Physics

Description

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The graduate physics program at Koç University is carried on by our world reknowned faculty who specialize mainly on quantum theory and optics. All the research laboratories are state-of-the art. We publish papers in top journals on quantum gravity and astrophysics, atom-photon interactions, Bose-Einstein condensates, lasers and photonics. We admit mostly PhD students with full-scholarship.

The MS program without thesis is recently introduced and may appeal to those who are not going to pursue an academic career. All our graduate students find the opportunity of close everyday contact in research with the world-class faculty. We encourage them to take courses from the other program sas well so that they can broaden their interests.

We also get this way some of the brightest students at the university coming to the physics classes. Our graduates mostly continue as post-docs at the best universities in the world and eventually go to academic life. Others have no difficulty in finding jobs in business or industry.

Research areas of interest

* Photonic & Laser Materials


* Microphotonics


* Nanophotonics


* Quantum physics, gravitation


* Quantum optics, atomic, molecular and optical physics


* Statistical mechanics of biophysical systems

Contents

Course Descriptions
PHYS 504 Advanced Quantum Mechanics II

Rotations and angular momentum. Discrete symmetry operations. WKB approximation. Geometric phase. Formal theory of scattering.

PHYS 505 Classical Electrodynamics II

Electromagnetic wave propagation in metallic and dielectric wave guides. Resonance cavities. Theory of diffraction. Special theory of relativity. Radiation by moving charges.

PHYS 507 Statistical Mechanics II

Phase diagrams. Critical phenomena and universal scaling. Mean field and Landau theories. Kadanoff scaling theory. Position space and momentum space renormalization. Chaotic renormalization groups and spin-glass order. Quenched disordered and frustrated systems. Phase diagrams of quantum spin and electronic conductivity models.

PHYS 508 Optical and Laser Spectroscopy(Also PHYS 408 / MASE 550)

Interaction of electromagnetic radiation with atoms and molecules, rotational spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy, spectroscopic instrumentation, lasers as spectroscopic light sources, fundamentals of lasers, nonlinear optical spectroscopy, laser Raman spectroscopy.

PHYS 509 Condensed Matter Physics I(Also PHYS 409)

Free electron theory of metals. Crystal lattices. Reciprocal lattice. Classification of Bravais lattices. X-ray diffraction and the determination of crystal structures. Electrons in a periodic potential. Tight binding method. Band structures. Semi-classical theory of conduction in metals. Fermi surface. Surface effects.

PHYS 510 Condensed Matter Physics II

Classification of solids. Theory of harmonic crystals. Phonons and phonon dispersion relations. Anharmonic effects in crystals. Phonons in metals. Dielectric properties of insulators. Semiconductors. Diamagnetism and paramagnetism. Electron interactions and magnetic structure. Magnetic ordering. Superconductivity.

PHYS 511 Selected Topics in Theoretical Physics

PHYS 512 Selected Topics in Applied Physics

PHYS 513 Applied Mathematics I(Also MATH 503)

Linear algebra: Vector and inner product spaces, linear operators, eigenvalue problems; Vector calculus: Review of differential and integral calculus, divergence and Stokes' theorems. Ordinary differential equations: Linear equations, Sturm-Liouville theory and orthogonal functions, system of linear equations; Methods of mathematics for science and engineering students.

PHYS 514 Applied Mathematics II(Also MATH 505)

Calculus of variations; Partial differential equations: First order linear equations and the method of characteristics; Solution of Laplace, wave, and diffusion equations; Special functions; Integral equations.

PHYS 515 Classical Field Theories

Lorentz transformations and Minkowski space-time. Tensors and spinors. Variational formulation of relativistic wave equations. Noether theorem: Symmetries and conservation laws.

PHYS 516 General Relativity and Astrophysics

Basic differential geometric concepts. Space-time metric and connection. Curvature and torsion tensors. Einstein field equations. Gravitational waves. Black holes. Big bang cosmologies.

PHYS 517 Quantized Field Theories I

Quantization of free fields. Propagators. Interacting fields and the S-matrix. Loop expansion of the S-matrix and Feynman diagrams. Path integral techniques. QED. Radiative corrections. Renormalization. Effective field theories.

PHYS 518 Quantized Field Theories II

Introduction to non-Abelian gauge field theories. QCD. Spontaneous symmetry breakdown and mass generation. Standard model of electroweak interactions. Non-perturbative effects. Supersymmetry.

PHYS 519 Group Theory and Its Applications in Physics

Invariances of the Schrödinger equation. Conservation laws and spectrum degeneracies. Parity and time-reversal symmetries. Translation symmetries on lattices. Crystallographic space groups. SO(3) rotation group. Unitary transformations. Symmetries in nuclear and elementary particle physics. SU(2) and isospin. SU(3) and strangeness.

PHYS 521 Photonics and Lasers(AlsoECOE 521)

Review of electromagnetism; electromagnetic nature of light, radiation, geometrical optics, Gaussian beams, transformation of Gaussian beams; electromagnetic modes of an optical resonator, interaction of light with matter, classical theory of absorption and dispersion, broadening processes, Rayleigh scattering, quantum theory of spontaneous and stimulated emission, optical amplification, theory of laser oscillation, examples of laser systems, Q switching and mode locking of lasers.

