|
The Department of Physics offers a graduate study program leading to a Masters of Science degree. Applicants for admission should have a Bachelors degree in Physics or its equivalent, in addition to the requirements of the Graduate Studies Office. Students not meeting these requirements may be admitted on a provisional basis until leveling courses are completed.
The requirements for the major in the Department of Physics are met with the approval of at least eighteen credit hours of graduate courses in Physics, exclusive of thesis. The following specific courses are required: Introduction to Theoretical Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory, and Graduate Seminar. All students are required to write a thesis.
There are current research projects in the Department in fields such as: condensed matter/materials science, laser spectroscopy, high energy Physics, astrophysics and radioastronomy, adaptive optics, statistical Physics, mathematical modeling for biological applications, atmospheric Physics, and theoretical/computational Physics. Department facilities for research include well-developed laboratories for experimental research in laser spectroscopy and condensed matter/materials science, and facilities for computational work. For laser spectroscopy and nonlinear-optical studies, the Department of Physics research laboratories are equipped with a wide variety of laser sources producing beams from continuous wave to femtosecond pulses, and advanced spectroscopic equipment including double spectrometers and photon counting systems. Thin film and crystal growth facilities include systems for pulsed laser deposition, ion-beam and RF sputtering, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, and sol-gel techniques, high temperature furnaces and other preparation equipment. Materials characterization facilities include a high-resolution x-ray diffractometer specially equipped for thin film studies, atomic force/scanning tunneling microscope, systems for low-temperature electronic, optical, and magneto-optical studies of solids, multiple wavelength ellipsometer, and an electron spin resonance spectrometer. Additional facilities are available to researchers through other UPRM facilities and the UPR Materials Characterization Center.
Experimental research in high energy Physics is conducted in close collaboration with Fermilab, in Illinois, and advanced data analysis and transmission facilities to aid this effort are located in the Department. Research in radioastronomy is performed with the Arecibo radiotelescope. Research projects in adaptive optics for astronomy are under way. Distributed computational resources sustaining research are available through several laboratories, at a computer room for use by Department students and faculty, and through communication connections to campus and external facilities. The Department also has a precision machine shop and an electronics shop supporting research activities. Additional facilities include an automated 16-inch reflector telescope, and a planetarium with capacity for 60 occupants.
Top
|
Advanced Undergraduate Courses
|
|
|
FISI 5037-5025. INTRODUCTION TO SOLID STATE PHYSICS (On demand). Three credit hours per semester. Three hours of lecture per week each semester.
An introduction to X-ray diffraction, crystal structures, elastic constant of crystals, lattice energy and vibrations; thermal properties of solids, dielectric properties, ferroelectric crystals; diamagnetism, paramagnetism, ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism; free electron model of metals, superconductivity, excitons, photoconductivity and luminescence.
|
|
|
FISI 5047. LASER PHYSICS. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: FISI 4105 and FISI 4068.
Semiclassical theory of laser operation. Analysis of laser light characteristics, interaction of radiation with matter, optical resonators, pumping schemes, common laser systems, and non-linear optics.
|
|
|
Graduate Courses
|
|
|
FISI 6051-6052. MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week each semester.
Calculus of variations, Lagrange's equations of motion, Hamilton's equations, contact transformation, introduction to quantum theory and special theory of relativity; mathematical theory of vibrations, statistical mechanics, introduction to theory of elasticity, electrodynamics and other related topics.
|
|
|
FISI 6060. NUCLEAR PHYSICS (On demand). Four credit hours. Four hours of lecture per week.
Fundamentals of quantum theory of the nucleus; mathematical theory of scattering, neutron-proton scattering; theory of nuclear reactions, theory of beta decay, and other related topics.
|
|
|
FISI 6090. INTRODUCTION TO THEORETICAL PHYSICS. Three credit hours per semester. Three lectures per week each semester.
Introduction to the problems and methods of theoretical physics; dynamics, electrodynamics, statistical mechanics, quantum mechanics, hydrodynamics and elasticity.
|
|
|
FISI 6190. INTRODUCTION TO THEORETICAL PHYSICS II. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: authorization of the Director of the Department.
Introduction to the problems and methods of theoretical physics, dynamics, electrodynamics, statistical mechanics, quantum mechanics, hydrodynamics and elasticity.
|
|
|
FISI 6280-6380. GRADUATE SEMINAR (I)-(II). One credit hour per semester. Two hours of lecture per week each semester.
Discussions and reports on special topics in physics.
|
|
|
FISI 6431-6432. THEORY OF ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM (I)-(On demand). Three credit hours per semester. Three hours of lecture per week each semester.
Discussion of problems in electrostatics, magnetostatics and stationary currents; formulation of Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic wave theory, and radiation from moving charges, etc.
|
|
|
FISI 6451-6452. INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM THEORY (II)-(On demand). Three credit hours per semester. Three hours of lecture per week each semester.
Introductory background to Quantum Theory; wave mechanical method and some of its applications to one-particle problem; linear oscillators and spatial oscillators; radiation and fields; approximate methods; perturbation theory; introductory general formulation of Quantum Theory.
|
|
|
FISI 6477. ELEMENTARY PARTICLES. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
The physics of elementary particles and their interactions.
|
|
|
FISI 6510. SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHYSICS (I, II). One to nine credit hours. One to nine hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: authorization of Director of Department.
