pp. 109-143] and the more notorious presentation of data by Jan Hendrick Schn. The
Millikan case is available at:
http://www.onlineethics.org/Education/precollege/scienceclass/sectone/cs2.aspx

Wor ks h op 2

Problems of intellectual property range from straightforward plagiarism to industrial espionage.
At a more subtle level, there are problems of how credit is shared out among members of a group
working on a research project. We will discuss two cases: the case of Rosalind Franklin and her
contribution to our knowledge of the chemical structure of DNA, and the case of Jocelyn Bell
Burnell and the discovery of pulsars. In each case there is still a range of opinions concerning the
distribution of credit, and these two cases provide good examples of the difficulties that can be en-
countered in fairly sharing the credit for discoveries. The case of Rosalind Franklin is available at:
http://www.onlineethics.org/Education/precollege/scienceclass/sectone/cs4.aspx

Wor ks h op 3

This workshop will look at the politics of science and the origins of the government's funding pol-
icy. The discussion will focus on the question of how to balance the funding of pure basic research
with the governments priority for wealth creation. This is a particularly sensitive issue for the
most basic fields of research such as particle physics and astronomy.
The issues arise in a classic debate in the Journal Minerva Volume 1, 1962:
Michael Polanyi, The Republic of Science: Its Political and Economic Theory pp. 54-73.
Alvin Weinberg, Criteria for Scientific Choice pp. 159-171.

Wor ks h op 4

For this last ethics in physics workshop I will introduce some of the ethical questions that arise in
doing military research and indicate alternatives to military research. My main resources are pub-
lications of Scientists for Global Responsibility. Three in particular are of interest and are avail-
able electronically at:
http://www.sgr.org.uk/publications/soldiers-laboratory
http://www.sgr.org.uk/publications/more-soldiers-laboratory
http://www.sgr.org.uk/publications/behind-closed-doors
Part III Experimental and Theoretical Physics Non-examinable courses 123
PHI LOSOPHY OF PHYSI CS
J Butterfield

This course of four lectures offers an introduction to the philosophy of modern physics. This is a technical
area, although an interdisciplinary one. Its closest cousin is the branch of physics called foundations of phys-
ics. Thus in both areas, we examine the mathematical structures of physical theories. This course will em-
phasise two specific theories: relativity and quantum theory.

The first and second lectures will survey the philosophy of relativity theory. I will emphasise Einsteins fa-
mous hole argument, as a lesson about the foundations of general relativity. Einstein devised this argument
in late 1913, as an argument against general covariance: namely, that any generally covariant theory would
be radically indeterministic. Late in 1915, after he had found the field equations of general relativity, which
are generally covariant, he re-assessed the argument as showing only that we should not think of spacetime
points as objects, on pain of a radical indeterminism. Broadly speaking, there the matter rested, until about
twenty years ago, when the assessment of the argument became again a live topic, because of its connection
with other issues in the interpretation of general relativity. The controversy continues today.

The third and fourth lectures are devoted to the measurement problem of quantum theory: in short,
Schroedingers cat. There are many aspects, technical and philosophical (and even historical), one could dis-
cuss about this. I will in part be guided by the interests of the class. But here are two:

(i) The nature and role of decoherence. In short, decoherence gives a dynamical basis to the selection of a
preferred quantity, but does nothing to select an individual, definite measurement-outcome, or more gener-
ally a definite macroscopic reality.

(ii) The current prospects for the Everett interpretation (also known as: the relative-state, or many worlds,
interpretation). In short, the interpretation is very strange, but its current prospects are surprisingly good!
BOOKS NB: Mos t of t h e books cit ed will s u r ely be in you r College lib r a r y.
All four Lectures: The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP), and the Pittsburgh philosophy of science
e-arXive, both available online, have many good philosophy of physics articles.
First and second Lectures:
Theoretical Concepts in Physics, Longair M, (2
nd
edn CUP 2003); Chapter 17.1-2.
SEP article on Einsteins philosophy of science: www.seop.leeds.ac.uk/entries/einstein-philscience/
SEP article on Einsteins Hole Argument
www.seop.leeds.ac.uk/entries/spacetime-holearg/
Third and fourth Lectures:
Speakable and Unspeakable in Quantum Mechanics, Bell J S (2
nd
edn CUP 2004); Chapters 20 and 23
Philosophical Concepts in Physics, Cushing J T (2
nd
edn CUP 1998); Chapters 20-22.
SEP article on Bells theorem:
http://www.seop.leeds.ac.uk/entries/bell-theorem/
SEP article on decoherence in quantum mechanics:
www.seop.leeds.ac.uk/entries/qm-decoherence/
Pittsburgh e-arXive articles on the Everett interpretation include the following two:
philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00000208/
and
philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00000681/

Students doing Part III Physics are welcome to attend the weekly non-examinable seminar in Philosophy of
Physics given in Mathematics, in both Michaelmas and Lent Terms. In 2012-2012, the details are:
Thursday s at 4.30, weeks 1 to 8, Michaelmas and Lent Term, Meeting Room 13 in CMS
Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics Projects 124
PROJ ECTS
C G Smith
Each Part III Experimental and Theoretical Physics student is required to undertake a project worth about
one-third of the final tripos mark. A project is aimed at investigating a topic of current interest in physics,
giving an opportunity for original work and ideas. The precise form of the project may vary from topic to
topic and will be specified by the supervisor.

The various types of project work available are as follows:

Exp er im en t a l Pr oject : generally this is an extended investigation, which is open-ended and gives
considerable freedom of approach.

Th eor et ica l Pr oject : this is a small-scale theoretical research project, requiring an element of
original theoretical development and/or computation.

Com p u t in g Pr oject : this generally requires the writing or use of computer programs to investigate
some aspect of physics. Some theoretical work is usually required as a basis for the program.

The project abstracts, provided by members of staff and Senior Research workers, are available on the web:
see (http://www-teach.phy.cam.ac.uk/pt3projects/ for a direct link to the project pages). Students may also
suggest projects of their own, but they must have a supervisor (who may be external) and the project must be
approved in advance by Professor Smith. Students interested in a particular project should discuss it as soon
as possible with the relevant supervisor. The list of projects on the web will be continuously updated to show
which ones have already been taken.

Students must choose their projects by t h e en d of t h e fou r t h week of Mich a elm a s t er m . Supervisors
will decide, by that same deadline, which students may undertake their projects, but they are asked not to
make a decision until Th u r s d a y, Oct ober 20
n d
20 11, at the earliest. The purpose of this delay is to allow
students time to talk to several supervisors and to allow supervisors to find the most suitable students for
their projects. In response to student concerns, a code of practice for projects allocations has been agreed by
both the Teaching Committee and the Staff Student Consultative Committee see below for the full version.

Supervisors will offer the project to a student using the web interface, where they will also indicate the safety
risks associated with the project, and students will be asked to indicate their acceptance of the offer, via
email. In the interests of fairness both to the supervisor and to fellow students, students will not normally
be allowed to change their project once they have accepted an offer.