Prerequisite: ELEC 206 or PHYS 302 or consent of the instructor.

PHYS 520 Optical Micro-cavities

Optical micro-cavities. Fabry-Perot cavity. Quality factor. Finesse. Free-spectral bands. Whispering gallery modes. Coupling. Photonic molecules, glasses, crystals and meta-materials.

PHYS 522 Atom Optics

Quantized atomic models. Spectroscopy. Light-atom interactions. Radiative transitions. Atom-atom interactions. Magnetic interactions of atoms. Molecular structure. Multi-electron systems. Trapping ions or atoms. Atom optics. Bose-Einstein condensation. Atomic chips. Quantum computation by matter waves and trapped ions.

PHYS 523

Introduction to Quantum Communication and Information Physics

Quantum theory of light. Coherent light. Non-classical states of light. Quantum interferometry. Quantum measurements. Interaction of light with matter. Cavity quantum electrodynamics. Quantum entanglement and quantum teleportation. Non-linear optics. Photonic band gaps. Quantum information theory and the fundamental principles of quantum computation.

PHYS 524 Single-Molecule Optics

Principles of optical microscopes. Microscopy methods. Photo-physics of dye molecules. Exciting fluorescence and its observation. Dipole radiation near planar interfaces. Photon-counting analysis. Flourescence correlation spectroscopy. Flourescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Optical spectroscopy at low temperatures. Semiconducting nano-crystals. Metallic nano-particles.

PHYS 525 Photonic Materials and Devices(Also ECOE 525)

Survey of the properties and applications of photonic materials and devices; semiconductors; photon detectors, light emitting diodes, noise in light detection systems; light propagation in anisotropic media, Pockels and Kerr effects, light modulators, electromagnetic wave propagation in dielectric waveguides, waveguide dispersion; nonlinear optical materials, second harmonic generation, Raman converters.

Prerequisite: ELEC 206 or PHYS 302 or consent of the instructor.

PHYS 526 Femtosecond Optics and Lasers

Survey of the techniques for the generation of picosecond and femtosecond pulses from lasers; active and passive mode locking, saturable absorbers, master equation, theory of Kerr lens mode locking; propagation of ultrashort pulses in nonlinear and dispersive media; Measurement and characterization of ultrashort pulses; applications of femtosecond lasers in spectroscopy, medicine, and industry.

PHYS 527 Complex Dynamical Systems

Random walk problems and probability concepts. Theory of polymers. Statistical mechanical concepts with emphasois on self-avoiding walks and biological polymer models: ensembles, free energy, entropy, scaling. Lattices as interacting models of random systems and phase transitions. Dynamical phenomena: Master equation (Examples: random walk and lattice growth), Langevin equation and its generalizations. Chaos and order.

PHYS 580 Selected Topics in Physics

Topics will be announced when offered.

PHYS 590 Seminar

A series of lectures given by faculty or outside speakers. Participating students must also make presentations during the semester.

PHYS 695 Ph.D. Thesis

Independent research towards Ph.D. degree.

TEAC 500 Teaching Experience

Provides hands-on teaching experience to graduate students in undergraduate courses. Reinforces students' understanding of basic concepts and allows them to communicate and apply their knowledge of the subject matter.

ENGL 500 Graduate Writing

This is a writing course specifically designed to improve academic writing skills as well as critical reading and thinking. The course objectives will be met through extensive reading, writing and discussion both in and out of class. Student performance will be assessed and graded by Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

Requirements

Items listed below are only for applicant's information.
All the applicants should apply through ONLINE APPLICATION PPROGRAM.

* Application Form
* Personal and Educational Background Information (CV)
* 3 Recommendation Letters
* TOEFL , IELTS or UDS&KPDS Requirement (for those whose native language is not English) * New Internet Based: Minimum Score 80
* Computer Based: Minimum Score 213
* Paper Based: Minimum Score 550
* IELTS: Minimum Score 6,5
* UDS / KPDS: 87
* ALES scores (required for all Turkish nationals)
* GRE scores (required from foreign students; optional for Turkish students)


* Official transcripts from all the universities attended
* Statement of Purpose
* Areas of Interest

English Language Requirements

Funding

Scholarship

Students admitted with a BS/BA degree will have the following offer:
* Tuition waiver (33,500 TL/year) plus 1,150 TL monthly stipend, housing. The monthly stipend increases to 1,600 TL after the student passes the PhD qualifier.

Students admitted with a MS/MA degree will have the following offer:
* Tuition waiver (33,500 TL/year) plus 1, 400 TL monthly stipend. The monthly stipend increases to 1,600 TL after the student passes the PhD qualifier.

Additional Benefits:
* All students receive a laptop computer and private health insurance.
* Students with successful standing receive travel funds to attend scientific conferences and meetings.
* PhD students with higher GPA degrees may be offered super scholarship up to 2,500 TL .
* Students who receive their stipend from other sources (like TÜBITAK scholarships or externally funded research grants and projects) are eligible for the following benefits provided by the university:

* Research Award: 1,300 TL
* Free Housing: This includes all costs except telephone expenses.
* Research Award for PhD students: 2,000 TL/year after they pass the qualifier.