Department of Physics

Chair

Daniel R. Marlow

Associate Chair

Edward J. Groth III

Director of Graduate Studies

Herman L. Verlinde

Professor

Michael Aizenman, also Mathematics

Robert H. Austin

William Bialek

Frank P. Calaprice

Curtis G. Callan Jr.

Edward J. Groth III

Steven S. Gubser

F. Duncan Haldane

William Happer

David Huse

Igor Klebanov

Elliott H. Lieb, also Mathematics

Daniel R. Marlow

Kirk T. McDonald

Peter D. Meyers

Chiara R. Nappi

Nai-Phuan Ong

Lyman A. Page Jr.

Alexandre Polyakov

A. J. Stewart Smith

Shivaji Sondhi

Suzanne T. Staggs

Paul J. Steinhardt

David W. Tank, also Molecular Biology

Herman L. Verlinde

Ali Yazdani

Associate Professor

Michael V. Romalis

Christopher Tully

Assistant Professor

Niklas Beisert

Joseph W. Fowler

Cristiano Galbiati

Valerie Halyo

Zahid Hasan

Nissan Itzhaki

James Olsen

Jason Petta

Robert Seiringer

Uros Seljak

Lian-Tao Wang

Instructor

Alessandro Giuliani

Visiting Lecturer with Rank of Professor

Stephen L. Adler

Juan Maldacena

Nathan Seiberg

Edward Witten

Associated Faculty

Ravindra Bhatt, Electrical Engineering

Roberto Car, Chemistry

Ronald C. Davidson, Astrophysical Sciences

John Hopfield, Molecular Biology

Yakov Sinai, Mathematics

David N. Spergel, Astrophysical Sciences

Salvatore Torquato, Chemistry

Daniel C. Tsui, Electrical Engineering

 

Graduate study in the Department of Physics is strongly focused on research. Only the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program is offered, for which both beginning and advanced students are accepted (please note that advanced students must still take the general examination). Students are encouraged to involve themselves in research activities right from the beginning, even while they are still studying basic physics. Early research participation leads to a more mature appreciation of the formal aspects of graduate study. It also allows a closer association with faculty members and a more natural transition to independent research later on. The research for the doctoral dissertation is by far the most important part of the program and should prepare students well for careers in research and teaching at universities, or in research at government or industrial laboratories. An up-to-date Web site is located at www.physics.princeton.edu.

Main Fields of Research

In theoretical physics, the fields of current interest are elementary particles, string theory and field theory, astrophysics, solid-state and condensed-matter physics, cosmology, biophysics, and mathematical physics. The faculty is broad enough in interest and experience, however, to supervise theses in other areas as well. Productive interaction exists between theorists in the department and those at the nearby Institute for Advanced Study.

Experimental physics is very actively pursued, the main fields being atomic and laser physics, biophysics, condensed-matter physics, elementary-particle physics, nuclear physics, gravitational physics, and cosmology.

Experiments in high-energy particle physics are directed toward gaining an understanding of the fundamental interactions and particle structures at extremely small distances. The apparatus is designed and constructed in the physics shops in Jadwin Hall or at the Elementary Particles Laboratory a block away, which contains special facilities for the fabrication of detectors. The experiments are performed at large accelerator laboratories in the United States and abroad: Brookhaven, Long Island; Fermilab, Illinois; SLAC (Stanford), California; CERN, Geneva; HERA, Hamburg; and the KEK B Factory in Japan. The data are then analyzed at Princeton.

In the experimental cosmology group, students often design and build specialized instrumentation to make unique and precise measurements or analyze cosmological data. In recent years, experimental work has emphasized measurements of the aniso-tropy and polarization of the cosmic microwave background. Among other projects, Princeton is actively involved in all aspects of the WMAP satellite, is the lead institution for the ACT project, and is a collaborator on the QUIET experiment.

The program in nuclear physics is currently focused on the Borexino experiment and on searches for cold dark matter. Borexino is designed to study neutrino oscillations and the solar neutrino problem. Experimental facilities are located in both Jadwin Hall and the Gran Sasso Lab in Italy. The dark matter search is designed to detect WIMPS in our galaxy by their collisions with either xenon or argon nuclei in a scintillation-ionization detector made of the rare gas atoms. Experiments are under development to provide a definitive search for rare WIMP collisions by combining the unique scintillation properties of the rare gas atoms with the low background methods developed for the Borexino solar neutrino experiment.