New S a f et y Ch a n ges

In all research there are possible risks associated with performing the work. Each supervisor will indicate
what the risks are associated with their experiment on the sign up form. Before the project starts the student
and supervisor will sign a project card which will confirm that the student will be trained appropriately to
cover the risks associated with the project. No project will start until this card is received in the Teaching Of-
fice. The card will also list the name of the day to day supervisor and the laboratories in which the student
will be working. If there is a safety hazard associated with the project then supervisors will suggest appro-
priate safety courses for the student to go on. The laboratory will provide these safety courses, which will be
held in Michaelmas term. Attendance records will be taken at these lectures and no student will be allowed
to start their project unless they have attended the appropriate courses. Supervisors and Students will now
complete and sign a risk assessment form showing they understand the risks associated with their project
experiments. These forms will be prepared with the help of the supervisor and these will be handed in to the
Teaching Office before Fr id a y, Oct ober 28
t h
20 11. They will then be passed on to the Safety officer.
Changes of experimental procedure during the project will require an updating of the risk assessment forms.

Where work is performed in Laboratories outside the Cavendish Laboratory, the Teaching Office will write to
the department concerned drawing attention to the fact that one of our students is working there to get their
agreement on the project going ahead. If for any reason a project needs to move between departments the
Teaching Office must be informed and the new department made aware of the arrangements.

Expected time students should spend on the project

The project workload is expected to be about six weeks, full time equivalent, made up as follows:

Mich a elm a s Ter m : approximately one week spread through the term.

Len t Ter m : one week full time in each of the first and last weeks of Full Term, together with ap-
proximately two weeks spread through the rest of the term.

Ea s t er Ter m : one week, full-time, in the first week of Full Term.

The project counts for about one-third of the years mark, but students should not devote too much time to it,
to the detriment of their preparation for the examinations. Students should schedule their time carefully, and
start as early as possible, so as not to conflict with preparation for exams during the vacations.

La bor a t or y Not e Book

Students will be required to keep a laboratory note book during the project. This will act as a day to day re-
cord of the project work and will be handed in with the project write up. Although the note book will not be
marked, the information in it will be used in assessment of the project and will help indicate how the day to
day issues that come up in the research were dealt with. During the safety course there will be a presentation
on what is expected in the Laboratory note book.

Pr ogr es s r ep or t s

Students will be asked to complete two progress reports. At the end of the Michaelmas Term you should
submit a Project Plan (one copy; approximately 500 words) which would normally include a statement that
the relevant literature has been consulted. This should be signed by your supervisor to indicate his or her
agreement with the plan and should be handed in by Fr id a y, Decem ber 2
n d
20 11. The signed copy of the
Project Plan will be retained by the teaching office and forwarded to the assessor in Easter Term failure
to submit a project plan will result in the loss of 5% of the available project marks. The second report is a
simple tick box form, which will be issued during week 6 of the Lent term. This will invite you to report any
problems with your project, and to confirm that a presentation has been scheduled. The second report will
not form part of any assessment, but will allow any problems to be identified by Professor Smith well before
the time the project has to be handed in.

It is very important that students bring any unforeseen delays or other problems with their projects to Pro-
fessor Smiths attention at the earliest possible opportunity. The earlier such problems are addressed, the
more chance there is of taking suitable remedial action.

S u p er v i s i on s a n d p r es en t a t i on

Supervisors should offer up to six supervisions on the project. One of these should be in the form of a presen-
tation of preliminary project results; either to the supervisors research group (strongly encouraged) or to a
small group of say 4 6 project students and supervisors. It is expected that supervisors will organise these
presentations in about the s even t h week of t h e Len t t er m , (or later, perhaps even at the very start of the
Easter term, if mutually acceptable). Students will receive feedback on the content and presentation of their
projects from the supervisors and others present, which should help them with their oral exam. This form of
presentation is aimed at developing communication and presentational skills. Failure to give this presenta-
tion will result in the loss of 5% of the available marks for the project.

Th e f or m a l w r i t e-u p

The project should usually be presented in the style of a paper published in a scientific journal. The style of
the project should be agreed with the supervisor. The main text (excluding appendices and abstract) should
be con cis e (20 30 p a ges , 50 0 0 wor d s m a xim u m ). The text should describe and explain the main fea-
tures of the project, the methods used, results, discussion and conclusions. Detailed measurement records,
calculations, programs, etc. should be included as appendices. (Programs of more than a few hundred lines
can be submitted one copy only flash stick or, preferably, CDROM: please ensure it is labelled with your
Examination number.) In addition, there must be an abstract of at most 500 words.

The student and supervisor should discuss the general structure of the report before writing is started, but
t h e s u p er vis or s h ou ld n ot r ea d a fu ll d r a ft before submission. A set of handy tips and information is
given in the booklet entitled Keeping Laboratory Notes and Writing Formal Reports, which is handed out to
students at the start of the year and is also available on the web - make sure you get one.
S u bm i s s i on of t h e p r oject

The deadline for submission of the project is:

Two cop ies of the project plus your laboratory note book should be handed in to the Tea ch in g Office
(Room 212B, Bragg Building) in person before the submission deadline. In order to preserve anonymity
when your project is looked at by the Part III examiners, you r n a m e m u s t n ot a p p ea r on t h e p r oject
it s elf. Two cover sheets, available from the Teaching Office, should be attached to the front of each project.
The blue cover sheet, which has a space for both your name and candidate number, goes on the outside. The
green cover sheet, which has only your candidate number, goes immediately behind it. (The blue sheet will
be removed before the Part III Examiners receive your report). You s h ou ld en s u r e t h a t you r ca n d id a t e
n u m ber a p p ea r s on t h e fir s t p a ge of you r p r oject , t oget h er wit h t h e t it le of t h e p r oject a n d
you r s u p er vis or s n a m e.
The blue cover sheet contains the following declaration, which you should sign: Except where specific refer-
ence is made to the work of others, this work is original and has not been already submitted either wholly
or in part to satisfy any degree requirement at this or any other university.

Pr oj ect As s es s m en t

As soon as possible after submission, the project will be assessed by two people, normally the supervisor and
another staff member (the assessor), who will conduct an informal oral examination of the student on the
work. The assessor, who will be appointed by the Teaching Committee, will not usually be a specialist in the
field. The student will be asked to present a short verbal summary, normally uninterrupted, of the project
during the interview. A projector will be made available if requested in advance. Students should expect to be
contacted by their supervisor shortly after handing their project in, to arrange the oral examination.

The supervisor and assessor will write separate reports plus a joint report to the Part III Examiners and will
recommend a mark. These marks are not necessarily final and may be amended by the examiners, who also
look at the projects.
4. 0 0 p m on t h e t h ir d Mon d a y of Ea s t er Fu ll Ter m (14t h Ma y 20 12).
The following guidelines for allocation of marks to Part III Projects will be given to assessors. Each heading
carries equal weight.

Scien t ific con t en t : How much appropriate understanding of science (particularly physics) was
shown?

Qu a lit y of wor k: How carefully/accurately/successfully was the work planned and performed (the
laboratory note book will be used to help assess this)?. Was an appropriate amount of relevant mate-
rial included?

Com m u n ica t ion s kills : Report: was the report well written and clearly organised, with clear and
well-balanced arguments, appropriate use of figures and tables, etc? Viva: was the student able to
summarise the work and to respond coherently to questions?

After the oral examination, the assessors will return their report and recommended marks, along with bot h
( s ign ed ) cop ies of t h e p r oject s a n d t h e La bor a t or y n ot e books , to t h e Tea ch in g Office (Room
212B, Bragg Building). After publication of the Part III Class List, students may, if they wish, retrieve one
copy of their project from the Teaching Office.

If there are any questions about these arrangements come and see Professor Smith, in the Mott Building,
Room 358, telephone 37483, e-mail cgs4@cam.ac.uk.