Specialized topics in physics such as high energy physics, nuclear reaction physics, plasma physics, low temperature physics, cosmology and others.
|
|
|
FISI 6991. PHYSICS RESEARCH (I, II, S). One to six credit hours.
The student will choose a member of the faculty as his adviser. Presentation of a thesis is required for credit.
|
|
|
Astronomy (ASTR)
|
|
|
ASTR 5005. FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF GALAXIES. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week.
Formation, types, structures, evolution, and interaction of galaxies.
|
|
|
ASTR 5007. PLANETARY ASTRONOMY. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: ASTR 4005 or authorization of the Director of the Department.
The study of the properties, physical formation, and evolution of the planets and the solar system.
|
|
|
ASTR 6001-6002. INTRODUCTION TO CELESTIAL MECHANICS (On demand). Three credit hours per semester. Three hours of lecture per week each semester.
Fundamental principles of astronomy and dynamics, with emphasis on the theoretical aspect: general equations of motions for bodies in an isolated system; integrals of motion, orbits, planetary equations, perturbations, canonic equations, contact transformations, lunar theory and the satellite problems.
|
|
|
ASTR 6991. SPECIAL TOPICS IN ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS. One to six credit hours. One to six hours of lecture per week.
Selected topics in astronomy and astrophysics.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
A list of professors who engage in graduate activities in the Department follows including their highest earned degree, date, institution granting the degree, and research interests.
|
|
JOSÉ D. ALEMAR, Professor, Ph.D., 1977, Texas A&M University. Research interests: Non-Destructive Evaluation with Ultrasonics, Underwater Acoustics.
|
|
DORIAL CASTELLANOS, Professor, Ph.D., 1991, University of South Carolina at Columbia. Research interests: Solid State Physics, Electron Spin Resonance.
|
|
MARK J.L. CHANG, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1998, University of Durham, United Kingdom. Research interests: Optics, Adaptive Optics.
|
|
CARLOS CONDAT, Professor, Ph.D., 1982, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Research interest: Statistical Physics, Mathematical Modeling of Biological Problems.
|
|
FÉLIX E. FERNÁNDEZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1987, University of Arizona. Research interests: Thin Film Physics, Materials Characterization.
|
|
JEFFREY F. FRIEDMAN, Professor, Ph.D., 1992, University of Oklahoma. Research interests: High Temperature Ion-molecule Reactions, Optics for Astronomy.
|
|
WEIYI JIA, Professor, Ph.D., 1982, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Research interests: Laser Spectroscopy, Luminescent and Laser Materials.
|
|
HÉCTOR JIMÉNEZ-GONZÁLEZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1992, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Research interests: Experimental Solid State Physics, Magneto-optics.
|
|
YONG-JIHN KIM, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1989, Seoul National University. Research interests: Theoretical Solid State Physics, Superconductivity.
|
|
| MARK JURY, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1984, University of Cape Town. Research interest: Metereology. |
|
HUIMIN LIU, Professor, Ph.D., 1986, Academia Sinica, China. Research interests: Laser Spectroscopy of Solids, Nonlinear Optics.
|
|
ÁNGEL M. LÓPEZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1977, University of Massachusetts. Research interests: Experimental High Energy Physics.
|
|
JOSÉ R. LÓPEZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1983, Michigan State University. Research interests: Physics Education, Biophysics.
|
|
PABLO J. MARRERO-SOTO, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 2001, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Research interests: Thin Film Physics, Quantum Theory.
|
|
HÉCTOR MÉNDEZ-MELLA, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1990, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, Mexico City. Research interests: Experimental High Energy Physics.
|
|
RUBEN A. MÉNDEZ-PLACIDO, Professor, Ph.D., 1988, University of Florida at Gainesville. Research interests: Quantum Electrodynamics, Atomic Physics.
|
|
LESZEK NOWAKOWSKI, Professor, Ph.D., 1983 N. Coppernicus University, Torun, Poland. Research interests: Radioastronomy, Astrophysics of Pulsars.
|
|
MOISÉS ORENGO-AVILÉS, Professor, Ph.D., 1996, Brown University. Research interests: Physics Education, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.
|
|
CARLOS U. PABÓN, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1994, City College of New York. Research interests: Atmospheric Physics.
|
|
| RAÚL PORTUONDO, Professor, Ph.D., Universityof La Habana -UH-. Research interest: Pedagogy. |
|
LUIS M. QUIÑONES-RODRÍGUEZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1973, Purdue University. Research interests: Astronomy, Nuclear Physics.
|
|
HENRI A. RADOVAN, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., 1998, University of Ulm, Germany. Research interests: Experimental Solid State Physics, Superconductivity.
|
|
JUAN E. RAMÍREZ, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 2002, University of Colorado at Boulder. Research interests: Experimental High Energy Physics.
|
|
RAFAEL RAMOS, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1994, Boston University. Research interests: Computational Materials Science, Statistical Physics.
|
|
PATRICK D. RAPP, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., 1974, Columbia University. Research interest: Physics Applied to Marine Sciences Problems.
|
|
ERICK ROURA-DÁVILA, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 2001, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Research interests: Quantum Theory.
|
|
MAHARAJ S. TOMAR, Professor, Ph.D., 1973, University of Roorkee, India. Research interests: Semiconductor Devices and Optoelectronics, Ferroelectric and Ionic Conduction Devices.
|
|
ESOV VELÁZQUEZ, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1999, University of Puerto Rico. Research interests: Theoretical Statistical Physics, Computational Physics.
|
|
| Top |
|
|
