Examination procedure
<p>written/oral exam</p>
Examination procedure notes
<p>written/oral exam</p>
Prerequisites
The course, to be held in English, is for third-year students in Biology, for Nanoscience (Biophysics) graduate students and for master students in Materials and Nanotechnology. Prerequisites are courses in calculus-based university physics.
Syllabus
1. Introduction to quantum mechanics (La Rocca)
Waves and particles. Wave-particle duality and uncertainty principle. Wave function. Schroedinger equation and stationary states. Expectation values. Examples: potential well and harmonic oscillator. Transition probability and selection rules.
2. Atomic physics (La Rocca)
First atomic models and their shortcomings. Hydrogen atom: energy spectrum, angular momentum and eigenfunctions. Electron spin. Pauli exclusion principle. Helium atom, singlet and triplet states. Many-electron atoms, periodic system of elements. Atomic spectroscopy.
3.Molecular physics (La Rocca)
The ionized hydrogen molecule. The hydrogen molecule. Homonuclear and heteronuclear diatomic molecules. Polyatomic molecules. Molecular vibrations. Molecular Spectroscopy.
4. Complements and practical lessons (Luin)
Review of the physical-mathematical prerequisites for the course.
Selected topics presented as exercises and practical lessons.
Bibliographical references
“Fundamental university physics, vol. 3: quantum and statistical physics”, Alonso, Finn
"Essential quantum physics", Landshoff, Metherell, Rees
handouts will be provided