Fu r t h er i n f or m a t i on :

Alloca t ion of Pr oject s

In response to concerns about the transparency of the project allocation process, the following text has been
approved by the Teaching Committee and the Staff Student Consultative Committee. Project supervisors are
enjoined to act within the spirit of the following code.

Cod e of Pr a ct ice for a lloca t ion of Pa r t I I I Pr oject s
Part III Projects cover the full range of research in Physics, involving analytical, experimental and
computational work in various proportions. They may involve working in research groups either in
the Department of Physics or elsewhere in the University. Part III projects are often closely linked to
the supervisors own research, and may result in single or joint publication. Unlike Part II Research
Reviews, the successful conclusion of a project requires a reasonable match between the skills and
interests of the student and those required by the project. It is reasonable that the project supervisor
should be the judge of these: it is not therefore appropriate to assign projects by a general lottery, for
example.

Supervisors are, however, asked to ensure fair play in the allocation process. This requires that the
requisite skills be fully advertised in the project abstract, and that the supervisor should be prepared
to discuss the project with all students who make serious inquiries. He or s h e s h ou ld a ls o keep
a n op en m in d u n t il t h e en d of t h e con s u lt a t ion p er iod , a n d s h ou ld t h en m a ke a n d a n -
n ou n ce a d ecis ion a s qu ickly a s p os s ible, t o a void keep in g s t u d en t s on a s t r in g. If
more than one student indicates serious interest, the supervisor should make clear how he or she in-
tends to make the allocation in some cases this might be as simple as drawing names from a hat,
while for an analytical project closely tied to the supervisors research project, it might be on the ba-
sis of performance in TP1 and/or TP2 in the previous year. The essential point is that whatever
method is used should be seen to be appropriate and fair, should be clear to the students, and should
be settled expeditiously once the system opens to allocations. Students can then make a reasonable
guess at their chances, and can pursue such other projects as they wish.

Supervisors may create projects expressly for a particular student, and are encouraged to do so (ei-
ther in response to the students initiative in proposing the project, or in response to strong de-
mand). However, such projects should not be advertised to the class via the web, but should be
flagged as hidden or inactive until allocated. As well as not raising false hopes, this will also avoid
having to answer unwanted inquiries.

Out of fairness to supervisors, students are not normally allowed to change projects once they have
been allocated one and have accepted it. This places an additional responsibility on supervisors to
ensure a fair, transparent and efficient allocation.

Fu r t h er Hea lt h a n d Sa fet y con s id er a t ion s

Supervisors should always discuss safety aspects of their projects with the students concerned, mentioning
potential hazards and things with which students may not be familiar. Supervisors should ensure that the
student has read and understood the relevant risk assessments for the activities to be carried out. For new
activities, risk assessments should be carried out by the supervisor in consultation with the student. For
safety reasons, students must at all times remain within shouting distance of help, and, if performing an ex-
periment, sign in a book provided by the supervisor, on each occasion when they start and when they finish
work. They are only allowed to work on experiments in the Department outside normal lab hours in excep-
tional circumstances, by prior arrangement with the supervisor, and with the approval of the Departmental
Safety Officer and the Head of Department. Supervisors must ensure that students are aware of general and
experiment-related emergency procedures. By accepting the project, students are indicating their agree-
ment to abide by these and other safety rules.

Us e of bibliogr a p h ic d a t a ba s es

The Web of Science database (http://wok.mimas.ac.uk) may be used to find relevant papers. Students must
first sign a form (available from the Rayleigh Library) unless they signed one last year

129
Guide for Students 130

Guide for Students

Aca d em ic St a ff
St a ff m em ber Telep h on e
( s ecy)
Room Gr ou p E-m a il
Alexander, Prof. P 37477(37294) 919 AP pa@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Allison, Dr W 37416(37336) 413B SMF wa14@cam.ac.uk
Ansorge, Dr R E 66103 240 BSS rea1@phy.cam.ac.uk
Atatre, Dr M 66465(66298) 982 AMOP ma424@cam.ac.uk
Barnes, Dr C H W 37487 358B SP chwb101@cus.cam.ac.uk
Batley, Dr J R 37434(37227) 953 HEP batley@hep.phy.cam.ac.uk
Baumberg, Prof. J J 37313 tba OE jjb12@cam.ac.uk
Buscher Dr D F 37302 921 AP dfb@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Cicuta, Dr P 37462 237 BSS pc245@cam.ac.uk
Cole, Dr J 37470 (37336) 429 SMF jmc61@cam.ac.uk
Cooper, Prof. J R 37445(37351) 465 QM jrc19@cus.cam.ac.uk
Cooper, Prof. N R 65127 528 TCM nrc25@phy.cam.ac.uk
Donald, Prof. Dame Athene M 37382(37423) 243 BSS amd3@phy.cam.ac.uk
Duffett-Smith, Dr P J 65777 927 AP pjds@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Eiser, Dr E 37267 238 BSS ee247@cam.ac.uk
Ellis, Dr J 37410 427C SMF je102@cus.cam.ac.uk
Ford, Dr C J B 37486(37482) 330 SP cjbf@cam.ac.uk
Friend, Prof. Sir Richard H 37218(37313) 32 IRC OE rhf10@cus.cam.ac.uk
Gibson, Prof. V 37373(37227) 958 HEP gibson@hep.phy.cam.ac.uk
Green, Dr D A 37305(37294) 905 AP dag@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Greenham, Prof. N C 66301(37313) 33 IRC OE ncg11@cam.ac.uk
Grosche, Dr F M 37352 409 QM fmg12@cam.ac.uk
Gull, Prof. S F 37367(37294) 902 AP steve@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Hadzibabic, Dr Z 37004 835 AMOP zh10001@cam.ac.uk
Haniff, Prof. C A 37307 917 AP cah@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Hobson, Prof. M P 39992 936 AP mph@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Hughes, Dr H P 37327(37313) M210 OE hph10@phy.cam.ac.uk
Irvine, Dr A C 37555 M232 ME aci20@cam.ac.uk
Jardine-Wright Dr L 33318 221 Outreach ljw21@cam.ac.uk
Jones, Dr G A C 37484(37482) 359B SP gaj1@cam.ac.uk
Keyser, Dr U (37007) BSS ufk20@cam.ac.uk
Khmelnitskii, Prof. D C 37289(37254) 521 TCM dek12@cam.ac.uk
Khl, Prof. M 37479(66298) 834 AMOP mk540@cam.ac.uk
Lasenby, Prof .A N 37293(37294) 906A AP a.n.lasenby@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Lester, Dr C G 37232 952 HEP lester@hep.phy.cam.ac.uk
Longair, Prof. M S 65953 918 AP msl@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Lonzarich, Prof. G G 37391(37351) 502 QM QM-secretary@phy.cam.ac.uk
MacKay, Prof. D J C 39852(37254) 518 IG mackay@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Needs, Prof. R J 37384(37254) 535 TCM rn11@phy.cam.ac.uk
Padman, Dr R 37310(37294) 931 AP rp10001@cam.ac.uk
Parker, Prof. M A 37474(37227) 945 HEP parker@hep.phy.cam.ac.uk
Payne, Prof. M C 37381(37254) 541 TCM mcp1@phy.cam.ac.uk
Phillips, Prof. R T 37342(37313) 874 AMOP rtp1@phy.cam.ac.uk
Richer, Dr J S 37246 935 AP jsr@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Riley, Dr J M 37308 916 AP julia@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Ritchie, Prof. D A 37331/37255 361 SP dar11@cam.ac.uk
Saunders, Dr R D E 37301(37294) 928 AP rdes@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Simons, Prof. B D 37253(37254) 539 TCM bds10@phy.cam.ac.uk
Scott, Prof. J F 37391 502 QM jfs32@cam.ac.uk
Sirringhaus, Prof. H 37557 M208 ME hs220@phy.cam.ac.uk
Smith, Prof. C G 37483(37482) 358 SP cgs4@cam.ac.uk
Steiner, Prof. U 37390 35 IRC BSS u.steiner@phy.cam.ac.uk
Stirling, Prof. W J 37429 210 Head of
Dept, HEP
wjs2@cam.ac.uk
Terentjev, Prof. E M 37003 245 BSS emt1000@cus.cam.ac.uk
Thomson, Prof. M A 65122/(37227) 951 HEP thomson@hep.phy.cam.ac.uk
Ward, Prof. D R 37242(37227) 939 HEP drw1@hep.phy.cam.ac.uk
Warner, Prof. M 37380(37254) 505 TCM mw141@cam.ac.uk
Withington, Prof. S 37393(37294) 816B AP stafford@mrao.cam.ac.uk

