83 graduate courses in Waterloo’s course catalog for Spring 2023, from UW Open Data. uwloo can’t read that term’s Graduate Calendar, so this stands in for it; the calendar itself is in Waterloo’s archive.
PHYS 601Perimeter Scholars International Quantum Field Theory 1
Canonical quantization of fields, perturbation theory, derivation of Feynman diagrams, applications in particle and condensed matter theory, renormalization in phi^4.
PHYS 604Perimeter Scholars International Relativity
Special relativity, foundations of general relativity, Riemannian geometry, Einstein's equations, FRW and Schwarzschild geometries and their properties
PHYS 605Perimeter Scholars International Quantum Theory
Schrodinger equation: free particle, harmonic oscillator, simple time-dependent problems. Heisenbrerg picture and connection with classical physics. Entaglement and non-locality. Pure and mixed states, quantum correlators, measurement theory and interpretation.
PHYS 606Perimeter Scholars International Information and Data Analysis
Probability, entropy, Bayesian inference and information theory. Maximum likelihood methods, common probability distributions, applications to real data including Monte-Carlo methods.
PHYS 608Perimeter Scholars International Computation
Common algorithms for ode and pde solving, with numerical analysis. Common tasks in linear algebra. Focus on how to write a good code, test it, and obtain a reliable result. Parallel programming.
PHYS 609Perimeter Scholars International Conformal Field Theory
This course is an introduction to the key ideas and techniques of conformal field theories. These theories play a central role In the study of phase transitions in statistical physics and condensed matter systems, as well as in string theory. Conformal field theories provide a theoretical laboratory in which the constraints imposed by symmetries allow for the exact solution of field theories, which have found important applications in both physics and mathematics.
PHYS 610Perimeter Scholars International Mathematics Physics
This course will include the study of Perturbation Theory (Regular and Singular) Speeding Up Convergence: Shanks Transformations and Richardson Extrapolation Taylor Series, Fourier Series and the Gibbs Phenomenon Using Diveregent Series: Generalised Summation Analytic Continuation, Riemann Surfaces and Branch Points Continued Functions and Pade Approximants Steiltjes Functions, the Herglotz Property and the Carleman Bound Feynman Diagrams.
Theories of Condensed Matter Physics emphasizing the consequences of broken symmetries and the resulting collective modes which emerge, including broken translational symmetry and phonons, broken spin rotational symmetry and magnons, electronic properties of normal metals, and broken U(1) gauge symmetry in superconductors, excitations above the gap and collective modes in superconductors.
PHYS 621Perimeter Scholars International Cosmology
FRW metric, Hubble expansion, dark energy, dark matter, CMB. Thermodynamic history of early universe. Growth of perturbations, CDM model of structure formation and comparison to observations, cosmic microwave background anisotropies, inflation and observational tests.
PHYS 622Perimeter Scholars International Standard Model
Application of Yang-Mills theory to particle physics, QCD and its tests in the perturbative regime, theory of weak interactions, precision tests of electroweak theory, CKM matrix and flavour physics, open questions.
PHYS 623Perimeter Scholars International String Theory
Superstring spectrum in 10d Minkowski, as well as simple toroidal and orbifold compactifications. T-duality, D-branes, tree amplitudes. Construct some simple unified models of particle physics. Motivate the 10- and 11-dimensional supergravities. Simple supergravity solutions and use these to explore some aspects of AdS/CFT duality.
PHYS 624Perimeter Scholars International Mathematical Physics Topics
Differential forms, de Rham cohomology, differential topology and characteristic classes, monopoles and instantons, Kahler manifolds, Dirac equation, zero modes and index theorems.
PHYS 625Perimeter Scholars International Supersymmetry
The following topics will be discussed: The Lorentz Group: Properties and Representations; Manipulating Spinors; Supersymmetry Algebra and Representations; Superfields and Superspace; 4d Supersymmetric Lagrangians; Supersymmetry Breaking; Constructing the MSSM; Collider Phenomenology of Supersymmetric Theories; and Dark Matter.
PHYS 650Perimeter Scholars International Explorations in Quantum Gravity
This course will introduce the students to the basic techniques and results of the field of loop quantum gravity. Possible topics include: 1) The Ashtekar variables and the Hamiltonian formalism; 2) The Plebanski action for general relativity; 3) The Hilbert space of loop quantum gravity and basic operators such as the area and volume operators; 4) Spin foam models; 5) Group field theory; 6) Quantum black hole horizons.
Review of formalism of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics including symmetries and invariance. Approximation methods and scattering theory. Elementary quantum theory of radiation. Introduction to one-particle relativistic wave equations.
Concepts of relativistic quantum mechanics, elementary quantum field theory, and Feynman diagrams. Application to many particle systems. Students who have not taken PHYS 701 but have an equivalent background in Quantum Mechanics may seek the instructor's consent to register in this course.
Review of relativistic quantum mechanics and classical field theory. Quantization of free quantum fields (the particle interpretation of field quanta). Canonical quantization of interacting fields (Feynman rules). Application of the formalism of interacting quantum fields to lowest¿order quantum electrodynamic processes. Radiative corrections and renormalization.
Statistical basis of thermodynamics; microcanonical, canonical and grand canonical ensembles; quantum statistical mechanics, theory of the density matrix; fluctuations, noise, irreversible thermodynamics; transport theory; application to gases, liquids, solids.