The experiments in condensed-matter physics explore and test emerging concepts in the field. Current work includes experiments on a variety of systems and phenomena: high-temperature superconductors, disordered solids (glasses and spin glasses), charge and spin density waves, two-dimensional electron systems, metal-insulator transitions, organic conductors, liquid crystals, colloids, emulsions and macromolecules, quasi-periodicity, chaos, and turbulence. The work often involves collaborations with the theoretical group, laboratories in other departments, and industrial laboratories in the area. Several members of the department work in close association with the Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials (PRISM).

Research in biophysics at Princeton is a rapidly growing area that crosses many disciplinary boundaries. From observing the dynamics of single biological molecules to building theories for the neural networks that make possible our perception of the world, there are myriad challenges for physicists and biologists willing to explore the boundary between their disciplines. More than just applying known physical principles or experimental tools to biological systems, biophysics research at Princeton aims to understand the way in which the functional behavior of living systems emerges from microscopic mechanisms. Research involves a close interplay of theory and experiment, and extensive collaboration across departmental boundaries.

The program in modern atomic physics focuses on the physics of spin polarized atoms and nuclei and the use of such atoms or nuclei in many other scientific areas, ranging from precision tests of fundamental symmetries to sensitive atomic magnetometers, precise atomic clocks, and magnetic resonance imaging for medical applications. Experimental methods used in this area include lasers, nuclear and electron spin resonance, very large and very small magnetic fields, SQUIDs, and cryogenics.

Interdepartmental Research Opportunities

In addition to the main program of the department leading to the Ph.D. in physics, there are several interdepartmental programs. An advanced degree in mathematical physics may be obtained through a program of work in the Departments of Physics and Mathematics. Normally, the mathematical physics student is required to pass the general examination in physics. When appropriate, an examination on mathematical topics may be substituted for parts of this examination (see Mathematics).

Physics department faculty and graduate students are active in research collaborations with scientists in several other departments, including astrophysical sciences (which includes plasma physics), chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, and molecular biology. If prior approval is obtained, students may conduct their research under the supervision of advisers from outside the physics department.

Many of the condensed matter and biophysics faculty in the department are also members of PRISM, located in Bowen Hall. The institute provides excellent opportunities for graduate students to work on collaborative projects with students and faculty from other departments in science and engineering, and contains special modern facilities for materials research. Recent examples of such research projects are the physics of block copolymers, high-temperature superconductors, and colloidal crystals. For more information, please see the PRISM listing in this catalog. The department also cooperates with the School of Engineering and Applied Science in solid-state science studies.

Students whose main interest is plasma physics should consider applying to the Department of Astrophysical Sciences (Plasma Physics section).

Physics Colloquia

Weekly talks are given by local or visiting scientists on research of current interest. The level of these talks is intended for nonspecialists.

Research Seminars

Informal research seminars are organized each year by the various research groups in order to exchange information and ideas arising from research work in progress at Princeton and elsewhere. Discussions are led by faculty, visiting physicists, and advanced graduate students. The largest of these seminars are the following:

• Seminar in Nuclear Physics
• Seminar in High-Energy Physics
• Seminar on Cosmology
• Seminar in Condensed-Matter Physics
• Seminar in Mathematical Physics
• Seminar in High-Energy Particle Theory (given jointly with the Institute for Advanced Study)

General Examination

The general examination covers all major fields of physics, both theoretical and experimental, and places particular emphasis on topics of current interest. To assist in measuring progress, students take a preliminary examination covering the subjects of electromagnetism, elementary quantum mechanics, mechanics, statistical physics, and thermodynamics in January or May of the first year.

The advanced part of the General Examination covers general relativity, condensed matter; atomic, high-energy, and nuclear physics; and biophysics. The student will need to pass a set of required core courses on these topics by the end of his or her second year. Another part of the General Examination is the experimental project, a report on an experiment that the student has either performed, or assisted others in performing at Princeton. The preliminary examination, the experimental project, and the core courses requirements constitute the General Examination, and they all need to be completed by the end of the second year. The physics department is very eager to get students positioned for a rapid start on their thesis research. Hence, during their second year, students are expected to begin actively working under the supervision of a faculty member on a pre-thesis project, a written report on a topic in the field of interest of the student to be defended by the fall of the third year.

