Course syllabus
Course-PM
TIF295 / FYM295 Experimental methods in modern physics (3 hp)
The course is offered by the department of Physics
Contact details
Examiner: Lena Falk, lklfalk@chalmers.se
Lecturers: Christoph Langhammer (clangham@chalmers.se), Andreas Heinz (andreas.heinz@chalmers.se), Lisa Lindén (lisa.linden@chalmers.se), Aleksandar Matic (matic@chalmers.se), Nataliia Mozhzhukhina (nataliia.mozhzhukhina@chalmers.se), Mikael Käll (mikael.kall@chalmers.se), Mattias Thuvander (mattias.thuvander@chalmers.se), Giovanna Tancredi (tancredi@chalmers.se), Fredrik Höök (fredrik.hook@chalmers.se), Björn Wickman (bjorn.wickman@chalmers.se)
Supervisors: Björn Altenburger (bjorn.altenburger@chalmers.se), Carl Andersson (carlake.andersson@chalmers.se), Anna Kawecka (anna.kawecka@chalmers.se), Antoine Klein (kleina@chalmers.se), Pantea Dara (pantea.dara@chalmers.se), David Mayweg (david.mayweg@chalmers.se), Andrea Fazi (fazi@chalmers.se), Simon Niederkofler (simon.niederkofler@chalmers.se), Nicola Garlet (nicola.garlet@chalmers.se), Vera Roth (vera.roth@chalmers.se), Anuj Aggarwal (anuja@chalmers.se)
Course purpose
The purpose of this course is to introduce the students to a variety of experimental concepts used in modern physics research, and to give them an opportunity to work on a well defined experimental project of their own choice. The projects span over a wide range of disciplines, from biophysics and materials physics to nanooptics and surface physics, and will be carried out in research groups working in state-of-the-art laboratories at the Department of Physics. The students will work in groups of two or three, and the projects will be presented both in writing and as an oral presentation in a seminar. As a general introduction to the topic, the course will start with several lectures on the physics behind the projects that the students may choose from.
Schedule
Course literature
Reading material in the form of lecture notes and laboratory instructions, including references to the literature, will be available on the course home page in Canvas.
Course design
The course starts with a number of lectures on the physics behind the different experimental projects that the students may choose from. There will also be a lecture on entrepreneurship, and this topic is then addressed in the laboratory projects. The projects are carried out in groups of two or three students. Finally, the students write a report and give an oral presentation. Detailed schedules for the different activities are given on the course home page in Canvas.
There are five pre study questions (instuderingsfrågor) on each lecture topic. These questions will be discussed in the first lab session, and the students are expected to take an active part in this discussion.
The course will also discuss gender equality, equal treatment and diversity. There will be one lecture on these topics in the beginning of the course, and the students are asked to reflect on these questions during their work on the project.
Changes made since the last occasion
There is a new lecture on gender equality, equal treatment and diversity. The contribution report should now contain a section on this topic.
Learning objectives and syllabus
Learning objectives:
After this course the students should have a general knowledge of experimental methods in modern physics. The students should be able to write a scientific report based on their own experimental work, and to give an oral presentation describing the used method and the obtained results.
After this course the students should also have an increased knowledge and awareness of gender equality, equal treatment and diversity, which will give them the ability to identify, highlight and challenge unequal structures and cultures.
Link to the syllabus in Studieportalen:
If the course is a joint course (Chalmers and Göteborgs Universitet) you should link to both syllabus (Chalmers and Göteborgs Universitet).
Examination form
The students carry out an experimental project, and hand in a written project report on their work. The report is presented orally in a seminar.
One lab project report per group: All lab group members contribute to the writing of their report and to the oral presentation of their project. The template for the report is described in the handouts from the introduction lecture available in Canvas.
The contribution report that is handed in together with the project report should describe the different group members contributions to the project and the writing of the project report. The report should also discuss the work carried out in the group, together with implications for a future career, from a gender equality, equal treatment and diversity perspective.
Chalmers grades: 5, 4, 3, fail.
GU grades: VG, G, fail.
Grading criteria:
- performance in the lab (5 down to 1) - times a factor of 2
- well prepared?
- active?
- working as a group?
- quality of project report (5 down to 1) - times a factor of 3
- quality of contribution report (5 down to 1)
- performance at the oral presentation (5 down to 1)
- a maximum of 35 points possible
- grade 3: 14 - 20; grade 4: 21 - 27; grade 5: 28 - 35
- grade G: 17 - 25; grade VG: 26 - 35