SDSU Physics - Student Research
Student research in the Department of Physics
- Student Research.
- Physics major (B.S.) Senior Thesis Requirements.
- Suggested senior thesis projects.
- Physics M.S. Thesis Information.
- Summer Research experiences of undergrads..
- Digital Thesis Archive.
Research Projects for Physics Majors
The following are potential research projects for students in 498AB for the senior thesis. There are other projects available besides those listed; students are encouraged to go and speak to professors for more information.
Dr. Baljon's research is in the area of theoretical/computational polymer- and bio-physics. Both area's are relative new. Biophysics is currently the fastest growing devision of the American Physical Society. Approx. 1% of research conducted in physics dept. is in the area of polymers. Both fields are interdisciplinary and students will be involved in discussions with faculty in applied math, biology, chem. engineering, phys. chemistry and materials science. Students can join my group as soon as they have finished P197. Electives that need to be taken as part of the preparation for the thesis write-up include Computational Physics (580) and Polymer Science (538). For detailed information on the research topics that I currently work on with my students you can visit my website, look at the bulletin board next to my office, and/or just step by.
I have several projects and I'm still trying to sort out the priorities. Students should come by my office and I'll talk with them.
Scattering with non-local potential
If you enjoyed learning quantum mechanics, here is a chance to apply your learning. You will write a computer program to solve for the scattering of the Schrodinger equation, but using a non-local potential, and compare the results to local potentials (I would guess about 500 lines of code). You must know how to program in Fortran, C, or possibly MatLab. See Dr. Johnson for more information.
Scattering with "random" potential
If you enjoyed learning quantum mechanics, here is a chance to apply your learning. You will write a computer program to solve for the scattering of the Schrodinger equation, but using a "random" or noisy potential, and compare the results to smooth potentials (I would guess about 500 lines of
code). You must know how to program in Fortran, C, or possibly MatLab. See Dr. Johnson for more information.
Nuclear Reaction Networks
You will set up codes to simulate nuclear reaction networks in stellar environments, downloading the basis information from the internet. Requires a basic understanding of solving differential equations, but does not require quantum mechanics (a bit of knowledge about thermodynamics and, hopefully, nuclear physics would be useful but not absolutely necessary). You must know how to program in Fortran, C, or possibly MatLab. See Dr. Johnson for more information.
(1) We have an ongoing spectroscopy experiment in which we are using both Saturated Absorption Spectroscopy and Polarization Spectroscopy as tools to investigate the nuclear properties of the Iodine molecule. There is a tremendous amount of physics involved in such areas of research, and they represent a rich source of education, both experimental and theoretical.
(2) If you are interested in the fundamental physics of electromagnetism come in and see me. Did you know that Einstein felt strongly that the B-field was a tensor, not a vector as it is taught to be today?
My work is in new materials that present a variety of properties. Most of my work in basic research, thus more for people that feel like going into Ph.D. programs.
1) A series of systems that present superconductor characteristics under pressure and are AF a ambient pressure.
2) Systems that have a very large dielectric constant > 10000.
3) Materials that present FM and ferroelastic properties at the same time. This is very unusual. In all cases my role is to look for a system that seems to be interest to study with the techniques that my friends have, EPR, neutrons, magnetic and transport measurements, etc. Get the samples from some take a look at the properties and get someone to take the data, I then get the data and analyze them, if Im not smart enough, most of the cases, I have 2 theorists that help me.
My research is in novel superconducting and magnetic materials. We are fairly well equipped to synthesize materials, carry out crystallographic analysis, measure electronic (electrical resistivity, Hall effect, etc.) and magnetic properties in the 4 - 300 K temperature range, and measure in hydrostatic pressures up to 25 katm. A student working with me will work on one or some of the following.
1 - synthesis
2 - X-ray diffraction analysis including Rietveld refinements.
3 - Labview programming for data acquisition
4 - resistivity measurements in the 10 - 300 K temperature range
5 - magnetization and magnetoresistance measurements in the 4 - 300 K range
6 - hydrostatic pressure measurements of electrical resistivity
Dr. Weber's research focuses on the physics of neutron stars.
Neutron stars, which are formed as remnants of supernova explosions, are among the most unusual objects in the universe. They contain a mass equal to that of the sun in a sphere within a radius of just 10 km. The densities in the centers of neutron stars is therefore 10 to 20 times that of atomic nuclei which make such stars superb astrophysical laboratories for a wide range of physical and astrophysical studies. These range from the exploration of nuclear processes in electron degenerate matter at subnuclear densities, to boson condensation phenomena and the existence of novel states of matter--like the quark-gluon plasma being sought at the most powerful terrestrial particle colliders--at supranuclear densities. Dr. Weber's research efforts are divided into two major activities. The first activity aims at investigating nuclear, thermal, and electromagnetic processes on the surfaces of neutron stars. The second activity is devoted to the study of phase transitions in the superdense cores of neutron stars where quark matter, boson condensates, and other fundamental particles may exist. Theoretical work on these questions is crucial to obtain the full physics potential of the investments that have been made at Jefferson Lab, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at BNL, as well as new investments that are recommended for RIA (Rare Isotope Accelerator).
My research lies in atomic, molecular and optical physics.
If you're interested in learning how to build atoms on computers, and looking at home atoms interact with other atoms, photons, and even anti-matter. My current main area of interest is what we (ie. experimentalists) can do with Bose-Einstein Condensates, the ultracold state of gaseous matter that can be manipulated at will using atom-chips and lasers. Most of my research projects use non-relativistic quantum-mechanics, and both time-dependent and time-independent computational methods, and are accessible to undergraduates (with a bit of sweat).
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Last updated: 10th August 2006