M indicates Microelectronics Building

Ad m in is t r a t ion
The Departments central administration is located in the Bragg Building. Enquiries are usually dealt with via
Room 206, between 9:00 and 12:30, and 14:00 and 17:00.
Aim s a n d Object ives
The Quality Assurance Agency, through its institutional audit of the University, is concerned with the assur-
ance of the quality of teaching and learning within the University. The University in turn requires every De-
partment to have clear aims and objectives and to monitor their teaching and learning activities and consider
changes where necessary, and meet various criteria concerning management of the quality of its teaching
provision. Students play a vital role in assisting with this quality assurance, and the Department welcomes
constructive comment via the Staff-student Consultative Committee. The draft statement of Aims and Objec-
tives is published on the web and is linked to from http://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/external (see learn-
ing aims and outcomes).
Ap p ea ls
Information about the procedure for examination warnings, allowances and appeals is available at
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/exams/students/undergraduate_examination_appeals.pdf.
As t r on om ica l Societ y ( CUAS)
Astronomy is a popular branch of physics and the Astronomical Society provides an interesting series of lec-
tures on Wednesday evenings during the Michaelmas and Lent Terms, details of which can be found on the
societys web page - http://www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cuas/. Members of the research groups of the Caven-
dish Laboratory concerned with astronomy are often lecturers in this series.
Bicycles
The Cavendish Laboratory provides several cycle sheds and racks in which you may leave your bike, but it
should be locked with a sturdy security device when not in use. Several serious accidents occur every year in-
volving students cycling in Cambridge: please cycle with care, use proper lights when required and wear a
safety helmet.
Books
The Physics Course Handbook lists the most important books to be used in conjunction with the lecture and
practical courses. Reading and working through parts of these books are indispensable exercises which are
usually considered part of the course. Many of the books are expensive, but they may be obtained at substan-
tial reductions by attending book sales and looking out for bargains listed on College noticeboards and those
in the Cavendish. All books recommended for Part I should be available in College libraries or the Rayleigh
Library. If you notice any omissions, please fill in a request slip to ensure that the book is ordered.
Books h op s
The main bookshops from which you should be able to obtain the recommended books are Heffers, CUP and
Waterstones. And then there is always Amazon
Bu ild in gs
The present Cavendish Laboratory comprises the extensive buildings south of Madingley Road, the first of
which opened in 1973. A map of the Cavendish Laboratory site is shown on the inside back end-paper. The
original buildings on this site were the Rutherford, Bragg and Mott Buildings, named after former Cavendish
Professors, and the workshop building between the Rutherford and Bragg buildings. These have in the past
few years been supplemented by a building for the Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Superconductivity
(now the Kapitza Building), and a further building for the Microelectronics Research Group and Hitachi
Cambridge Laboratory. Further recent additions to the site are the Magnetic Resonance Research Centre of
the Chemical Engineering Department, the Nanoscience Centre and the Terrapin Building. The most recent
addition is the first phase of the Physics of Medicine building, which houses the laboratories for the Biologi-
cal and Soft Systems sector (BSS).
Ca lcu la t or s
When considering which calculator to buy, you may wish to bear in mind that only certain types are permit-
ted for use in Tripos examinations, a list of these for 2012-12 can be found at
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2009-10/weekly/6195/section7.shtml. Among these are the Casio
models available from the Cavendish Stores.
Ca m CORS
The supervision reporting system. See Databases (below)
Ca m SI S
The student information system. See Databases (below)
Ca m Tools
CARETs Virtual Learning Environment. See Databases (below)
Ca n t een
See Common Room (below).
Ca r eer s
The University Careers Service is located in Stuart House, Mill Lane (telephone number 338288), and is fi-
nanced by the University to provide students with information about careers and assistance with application
processes. The Service maintains an information room which can be used during normal office hours, and
additionally provides expert staff to advise students about career-related issues. Ask at the reception desk.
Ca ven d is h La bor a t or y
The Cavendish Laboratory is the name of the building which houses (most of) the Universitys Department of
Physics; the name has become synonymous with the department itself. The laboratory was established
through the generosity of William Cavendish, Seventh Duke of Devonshire, who endowed the laboratory in
the nineteenth century, together with the Cavendish Chair of Experimental Physics. The original Cavendish
Laboratory was located in Free School Lane, and opened in 1874; the Department moved to the present site
in 1973-74. The history of the Cavendish is well illustrated in the Cavendish Museum, located in the Bragg
Building.
Ca ven d is h St or es
Next to the Common Room in the Bragg Building is the central stores of the whole laboratory, the opening
hours of which are 8:00 -16:45.
The stores sell past examination papers, the booklet of mathematical formulae, and calculators for examina-
tions.
Ch ea t in g
The Department considers the act of cheating as a serious matter and any incident will be reported to the
Head of Department, who will normally refer the case to the University Proctors.

