Entry requirements

120 credits with courses in quantum mechanics, atom and molecular physics or physical chemistry or similar.

Learning outcomes

The course should prepare for wider studies in basic material physics and research.

On completion of the course, the student should:

• be able to make atom calculations to show that he/she understood the atoms' electron structure at the deeper level
• have familiarity with theory concepts and working methods within atomic physics
• be able to use relevant measurement equipment and be able to evaluate experimental results

Content

• Quantum mechanical foundations: State and partition functions. Angular momentum and addition of angular momenta. Stationary states. Expectation values. Transitions. Electric dipole approximation. Quantum number and selection rules. Multipole radiation. Non-radiative transitions.
• One-electron atoms: Energy levels and wave functions. Spin-orbit coupling. Relativistic effects. QED. Alkalihalogenides. Spectra.
• Helium: Approximation methods, Coulomb - and the exchange integral, the fundamental state, excited states, wave functions and Slater determinants. Spectra.
• Many-electron atoms: The central field approximation, the SCF-method, the Thomas-Fermi potential, LS-coupling, fine structure, jj-coupling, intermediary connection, other couplings, configuration mixing. Spectra.
• Effect of external field: Zeeman -, Paschen-Back - and Stark effects. Spectra.
• Effect of the nucleus on the electron structure: Mass dependency, hyperfine structure. Spectra.
• Computer-aided quantum mechanical calculations and simulations: Calculations of orbital energies with potential energy that is calculated according to Thomas-Fermi. Hartree - Fock calculations.
• Laboratory work: Photoelectron spectroscopy. Optical spectroscopy. X-ray physics.

Instruction

If so required, the course will be given in English. Lectures and problem solving sessions. Laboratory sessions and compulsory assignments. Teaching is given also in the form of demonstrations and supervision in connection with laboratory sessions and calculation exercises. Participation in laboratory sessions and with these integrated teaching are compulsory.

Assessment

Submitted reports on laboratory sessions and theoretically treated problems and assignments presented during the course. Oral seminar assignment presentation.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.