Research and Dissertation

After passing the general examination, a student engages in independent, original research in experimental and/or theoretical physics and presents a dissertation describing the work. The final public oral examination of this dissertation is the final requirement for the Ph.D.

Equipment and Facilities

The department’s activities are housed in the Joseph Henry Laboratories. All faculty members have offices in Stanley P. Jadwin Hall, the department’s main building. Jadwin Hall, which is part of the mathematics-physics complex, is directly connected to the Fine Hall of Mathematics and the joint library of mathematics and physics. It contains classrooms and laboratories for sophomore, upperclass, and graduate teaching. It also houses the departmental administration and most of the research laboratories. Introductory courses are taught in McDonnell Hall, adjoining Jadwin. Some of the high-energy research group’s programs are housed in the Elementary Particles Laboratory nearby.

Facilities in the laboratories include a drafting shop, machine shops, a glass-blowing shop, a chemistry laboratory, crystal growing facilities, and electronics shops for maintenance and construction as well as a state-of-the-art electronics design system. A machine shop in Jadwin Hall is available to students and faculty members for use in their research. Shop and electronics courses are offered, which are designed to teach basic skills. Jadwin Hall also houses a stockroom and a purchasing office to serve the needs of the department. Computing facilities include a departmental cluster, the University Computing Center, computing resources in several research groups, and a high-speed link to computers at several national laboratories.

Courses

Students are encouraged to participate in the comprehensive set of courses offered. A limited number of core courses are required as part of the general examination.

PHY 501 Electricity and Magnetism

William Happer

A systematic treatment of the theory of electromagnetic phenomena from an advanced standpoint. Maxwell’s equations are discussed, with special attention given to their physical meaning. Other topics include dielectric and magnetic media, radiation, scattering, potential theory, and waves in simple media.

PHY 505 Quantum Mechanics I

Robert Seiringer

The physical principles and mathematical formalism of non-relativistic quantum mechanics. The principles are illustrated by selected applications to topics in atomic physics, particle physics, and condensed matter.

PHY 506 Quantum Mechanics II

Elliott Lieb

A one-term course in advanced quantum mechanics, following PHY 505. After a brief review of some fundamental topics (e.g., the hydrogen atom, perturbation theory), more advanced topics are covered, including many-body theory, operator theory, coherent states, stability of matter and other Coulomb systems, and the theory of the Bose gas.

PHY 509 Relativistic Quantum Theory I

Alexander Polyakov

Introduction to quantum field theory. Quantization of Klein-Gordon and Dirac fields. Interactions with Feynman diagrams. Elementary processes in quantum electrodynamics. Introduction to non-abelian gauge theory. Radiative corrections.

PHY 510 Relativistic Quantum Theory II

Steve Gubser

Advanced topics in Relativistic Quantum Theory: renormalization group, non-perturbative techniques (solitons, instantons), and quantum fields in curved space.

PHY 511 Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory, and Statistical Mechanics

F. Duncan Haldane

The physical principles and mathematical formalism of statistical mechanics, with an emphasis on applications to thermodynamics, condensed-matter physics, physical chemistry, and astrophysics are studied.

PHY 521 Introduction to Mathematical Physics

Robert Seiringer

An introduction to mathematically rigorous methods in physics, mainly in the area of quantum statistical mechanics. Possible topics include the study of thermodynamic limits, phase transitions, spontaneous symmetry breaking, Bose-Einstein condensation and superfluidity. Both lattice and continuous systems will be considered.

PHY 523 Introduction to Relativity

Igor Klebanov

A modern introduction from scratch to the theory of gravity, with an emphasis on quantum effects, supersymmetry, strings, and black holes.

PHY 525, 526 Introduction to Condensed-Matter Physics (also MSE 516, 517)

David Huse, Shivaji Sondhi

In the fall term, the course explores electronic structure of crystals, phonons, transport and magnetic properties, screening in metals, and superconductivity. In the spring, the focus is on “soft” condensed-matter physics, including fluids, polymers, interfaces, membranes, liquid crystals, the dynamics of phase transitions, generalized elasticity, dislocations, and hydrodynamics.