It is unacceptable to:
- cheat during oral or written tests
- copy the work of others and submit as your own
- falsify and/or invent experimental data
In the practical classes, some experiments are designed to be carried out individually and some in collabora-
tion with other students. Discussion among students and with demonstrators and Heads of Class is encour-
aged and you may use any help or insights gained in these discussions to improve your experiment, your
understanding of the physics and your written report. However, your report should be written by you, follow-
ing the guidelines on writing reports, and only data collected in your experiment should be presented as your
own.
Cla s s in g Cr it er ia
The Department of Physics has agreed that examiners will mark to agreed criteria for written examinations.
Due to the way in which marks from different subjects are combined to create the final list in Parts IA and IB,
the criteria used in Physics are not reflected directly in the class list. For Parts II and III, the examinations
are under the direct control of the Department, in conjunction with scrutiny by External Examiners. The cri-
teria for classing in Physics are available at www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/classing.php.
College
Your College ordinarily admits you to the University, provides you with accommodation and arranges for
your supervisions in Parts IA and IB. Usually, but not always, your Director of Studies in Physics will be a
member of staff of the Cavendish, and will be directly in touch with the Department. Most Colleges aim to
provide supervision at a rate of about one hour per week for each of Part IA Physics, Part IB Physics A and
Part IB Physics B. Part II and Part III supervision is provided on behalf of the Colleges through a scheme
administered in the Department.
Com m on Room
The Cavendish contains a large Common Room which is open to all students of Physics. It is open for light
refreshments from 10:30-16:30, and for lunch from 12:30-13:45, on Mondays to Fridays. In addition there is
an area for relaxation outside the lecture theatres, where there are vending machines for food and drink.
Room 700 on the bridge between the Rutherford and Bragg buildings, above the metal stores is available for
private study for Pt II and III students.
Com p la in t s
If you have a complaint about the teaching or administration in the Department, take it up first, if possible,
with the person directly concerned in a constructive manner. If this is not effective, or if the matter seems to
be of general interest, you may wish to discuss it with your course representative on the Staff-Student Con-
sultative Committee. It may also be useful to discuss the matter with your Director of Studies or Tutor. If
your complaint is substantial, by all means take it to the Chair of the Teaching Committee or the Head of De-
partment. There is also a formal University Complaints Procedure, of which you should have received details.
If you need advice on whether or how to proceed with a formal complaint, you could ask your College Tutor
or Director of Studies, or your CUSU representative, or any physics member of staff. (See also Harassment,
below.)
Com p u t in g
The Department relies on the University Computing Service for the provision of computing facilities for un-
dergraduates. The Public Workstation Facility is located close to the Practical laboratories, where you can use
networked PCs with a range of software for word-processing, spreadsheet calculation and dataplotting. Most
colleges also provide some facilities.
The Department makes increasing use of computers in practical work, and aims to develop specific skills in
the use of computers for solving problems in physics.
Cou n s ellin g
The University Counselling Service is at 14 Trumpington Street (telephone 332865), and is open 9:00 - 17:30,
Monday to Friday. It exists to help members of the University who have problems of a personal or emotional
nature which they wish to discuss in confidence. The Service is widely used, so it can be very busy, and it is
best to make an appointment either by telephone or in person. In times of particular stress a special effort
will be made to see you quickly.
Advice on personal matters is always available in your college through your Tutor.
Special assistance is provided by Linkline (internal telephone 44444, external line 367575) and the Samari-
tans (telephone 364455).
Cou r s es
The Department of Physics offers a wide range of courses in Physics, at undergraduate and postgraduate
level, many of which are detailed in the Lecture List published in the Reporter early in October. Some spe-
cialised courses for postgraduate students are not advertised in this way. The detailed synopses of the courses
for Tripos are given in this Handbook, which is distributed at the beginning of the academic year to all stu-
dents taking physics courses.
Da t a ba s es
Students taking courses in Physics will come across a number of different on-line databases. Because these
all use the same login method (Raven authentication: see below), it is not always obvious that these are dif-
ferent systems, which for the most part do not (yet) talk to each other. The four main databases are:
- Ca m CORS the Cambridge Colleges Online Reporting System. Supervisors use this to report
to Directors of Studies and Tutors on the progress of their supervisees, and to claim from the col-
leges for the supervisions provided. If colleges choose to release the information, students can
view their supervision reports here directly. See www.camcors.cam.ac.uk/
- Ca m SI S the student information system. Students use this to enter for exams, and (when the
results are uploaded) to check their Tripos results. Part IB NST students also indicate their Part
II subject choice through this system. See www.camsis.cam.ac.uk/cam-only/current_users/live/
- Ca m Tools a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) run by CARET, the Centre for Applied Re-
search in Educational Technologies. Most Part IA NST courses have their own pages on Cam-
Tools. The Department of Physics uses instead the Teaching information System (TiS; see below)
which permits better integration with other Departmental systems. See camtools.cam.ac.uk/
- Th e Tea ch in g I n for m a t ion Sys t em a web database system run by the Department of
Physics. All course resources are provided here. It is important that all students register directly
with the TiS each year, in addition to entering for examinations on CamSIS. (see Registration:
below). See www-teach.phy.cam.ac.uk
Dep a r t m en t of Ph ys ics
The Department of Physics is the administrative unit in the Faculty of Physics and Chemistry which provides
teaching in physics leading to the Part II and Part III examinations in Experimental and Theoretical Physics.
The Head of Department is Professor James Stirling. Your direct contact with the Department can be
through your College (your Director of Studies in the first instance) or through the staff you encounter in lec-
tures and practicals. The needs of students in Part I are usually met fully through College contacts; in later
years direct contact with the Department increases. Notices are posted near the lecture theatres and practical
classes which all students should read, since this is where details of examination procedures are advertised.
The Department provides various facilities specifically to help you in your study of physics, many of which
are described in this document.
Dir ect or of St u d ies
You will have been assigned a Director of Studies in your College - possibly one for Physics and another for
Natural Sciences overall. This person will assign you to supervisors during your first two years, will monitor
your progress and try to assist you if you have problems. If you get into difficulties with the course you should
discuss this with your Director of Studies, or with your Tutor. If for any reason you feel unable to do this any
member of staff of the Department will willingly try to assist you.
Dis a bilit y
The Department is happy to cater for the needs of students with disabilities. Students with disabilities which
require special arrangements to be made should contact the Teaching Office in good time.
Elect r on ic Ma il
Electronic mail is widely used as a good way to communicate with your supervisors, and also provides the
mechanism for offering comments on the courses offered by the Physics Department (see Year Groups). It is
also used by the department to contact students.
Exa m in a t ion s
The marks upon which your degree classification is based are derived from a combination of continuously-
assessed work, set pieces (such as projects) and examination papers. There is one three-hour paper in Phys-
ics for Part IA, two for Part IB Physics A, two for Part IB Physics B, and eight two hour papers for Part II. In
Part III most examinations are taken at the beginning of the term following that in which the course is taken;
there is a 3-hour paper in General Physics at the end of Easter term.
See Natural Sciences Tripos www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/natsci/index.html
and Classing Criteria www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/classing.php for details of the grades that may be ob-
tained.
Preparation for examinations is important, and the best method to use varies widely between individuals.
The Physics Department has produced some guidance which you might find helpful and is available on the
teaching pages on the web at www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/exam_skills.php. If you have problems it is
worth discussing them with your supervisor, Director of Studies or your Tutor, who may be able to assist by
suggesting alternative approaches. Information on the various styles of questions is available at
www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/exam_questions.php, and you will find a brief description of how examiners