Phase transitions. Fluctuation phenomena. Kubo's theory of time correlation functions for transport and spectral properties; applications selected from a variety of topics including linearized hydrodynamics of normal and superfluids, molecular liquids, liquid crystals, surface phenomena, theory of the dielectric constant, etc. Students who have not taken PHYS 704 but have an equivalent background in Statistical Physics may seek the instructor's consent to register in this course.
Maxwell's equations and conservation laws; accelerated point charges and electromagnetic radiation; multipole expansions; electromagnetism and special relativity; selected applications.
Introduction to group theory; symmetry, the group concept, representation theory, character theory. Applications to molecular vibrations, the solid state, quantum mechanics and crystal field theory.
Emphasis on atomic structure and spectroscopy. Review of angular momentum, rotations, Wigner-Eckart theorem, n-j symbols. Energy levels in complex atoms, Hartree-Fock theory, radiative transitions and inner shell processes. Further topics selected with class interest in mind, at least one of which to be taken from current literature.
Angular momentum and the rotation of molecules; introduction to group theory with application to molecular vibrations; principles of molecular spectroscopy; spectra of isolated molecules; intermolecular interactions and their effects on molecular spectra; selected additional topics (e.g., electronic structure of molecules, experimental spectroscopic techniques, neutron scattering, correlation functions, collision induced absorption, extension of group theory to molecular crystals, normal coordinate analysis, etc.).
Strong, electromagnetic and weak interactions. Isospin, strangeness, conservation laws and symmetry principles. Leptons, hadrons, quarks and their classification, formation, interactions and decay.
Physical properties of atomic liquids; distribution functions and equilibrium properties, elementary perturbation theories and integral equation theories; simple metals, simple computer simulation; viral expansions and thermodynamic derivatives of g(r); experimental determination of g(r).
A modern approach to the quantum many-body problem from the perspective of condensed matter physics. Low energy effective theories, continuum field theories, and lattice models. Phases and phase transitions in the path integral formulation of bosons, fermions and quantum spins. Quantum critical points, topological phases, gauge theories, and connections to quantum information.
Optoelectronic component fabrication, light propagation in linear and nonlinear media, optical fiber properties, electro-optic and acousto-optic modulation, spontaneous and stimulated emission, semiconductor lasers and detectors, noise effects in fiber systems.
PHYS 751Clinical Applications of Physics in Medicine
This course provides an overview of the application of physics to medicine. The physical concepts underlying the diagnosis and treatment of disease will be explored. Topics will include general imaging principles such as resolution, intensity and contrast; x-ray imaging and computed tomography; radioisotopes and nuclear medicine, SPECT and PET; magnetic resonance imaging; ultrasound imaging and radiation therapy.
Physical methods of determining macromolecular structure: energetics, intramolecular and intermolecular forces, with applications to lamellar structures, information storage, DNA and RNA, recognition and rejection of foreign molecules.
A research project in any area of Quantum Technology approved by the course co-ordinator(s). The student is required to present a summary of the project orally and to submit a written report.
Review of basics of quantum information and computational complexity; Simple quantum algorithms; Quantum Fourier transform and Shor factoring algorithm: Amplitude amplification, Grover search algorithm and its optimality; Completely positive trace-preserving maps and Kraus representation; Non-locality and communication complexity; Physical realizations of quantum computation: requirements and examples; Quantum error-correction, including CSS codes, and elements of fault-tolerant computation; Quantum cryptography; Security proofs of quantum key distribution protocols; Quantum proof systems. Familiarity with theoretical computer science or quantum mechanics will also be an asset, though most students will not be familiar with both.
At the Director's discretion, a PhD or MSc student may receive course credit for a term of specialized studies at another institution. Formal evaluation is required.
PHYS 782Fundamentals of Astrophysics II: Observational Techniques and Data Analysis
Astronomical observations, including telescopes and instrumentation, data processing and calibration, photometry, astrometry and spectroscopy. Measurement of luminosity functions, spectral energy distributions and other fundamental astrophysical quantities. Data analysis techniques: statistical modelling, hypothesis testing, Bayesian analysis, selection effects, correlations, archives and databases.
PHYS 784Advanced techniques in General Relativity and Applications to Black Holes
Review of elementary general relativity. Timelike and null geodesic congruences. Hypersurfaces and junction conditions. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of general relativity. Mass and angular momentum of a gravitating body. The laws of black-hole mechanics.
PHYS 785Introduction to Quantum Field Theory for Cosmology
Introduction to scalar field theory and its canonical quantization in flat and curved spacetimes. The flat space effects of Casimir and Unruh. Quantum fluctuations of scalar fields and of the metric on curved space-times and application to inflationary cosmology. Hawking radiation.
PHYS 786Introduction to General Relativity with Applications to Cosmology
Introduction to the differential geometry of Lorentzian manifolds. The priniciples of general relativity. Causal structure and cosmological singularities. Cosmological space-times with Killing vector fields. Friedmann-Lemaitre cosmologies, scalar, vector and tensor perburbations in the linear and nonlinear regimes. De Sitter space-times and inflationary models.
Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric and dynamics; big bang thermodynamics; nucleosynthesis; recombination; perturbation theory and structure formation; anisotropies in the Cosmic Microwave Background; statistics of cosmological density and velocity fields; galaxy formation; inflation.