PHY 529 Introduction to High-Energy Physics

Norman C. Jarosik , Christopher Tully

An overview of modern elementary particle physics. The basic formalism is developed in the context of quantum electrodynamics (QED), then the principle of local gauge invariance is used to generalize to the current Standard Model of the fundamental interactions. The latter is then applied to a variety of phenomena, including weak decays, W and Z physics, deep inelastic scattering, CP violation, neutrino oscillations, and Higgs searches, with an emphasis on areas of current interest. The course also covers key concepts in accelerator and detector physics.

PHY 535 Condensed-Matter/Many-Body Physics

Staff

The course is planned as an introduction to the modern quantum theory of condensed matter. We discuss properties of both Bose and Fermi quantum liquids, and phenomena such as Bose-Einstein condensation, superfluidity and superconductivity of various systems. We also consider effects of the Coulomb interaction between the quantum particles and quenched disorder. We discuss both equilibrium and transport properties of bulk as well as low-dimensional quantum liquids. Special attention is paid to the zero-dimensional case—i.e., finite size (mesoscopic) systems. The course is focused on the qualitative physics and basic concepts rather than on technical details. A more technically advanced description is planned for the spring term course.

PHY 539 Selected Topics in High-energy Physics: Introduction to String Theory

Lian-Tao Wang

The large N expansion in gauge theories; quantization of closed and open strings; string perturbation theory and conformal field theory techniques; string effective actions; and large N matrix models and random surfaces.

PHY 540 Selected Topics in Theoretical High-Energy Physics: Strings, Membranes, and Gauge Theories

Staff

Superstrings; low-energy effective actions; p-brane solutions in supergravity; Dirichlet branes; D-brane approach to black holes; the AdS/CFT correspondence.

PHY 542 Beyond the Standard Model

Steven S. Gubser, Christopher G. Tully

Course aims to survey some of the proposed answers to the following questions, and their consequences: What lies beyond the Standard Model of particle physics? What new particles or interactions will we find at TeV energies and above? Why does the Standard Model have the characteristic energy scales that it has, and the spectrum of particles that we observe?

PHY 557 Electronic Methods in Experimental Physics

Norman C. Jarosik, Christopher Tully

Students learn how to instrument and read out an experimental apparatus with analog and digital circuits. No advanced knowledge of electronics is required in order to begin. The first half covers analog components such as RC circuits, amplifiers, photodiodes, accelerometers, and audio. The second focuses on digital logic, gates and flip-flops, buses, microcontrollers, and programmable FPGAs. Students build in the laboratory roughly 40 different and unique circuits.

PHY 561, 562 Biophysics

Robert H. Austin, William Bialek

A physicist’s perspective on selected topics in biology. Explores problems ranging from functioning of individual biological molecules and their complexes to emerging collective properties of biological systems.

PHY 563, 564 Physics of the Universe: Origin and Evolution

Paul J. Steinhardt

A two-semester survey of the fundamental concepts that underlie contemporary cosmology. The first semester focuses on the nearly homogeneous evolution of the universe, including the standard big bang picture, inflationary cosmology, dark matter, and the possibility of present-day accelerated expansion. The second focuses on the late stages in the evolution of the universe, when gravity results in the growth of large-scale structure, perturbations in the cosmic microwave background, gravitational lensing, and other nonlinear phenomena.

PHY 567 Advanced Solid-State Electron Physics (see ELE 567)

PHY 570 Method and Logic in Quantitative Biology (see MOL 515)

PHY 580 Extramural Summer Research Project

Chiara Nappi

Summer research project designed in conjunction with the student’s adviser and an industrial, NGO, or government sponsor who will provide practical experience relevant to the student’s research area. Start date no earlier than June 1. A research report and a sponsor’s evaluation are required.

PHY 581 Extramural Research Internship

Chiara Nappi

Full-time research internship at a host institution to perform scholarly research directly relevant to a student’s dissertation work. Research objectives are determined by the student’s adviser in consultation with the outside host. Monthly progress reports and a final paper are required. Enrollment is limited to post-generals students, for a period of no more than one academic year (two terms). Participation will be considered exceptional.