work at www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/exam_workings.php.
Internal examiners are appointed each year for each Tripos examination; two external examiners are also
appointed for Parts II and III. The Reporter publishes the names of the examiners. For each subject listed be-
low there is a Senior Examiner drawn from the staff of the Department, and they take the responsibility for
the setting and marking of the examination papers, assisted by the other examiners. For the academic year
2012-12 the Senior Examiners are:
Part IA Physics: Prof. C G Smith
Part IB Physics A: Dr D A Green
Part IB Physics B: Prof. M A Thomson
Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics: Prof. M P Hobson
Part II Half Subject Physics: Prof. M P Hobson
Part III Experimental and Theoretical Physics: Prof. N C Greenham
You should note that, by tradition - in order to ensure that the examination process is beyond reproach - di-
rect contact with the examiners is not encouraged. If you have a problem that you believe should be brought
before a particular body of examiners, the proper channel is through your Tutor or Director of Studies.
Select ive Pr ep a r a t ion for Exa m in a t ion s
There has been some discussion with past students about the advisability of ditching a course in preparation
for the examinations. The Department gave the following advice:
(1) Departmental policy is that the examinations should test the whole course taken by students. The exami-
nations are designed to test the wide range of skills and knowledge that has been acquired.
(2) In any section of an examination paper, there is likely to be a range of questions which you will find to
have differing degrees of difficulty and also testing different aspects of each course.
(3) It is very dangerous indeed to ditch courses. It results in a very limited range of questions which can be
answered - how do you know they are not all going to be very demanding? It requires enormous effort to be
sure that you can answer well any question which can be set on any given course. It is much safer, and educa-
tionally much sounder, to prepare for all the courses for which you are entered in the Tripos examinations.
You are much more likely to find two questions out of four in which you can perform well.
Exa m p les Cla s s es
From the third year onwards Examples Classes are provided as an important aid to your learning. They ex-
plore in greater depth some particular issues related to parts of the lecture course, and with a number of
demonstrators on hand they should be used to strengthen your grasp of the course material.
Exa m p les Sh eet s
Examples sheets are provided to accompany every lecture course, and are usually distributed outside the lec-
ture theatre. It is the policy of the Department to provide examples which cover a wide range of difficulty, so
dont expect to be able to do all of them without some assistance from your supervisor. You should try to
produce satisfactory solutions to all of the designated core examples for your subsequent use in revision, af-
ter discussion of the material in a supervision. Many of the questions are taken from past Tripos papers, so
they provide good practice in handling material in the lecture courses, chosen to reflect the present content
of the course.
Fa cu lt y of Ph ys ics a n d Ch em is t r y
The Department of Physics is part of the Faculty of Physics and Chemistry.
Feed ba ck
The Department makes a great effort to provide excellent courses and facilities, and obviously wishes to en-
sure that the results are as good as possible from the students perspective. We rely on you to help us iron out
any problems. Your input to the constant refinement of our teaching provision is therefore a welcome and es-
sential ingredient, and is most helpfully directed through your representative on the Staff-Student Consulta-
tive Committee (see below). Feedback is now obtained using the SWIFT survey tool on Caret. Please fill
these in with constructive comments these responses are important input to the Consultative Committee,
and the information is then passed on to the lecturers, Heads of Class and supervisors. There are also e-mail
addresses for comments on each year of the Tripos (see the top of the relevant sections in this Handbook).
Fir e Ala r m s
All buildings are equipped with fire alarms, and you should take note of the instructions, which are posted
around the buildings, for the procedure to follow in case of fire. There is a fire drill at some time each year. If
you hear a fire alarm leave the building quickly and quietly by the nearest fire exit. Do not stop to collect your
possessions. Do not use lifts. Fire doors in corridors close automatically when the alarm system is activated;
they must never be obstructed. The system is tested between 7.30am and 8.30am each Monday.
If you discover a fire, raise the alarm by breaking the glass at the nearest Fire Alarm Point, and evacuate the
building by the nearest safe route. If it is possible to do so without taking personal risks call the Fire Brigade
(telephone 1999).
For m u la e
A booklet of standard mathematical formulae, identical to the one that is made available in certain examina-
tions, is available for purchase from Cavendish Stores or for downloading from the web at
www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/students.php. You are urged to use and become familiar with the contents of
this booklet, because it has become clear in recent Tripos examinations that many students are not aware of
the time it can save them in an examination.
Ha n d book
The Physics Course Handbook is updated each year, and distributed to students of all years. It aims to be the
definitive source of information about the courses, but students may be informed of corrections, and up-
dates, during the year, e.g. in course handouts, or by notices on notice boards, or by e-mail. It is also available
on the web at http://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/students.php. Please send any comments, on errors or
omissions, by e-mail to handbook@phy.cam.ac.uk.
Ha r a s s m en t
The University is committed to creating and maintaining an environment for work and learning which is free
from all forms of discrimination. The central authorities of the University regard racial, sexual and disability
harassment and bullying as wholly unacceptable behaviour. The information about harassment is available at
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/personnel/policy/dignity/.
Any student who feels they are being harassed or bullied racially, sexually or because of a disability is en-
couraged to seek advice. The Department of Physics has appointed two advisors who are available to students
for guidance and support:
Dr Bill Allison, Room 413B & Tel: 37416, E-mail: mailto:wa14@cam.ac.uk
Dr Julia Riley, Room 916 & Tel: 37308, E-mail: julia@mrao.cam.ac.uk
Advice may also be obtained from College Tutors.
Contact with the advisors will be treated as confidential. No information about a complaint will be released
or taken any further without the students consent.
I n s t it u t e of Ph ys ics
The Institute of Physics is a national body that exists to promote physics. The Department usually pays for
you to be a student member for the duration of your undergraduate course, funded by the company Accelrys
(see www.accelrys.com/). This entitles you to receive your personal copy of Physics World every month. Ap-
plication forms and details of membership will be given out at the Registration at the start of the year, and
other information may be obtained directly from the Institute at 76 Portland Place, London W1N 4AA (020
7470 4800, physics@iop.org, and http://www.iop.org). The Student Liaison Officer for the Institute of Phys-
ics is Samir Dawoud (samir.dawoud@iop.org). Prof. Mike Payne (mcp1@phy.cam.ac.uk) is the Cambridge
Representative, from whom application forms can also be obtained. Following graduation you may obtain
(according to experience) various grades of professional membership, Chartered Physicist status, and several
other benefits which may have some bearing on obtaining a job.
La bor a t or y Clos u r e
The Cavendish Laboratory opens at 8:00 and closes at 18:00 Monday to Friday. Over Christmas and New
Year the Laboratory is completely closed.
La t e Su bm is s ion of Wor k
In accordance with the Universitys regulations, work submitted after the advertised deadline will n ot count
towards your final examination mark, unless an extension of time is granted on the grounds that there are
mitigating circumstances. For any item of work amounting to more than 10% of the total for the year (for ex-
ample a Part III Project), any application for such an extension should be made by your college Tutor to the
Universitys Applications Committee. For items of work amounting to less than 10% of the total years mark,
any application for an extension should be made by your college Tutor or Director of Studies to the Deputy
Head of Department (Teaching), c/o Teaching Office, Cavendish Laboratory, (teaching-
office@phy.cam.ac.uk).
In either case, you should submit the work as soon as possible after the deadline.
Lect u r e h a n d ou t s
Handouts, containing material to supplement lectures, are usually distributed at the time of the relevant lec-
ture outside the lecture theatre. The amount of material prepared is at the discretion of the lecturer. Diverse
opinions have been (vociferously) expressed by students each year about handouts - some want very little
material, others wish to have copies of lecture overheads, others want a substitute for a book. When lecture
overheads are supplied there are often criticisms that the lecturer is reading from the handout! It is impossi-
ble for the Department to provide courses and handouts which satisfy every different preference. Lecture
handouts should be regarded as assistance beyond the lecture material, optionally provided by the lecturer,
