Graduate Study
The Department of Physics has active research groups in nine main areas of current physics research:
- Atomic, molecular, and optical physics
- Biophysics
- Condensed matter physics
- Elementary particle physics
- Nonlinear dynamics
- Nuclear physics
- Plasma physics
- Relativity and Cosmology
- Statistical and thermal physics
In most of these fields both experimental and theoretical work is in progress.
Modern facilities for graduate study and research include the following:
- Large-scale cryogenic laboratory;
- Synthesis and strong magnetic field equipment;
- Nuclear magnetic and electron paramagnetic resonance laboratories;
- Extensive facilities for tunneling and force microscopy and nanostructure characterization;
- SQUID magnetometry, and electron spectroscopy;
- Well-equipped labs in optical spectroscopy, quantum optics, femtosecond spectroscopy and diagnostics;
- Surface scattering;
- Facilities for turbulent flow and nonlinear dynamics experiments;
- Texas Petawatt and three 100TW lasers for high density plasma science.
In addition, we use several external facilities. Plasma physics experiments are conducted at the major national tokamaks in Boston and San Diego. Experiments in high-energy heavy ion nuclear and particle physics are conducted at large accelerator facilities such as Brookhaven National Laboratory (New York), CERN (Switzerland), and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Illinois).
Further information on facilities related to a specific field of interest can be found by visiting the appropriate research group.
