Physics

This course covers reflection and refraction, polarization, plane and spherical mirrors, thin lenses, and optical instruments. It also examines interference phenomena—including Young’s experiment, thin films, and interferometers—as well as diffraction from single slits, circular apertures, double and multiple slits, and diffraction gratings. Additional topics include lasers and optical fibers. Prerequisites: Electromagnetism and Physics III.

This course will introduce the principles of kinetic theory and thermodynamics. Students learn to use the zeroth law of thermodynamics to describe scales of temperature; use the first law of thermodynamics to investigate changes in internal energy, involving the exchange of heat and/or work; apply the second law to heat engines and calculations of efficiency; show how the second law leads to the concept of entropy; use thermodynamic potentials for different thermodynamic conditions; and basics of kinetic theory.

This course is designed to acquire knowledge of fundamental and advanced concepts in optics, and a general understanding of when and how these concepts are possible and appropriate to use. The course deals with optical devices and their operation and aims to provide students with practical knowledge in optical design using a ray-tracing program. The course has the following content. Every topic is coupled to a chapter or parts of a chapter in the course book: Ray optics, matrix formulation; Wave optics, interference; Fourier optics, diffraction; Electromagnetic optics; Anisotropic media; Polarization, Jones matrix formalism; and Optics of layered media and photonic crystals.
 

This course covers an in-depth understanding of the physics and principles behind lasers. The course covers the theoretical foundations of beam optics, cavity optics, light–matter interaction, laser amplifiers, and laser systems. Furthermore, the course aims for the student to gain both fundamental knowledge and practical skills necessary to study and apply lasers in scientific and technical contexts.
 

This course covers solutions to Maxwell’s equations and the wave equation, including plane waves, reflection, and refraction. Topics also include the Poynting vector, radiation–matter interactions, and models of conductivity and refractive index. The course further examines radiation from an oscillating dipole and from point charges.

The course contains description of those planets and those among their moons in the solar system that can be envisioned to have physical and/or chemical preconditions to develop life. The development of the earliest lifeforms on Earth, and extreme environments for present-day life on the bottom of the oceans, around hot springs, deep underground, in permafrost, or in radioactive environments. Design of space probes, as well as experiments to study biologically relevant environments on other planets. Analysis of extraterrestrial material in the laboratory, and risks for spreading organisms between different planets. Current and planned instruments and methods to find and to study planets around other stars. Development over geological ages of different planets together with their host star and the development of their atmospheres and climates. The search for intelligent life in the Universe, and possible philosophic and other consequences of a possible discovery thereof. The prerequisites required for admission to the course are at least 60 credits of approved courses within the faculties of either science, technology and/or medicine.

This course comprehensively introduces the physics of stars. It explores the fundamental principles that govern the structure, evolution, and final fate of stars. The following topics are covered: 

1. How to measure stellar parameters. 

2. Stellar atmosphere and radiative processes.  

3. Fundamental equations of stellar evolution.  

4. Stellar interiors.  

5. Stellar stabilities.  

6. Formation of stars.  

7. Overview of stellar evolution.  

8. The end of stars.  

9. Compact objects. 

This course covers an overview of solid-state microanalysis methods, including elastic and inelastic scattering, identification of phases by morphology, chemical composition, electron diffraction, and microscopy. Principles and functions of different types of microscopes for materials analysis as well as spectroscopy for elemental analysis, analysis of spectra are also reviewed. Methods for surface analysis: Atomic force microscopy, scanning tunnelling microscopy, LEED, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are covered.

This course covers analytic functions, special functions (gamma function, Bessel functions, Legendre polynomials and spherical harmonics), Fourier series and Fourier transforms, Laplace transforms, Ordinary differential equations, partial differential equations, and green functions.

This lecture conveys the biophysical bases for the description and understanding of the structure, dynamics, and functions of biological molecules. Topics include an introduction to biological macromolecules; structure of complex biomolecules; self-organization of proteins and membranes through hydrophobic forces; ions, protonation, and protein electrostatics; introduction to calculations of molecular mechanics; protein folding and predicting structure; and motor enzymes and nanometer-scale movement.