but they cannot substitute for your own reading through the wide range of textbooks available throughout
the University, and you cannot reasonably expect them to. Lecture handouts are available on the web at
www-teach.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/handouts.php.
Lect u r es
Details of lectures will be found in the Lecture List published at the start of each academic year on the web at
www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/lectures.php.
Part IA lectures are usually held in the Bristol-Myers Squibb Lecture Theatre, The Chemical Laboratory.
Part IB Physics A and Physics B lectures are usually held in the Cockcroft Lecture Theatre on the New Muse-
ums Site.
Part II and Part III lectures are held in the lecture theatres at the Cavendish Laboratory and in the Sackler
Lecture Theatre at the Institute of Astronomy.
Libr a r ies
Library provision in Cambridge is outstanding. Your College will probably provide a core of physics books to
supplement those you buy. Usually the College Librarian will welcome suggestions for additional purchases if
you find omissions of important books from the College Library.
The Department provides the Rayleigh Library, located in the Bragg building, and a special section has been
set aside for use by Part II and Part III students (see Part II and Part III Library, below).
The University Library has an extensive physics collection.
Physics journals are held in the Rayleigh Library and in the Moore Library in Wilberforce Road (see below).
Online access to many physics journals is available within the cam domain.
Moor e Libr a r y
The Universitys main collection of physical sciences, technology and mathematics journals is kept in the
Moore Library in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences in Wilberforce Road (close to the Cavendish, just turn
left at the end of the footpath leading from the Cavendish into town, instead of continuing down Adams
Road; the large building on the right near the far end of the road is the CMS). To use the collection you need
to have a University Card. It is unlikely to be useful to you until the Third and Fourth years.
Na t u r a l Scien ces Tr ip os
The Natural Sciences Tripos (NST) is the official title of the degree examinations covering the Natural Sci-
ences, including Physics. The participating Departments of the University work together to provide a wide
choice of subjects which can be combined in a great variety of ways to cater for the interests of each student.
Many students seem unclear about how the Part II and Part III examinations are Classed. The following is an
extract from notes prepared in order to clarify the Departments position on this:
Part III of the Tripos is classed in the usual way - 1st, 2.1, 2.2, 3rd. Parts II and III of the Tripos are inde-
pendent and marks are not carried forward from one to the other.
Degrees as such are not classed. Students graduate from the University as a B.A. with Honours and, if they
are classed in Part III, as an M.Sci. The classes are attached to a particular Tripos. Thus if, for example, a
student obtains a First in Part II, they will be entitled to say that they obtained First Class Honours in Part II
of the NST whatever their results in Part III. If they also obtain a good result in Part III then they can add
that to their curriculum vitae. If future employers, postgraduate grant funding agencies, etc. require more de-
tailed information than just the degree certificate, they will normally receive from a College or the University
the full profile of the students achievements during their years here, not just their result in the final year.
This should enable them to give proper weight to the Part II results.
It is worth noting that many of the key decisions about job offers and places in research groups will be made
before the Part III results are known, so the Part II classes are likely to be an important factor in those
choices. The Research Councils normally require a specific standard to be met if students are to be eligible
for postgraduate support. At present a student is eligible for a Research Council grant if at least an Upper
Second has been attained in either Part II or Part III. It is unlikely that a poor result in Part III would lead to
an offer of a place from any university, even if the formal requirement had been attained at Part II.
See also Classing Criteria, above.
Pa r t I I a n d Pa r t I I I Libr a r y
An area is set aside in the Rayleigh Library for use by Part II and Part III students, and there is an extensive
collection of textbooks on all aspects of physics. These, and books from the main section of the Library, may
be borrowed overnight after completing the borrowing procedure at the desk next to the main door to the Li-
brary. A quiet area for study is also available in the Part II/III study area accessible from the link bridge be-
tween the Bragg and Rutherford buildings.
Pa s t Tr ip os p a p er s
You can buy individual copies of physics papers from the Cavendish Stores in the Department, and your Col-
lege Library will also have a set of all past Tripos papers. Remember that the course content changes, so past
papers may contain questions on material with which you are not now expected to be familiar! Recent pa-
pers are also available on the web at www-teach.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/examPapers.php.
Per s on a l Com p u t er s
Many Colleges provide PCs, and you may also use those provided in the Cavendish at the Public Workstation
Facility (PWF). See Public Workstation Facility (below) and also Computing (above).
Ph ilos op h ica l Societ y
The Philosophical Society is a long-established society in the University which, among its various functions,
puts on evening lectures in the Bristol-Myers Squibb Lecture Theatre, Department of Chemistry. Some of
these are by eminent physicists and all are intended for a broad audience - you are therefore most welcome to
attend. More details are available at www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cps/.
Ph ys ics Cou r s e Ha n d book
See Handbook (above).
Ph ot ocop yin g
Photocopying may be carried out in the copy room of the Rayleigh Library, at a cost of 4p per A4 copy. Pho-
tocopying can only be carried out with the purchase of a card, the lowest denomination being 1, with other
amounts of 2, 5, 10, 25. Photocopy cards may be purchased in the Library.
Ph ys ics Societ y ( CUPS)
The Physics Society organises a range of functions, including evening lectures. Joining is easy at the first eve-
ning lecture or at the Societies Fair. More details are available at
www.srcf.ucam.org/physics/wiki/index.php?title=Cambridge_University_Physics_Society.
Pr a ct ica l Cla s s es
The Practical Classes are an important and examinable part of your course, and are conducted in the Caven-
dish Laboratory. Registration procedures are outlined in the relevant section of this Handbook.
Pu blic Wor ks t a t ion Fa cilit y ( PWF)
The PWF is a network of PCs supported by the Computing Service and located next to the Practical classes. It
is used to assist with data analysis, document preparation and specific computing exercises. You will need to
register as a user. See also Computing (above).
Ra yleigh Libr a r y
The Rayleigh Library is primarily a resource for research, but it includes a great many useful reference works
as well as original research journals. Here you can also find New Scientist, Scientific American, Physics
World (for those who dont have their own copy!) and Physics Today. All of these are excellent sources of in-
formation about the fast-advancing frontiers of physics. Next to the section with these and other current
journals is the Part II & III Library. There is limited space for private working.
Ra ven
Raven is the University of Cambridge web authentication server. You will need your Raven password to log in
to the Teaching Information System (q.v.), and to access "cam-only" material (such as past examination pa-
pers) on the teaching website from outside the cam.ac.uk domain. If you use the Hermes mail-store, then
you can get your Raven password at https://jackdaw.cam.ac.uk/raven-temp/get-raven-password. If you
don't use Hermes, then you can request a Raven password from www.cam.ac.uk/cs/request/raven.html. If
you have a Raven password and your login is rejected by the teaching system, please let the Teaching Office
know your CRSID so that we can enable your account. If you have lost your Raven password, or it doesn't
work, then see www.cam.ac.uk/cs/docs/faq/n3.html.
Recor d in g of Lect u r es
Audio or video recording of lectures is not generally allowed. If there is a specific reason for needing to re-
cord a lecture then a request should be made to the Teaching Office, who will consult the relevant lecturer.
The Department may require that the recording is made by the lecture theatre technician.
Refr es h m en t s
See Common Room.
Regis t r a t ion
The Department runs an extensive set of teaching databases, and uses these, for example, to contact all stu-
dents in any particular category. In order for us to reach you, we first need to know that you are here. You
should receive, from the Department and/or your DoS, an invitation to register shortly before the start of the
academic year. This does NOT enter you for examinations, or have any official function outside the Physics
Department, but it does get you into the system so that we know you are here, and what you are doing. We
are then able to allocate departmental supervisions where appropriate, and to give you access to all relevant
information.
Rep or t er
The University Reporter is the official publication of the University in which announcements are made. From
this year the paper version of the Reporter will no longer be produced. All notices including the lecture list
and official notices concerning examination procedures see www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/
Res ea r ch
The Cavendish is a large and thriving research laboratory, with a wide range of present-day interests in phys-
