The Master's Degree Program in Applied Physics at The Johns Hopkins University, Lecture notes of Solid State Physics

Download The Master's Degree Program in Applied Physics at The Johns Hopkins University and more Lecture notes Solid State Physics in PDF only on Docsity! KISHIN MOORJANI THE MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAM IN APPLIED PHYSICS The origins and evolution of the master's degree program in applied physics at The Johns Hopkins University G.W.C. Whiting School of Engineering are described with an emphasis on recent develop­ ments that have led to a dramatic growth in the number of students. The program offers students a choice of specializing in any of four areas: space and astrophysics, ocean physics, solid-state physics, and optics. INTRODUCTION One rarely encounters a person who is classified as an applied physicist. Few universities offer an advanced degree in applied physics, and applied physicists are la­ beled as such largely because of their on-the-job train­ ing rather than their having earned a degree in the field. The reason undoubtedly lies in applied physics being an ill-defined subject area that bridges the gap between pure physics and engineering. The hallmark of the applied physicist is the ability to conceive solutions by applying fundamental physical principles to complex technologi­ cal problems. It is on the basis of that ability that many industrial and government laboratories, as well as APL, consist of a good many applied physicists. The need for a program in applied physics was therefore obvious. ORIGINS OF THE PROGRAM Although courses in physics were offered at the in­ ception of the Evening College at APL in 1964-65, the Master of Science program in applied physics was not offered by the Evening College until the fall of 1967. The program originally consisted of required courses in mathematical methods , four courses on the fundamen­ tals of applied physics, special topics in applied physics, a project, and one elective course. Most of the physics courses were buried in the four courses on the fundamen­ tals of applied physics, which covered thermodynamics and optics; electromagnetic waves; particle and rigid­ body dynamics, continuum mechanics, and acoustics; and quantum mechanics, atomic and molecular phys­ ics, and solid-state physics. The electives included topics as varied as biomedical engineering, optical systems de­ sign and analysis, and microwave systems. Four courses and a project were offered every year. Some of these courses were cross listed with a Master of Science pro­ gram in space technology, which was offered from 1967 to 1983. Many changes occurred during the 1983-84 academ­ ic year, when the APL Evening College programs be­ came part of The Johns Hopkins University G.W.C. Whiting School of Engineering. A committee under the chairmanship of Vincent L. Pisacane, who had already served as the program coordinator for the Applied Phys­ ics Program, was formed to revise the program. The four 140 courses on the fundamentals of applied physics were re­ vised and renamed according to their contents. The pro­ gram now included eight required courses, a course on special topics, and a project. To oversee the Applied Physics Program, a program committee was formed; its members were Pisacane (chairman), Allan W. Bjerkaas, and Moshe Rosen. Rosen, from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at JHU, enhanced in­ put from and interactions with the Homewood campus. Two years later, during the 1985-86 academic year, students were able to choose from an extended menu of 20 courses. They were required to take four core courses, four electives in applied physics, and two additional elec­ tives either in applied physics or other areas. The pro­ gram committee was extended, and Bjerkaas served as its chairman for the 1985-86 academic year. Since 1986, I have served as the chairman, and the current members of the committee are John R. Apel, Allan W. Bjerkaas, Jerry A. Krill, Keith Peacock, Kenneth A. Potocki, and Moshe Rosen. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS During the past two years, the Applied Physics Pro­ gram has grown in both the number of courses offered and the number of students enrolled. The current course offerings are listed in Table 1, which shows 30 courses grouped according to area of specialization. Applied physics encompasses an enormous body of knowledge, and the grouping by specialization allows students who are so inclined to probe one area in depth. Students who plan to pursue a Ph.D. degree also take advantage of the directed studies course to follow a particular sub­ ject in depth beyond what is covered in regular courses. The project in applied physics has always attracted stu­ dents who are involved in an analytical and/ or ex­ perimental research program at work and who are able to find an expert faculty member to guide them. The research projects have been extremely diverse but are in­ variably concerned with current research topics, such as "Multiple Photon Optical Processes in Nonlinear Me­ dia," "Effects of Recent Volcanic Emissions on the et Energy Balance of the Earth," "Extending Performance of Charge-Coupled-Device Imaging Arrays," and Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest, Volume 10, umber 2 (19 9) Table 1-Course offerings for the master's degree program in applied physics. Course number I. Required Courses 615.441 615.442 615.453 615.454 II. Elective Courses Course title Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering Electromagnetics Classical Mechanics Quantum Mechanics Space and Astrophysics 615.444, 615.7XX Space Systems I 615.445, 615.7XX + 1 Space Systems II 615.462 Introduction to Astrophysics 615.743 615.755 615.772 615.456 615.460 615.770 615.771 615.774 615.775 615.776 615.756 615.757 615.758 615.760 615.764 615.773 615.751 615.762 615.777 575.415 615.451 615.800 615.802 Plasma Physics Space Physics Gravitational Collapse and Cosmology Ocean Physics Introduction to Fluid Dynamics Physics of the Lower Atmosphere Satellite Oceanography Acoustical Oceanography Physics of the Sea I Physics of the Sea II Fluid Dynamics of the Oceans and Atmospheres Solid-State Physics Bulk Acoustic Waves: Theory and Devices Solid-State Physics Amorphous Solids Physics of Semiconductor Devices Solid-State Physics Laboratory Low-Temperature Physics Modern Optics Quantum Electronics Applied Optics Optics General Radiation in the Environment Thermodynamics Special Projects Applied Physics Project Directed Studies in Applied Physics John s Hopkins APL Technical Digest, Volume 10, Number 2 (1989) Instructor P. J. Adelmann J. A. Krill V. L. Pisacane A. N. Jette Staff Staff D. M. Rust, K. B. Baker R. A. Greenwald Staff K. B. Baker J. Calman Staff R. F. Gasparovic F. C. Newman J. R. Apel J. R. Apel D. L. Porter J. Rosenbaum K. Moorjani K. Moorjani H. K. Charles W. A. Bryden, T. J. Kistenmacher D. J. Abeshouse K. Peacock T. O. Poehler K. Peacock S. Koslov L. B. Spornick K. Moorjani K. Moorjani 141