ics, and a fascinating and illustrious history. More information about the research can be found distributed
around the laboratory in the form of poster displays, but an increasing amount of information will be found
via our Home Page on the World Wide Web: www.phy.cam.ac.uk
Research is organised into the following groups:
Abbr evia t ion Na m e of Res ea r ch Gr ou p Con t a ct Ph on e
AMOP Atomic, Mesoscopic & Optical Physics 66298
AP Astrophysics 37294
BSS Biological and Soft Systems 37423/37007
HEP High Energy Physics 37227
IG Inference 37254
ME Microelectronics 37556
OE Optoelectronics 37313
NP NanoPhotonics 60945
QM Quantum Matter 37351
SMF Surfaces, Microstructure & Fracture 37336
SP Semiconductor Physics 37482
TCM Theory of Condensed Matter 37254
TFMM Thin Films, Magnetism & Materials 37336
Sa fet y
Safe conduct is legally the individual responsibility of everyone in the workplace, whether they be student or
staff member. Additionally the Department has specific legal obligations regarding health and safety, which
are monitored by the Department Safety and Environment Committee. You will be given information about
health and safety in the Practical Classes in particular; please take in this information, and accord it the im-
portance it deserves. Particular rules apply to Part III Project work; they are detailed in the section describing
the arrangements for projects. The Departmental Safety Officer is Dr. Jane Blunt (Room 220, Ext. 37397,
fjb27@phy.cam.ac.uk).
Scien t ific Per iod ica ls Libr a r y
The Universitys main collection of scientific journals has been split into two. Journals related to the physical
sciences, technology and mathematics are kept in the new Moore Library in the Centre for Mathematical Sci-
ences in Wilberforce Road (close to the Cavendish, just turn left at the end of the footpath leading from the
Cavendish into town, instead of continuing down Adams Road; the large building on the right near the far
end of the road is the CMS). The other journals are kept in the SPL in Benet Street, which was originally the
Philosophical Societys Library and still houses the offices of the Society. To use the collection you need to
have a University Library card. It is unlikely to be useful to you until the third and fourth years.
Sm okin g
The entire Department of Physics has been designated a NO SMOKI NG AREA.
St a ff-St u d en t Con s u lt a t ive Com m it t ee
The SSCC is the official channel for the communication of students concerns to the Department. There are
one or two student representatives for each of the courses provided by the Department. Elections to the SSCC
take place early in the Michaelmas term during lectures. The Consultative Committee is chaired by Prof.
Mark Thomson, and the other members are the Head of Department, the Chair and Secretary of the Teaching
Committee. The Committee meets at the end of each term, just after lectures finish, and a major part of its
business is to discuss in detail the feedback on each course, particularly as reflected by questionnaires. The
Committee also provides feedback to the Teaching Committee on general teaching issues.
The Committees minutes are considered in detail by the Teaching Committee and by the Head of Depart-
ment, and are made available on the web for access within Cambridge (see
www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/committees.php, where the current membership may also be found).
Su p er vis ion s
Supervisions are organised through your college for Parts IA and IB, and by the Department for Part II. Su-
pervision in larger groups is organised by the Department for Part III. You are normally expected to attend
every supervision which you have arranged, as a courtesy to your supervisor as well as in order to benefit
your own studies. You should expect to be asked to hand in work for each supervision, in sufficient time for
your supervisor to look through the work and identify any potential problems.
If for some reason you have problems, please contact your Director of Studies in the first instance, even for
supervisions arranged by the Department.
Syn op s es
Moderately detailed synopses are published for every course offered by the Department; the synopses have
been arrived at after long deliberation, consultation, and debate within the Department. The relationship be-
tween courses is handled by the Teaching Committee, and every effort is made to refine the sequence in
which material is presented. Some problems remain; these should just be the ones for which no clear-cut so-
lution was available, but in case there are difficulties for you which have not been identified in advance, the
Staff-Student Consultative Committee always welcomes direct feedback via your representative.
Tea ch in g Com m it t ee
The Teaching Committee concerns itself with all aspects of teaching in the Department of Physics. It oversees
the structure of lecture courses and practicals, and weighs up information about the success of the courses
regularly during the academic year. The best route for communicating information to the committee is
through your representative on the Staff-Student Consultative Committee, which itself reports to the Teach-
ing Committee. The Chair of the Committee is Prof. David Ritchie and the Secretary Dr Dave Green.
Tea ch in g I n for m a t ion Sys t em
The TiS is a web interface to the various teaching databases maintained by the Department. Part IA students
can view their practical marks on the web; Part II and III students can select Research Reviews and Projects
here, and can view their further work marks in the same way if they have been released. All supervisions ar-
ranged by the department are listed, and you can use the system as an easy way to email your supervisors
and supervision partners (for Parts II and III).
All handouts, for all years, are now available via the TiS, www-teach.phy.cam.ac.uk
Note that you must first be registered (see "Registration") for the current year in order to gain access to these
facilities, and that many of them require you first to log in, using your Raven password (see under "Raven").
Tea ch in g Office
The Physics Department has a Teaching Office which is situated in the Bragg building, Room 212B, tel.
65798. The Teaching Office is run by Helen Marshall and is open for general enquiries and submission of
written reports at regular times during full term. The opening times are posted on the notice board outside
the Teaching Office. Enquiries can also be made to its e-mail address: teaching-office@phy.cam.ac.uk.
Telep h on es
The internal telephone network of the university provides free calls between extensions, most of which have
a five-digit number.
To reach an extension from another exchange line outside the network, the number is prefixed with a 3.
(Some recent lines have 5-digit number beginning with a 6, for which the prefix when dialling from outside is
a 7).
For details, see the internal telephone directory.
Tr a n s fer a ble Skills
We have identified a set of transferable skills that physics undergraduates can expect to acquire in Cam-
bridge. As well as being needed for academic performance, these skills are sought after by employers, and
students are encouraged to develop them. The details can be found on the web at
www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/students.php
Un iver s it y Libr a r y
The University Library is an amazing resource for the University (and in many disciplines, for the interna-
tional academic community). You may be surprised at how useful it can be for you. However, since it is so
large it can be a little complicated.
Your University Card is required to gain access to the University Library.
You cannot take bags etc. into the library for security reasons, but you can leave them in the metal lockers to
be found down a few steps on the right hand side of the entrance hallway. The keys are released by the inser-
tion of a 1 coin, which is returned to you when you open the locker.
Most of the relevant physics books are to be found on the shelves in South Front, Floor 4 - easily located on
the maps displayed throughout the building. You need to know that in order to maximise storage, books are
shelved in catalogue sequence, but split into different size categories. This means that you might find four
different sets of books on, say, atomic physics - the size is indicated by a letter a,b,c in the catalogue number.
They are easy to find once you know this! Periodicals (serials) have numbers prefixed with P.
An increasing proportion of the 7,500,000 items in the inventory of the library are appearing on the com-
puter catalogue, which can be accessed from any computer terminal which can connect to the network. The
catalogue will tell you where the book should be found (eg SF4 i.e. South Front Floor 4) and whether or not it
is out on loan (and if so, when it is due back). The same catalogue system allows you to check your College li-
brary catalogue (for most of the colleges) and that of the Rayleigh Library. The UL catalogue is available at
www.lib.cam.ac.uk/.
Wor ld -Wid e Web
The Cavendish Laboratorys home page www.phy.cam.ac.uk has notices about events in the Cavendish, lists
of staff and details of the activities of the various research groups, as well as teaching material and informa-
tion. This Physics Course Handbook and teaching material for various courses can be found at
www.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/. The Teaching web pages also provide links to the Teaching Information sys-
tem (q.v.), and to certain material that is not generally available to addresses outside the cam.ac.uk domain

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Physics Course Handbook

boson). Parity vio-

annihilation in QED; the role of spin and helic-

spin liquids; weakly interacting Bose gas.

Gauge theory and

Resonance superfluidity in ultracold atomic gases and the BEC

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