Physics with Theoretical Physics - U7UPHYTH

This module builds on your knowledge of quantum theory, with a focus on how quantum systems evolve over time. It develops the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics and introduces key physical models and applications, including quantum computing.

The module begins with a review of Dirac notation and its use in formulating quantum problems. It then covers the dynamics of operators and wavefunctions, along with approximate methods for solving time-dependent problems.

Finally, you will be introduced to open quantum systems, quantum systems that interact with their environment, and the mathematical tools used to study them.

This module explores how electrical currents enable communication within the body. You will learn the biological processes in nerve cells that allow electrical signalling, as well as how the ear converts sound and the eye converts light into electrical signals. The module also covers how the heart uses electrical activity to pump blood and how muscles function.

Building on this, you will study how electrical signals from the heart, muscles, and brain can be measured and interpreted through surface recordings. The module also introduces magnetoencephalography (MEG), explaining how tiny magnetic fields generated by electrical currents in the brain can be detected, and the physical design of sensors and specialised rooms required for these measurements.

This module covers the Standard Model of particle physics, detailing the known particles of nature and the theoretical concepts behind them. It introduces natural units, relativistic field equations, and the mathematics of group theory and Lie groups.

Building on this, you will explore the Standard Model's particle content and their interactions through Feynman diagrams. The module will also cover gauge symmetries, applied to the force-carrying particles, as well as discrete symmetries, quantum mixing, and the Higgs mechanism.

This module explores the journey from technical innovation to successful commercial enterprise. Students will gain insight into the key factors that drive innovation, including idea evaluation, intellectual property, market awareness, and strategic management. Emphasis is placed on understanding the pathways to market from both academic and industrial perspectives.

This module explores the physical processes involved in the most extreme environments known in the Universe. Among the objects studied are neutron stars, black holes, supernova explosions, and active galactic nuclei.

Cosmology is the scientific study of the Universe as a whole. It aims to understand what the Universe is made of, and its evolution from the Big Bang until today (and into the future).

You’ll study:

• observational evidence for the Big Bang
• how the expansion of the Universe depends on its contents and geometry
• how the contents of the Universe evolve as it expands and cools
• dark matter and dark energy: observational evidence and the latest theoretical models
• inflation, a proposed period of accelerated expansion in the very early Universe

This module begins by exploring the techniques for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS). In the first semester, it covers the classical description of MRI, focusing on how images with contrast are generated to assess structure and function in the body for clinical diagnoses.

In the second semester, the module delves deeper into the physics of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and MRI, presenting a quantum description of the technique and examining the clinical applications of MRS. It then shifts to other imaging methods commonly used in hospitals, including ultrasound and optical coherence tomography (OCT). For each technique, you will learn about the transmitters, detectors and safety considerations involved.

Macroscopic matter displays a wide range of phases, from the familiar solids, liquids, and gases to more exotic phases like liquid crystals, superfluid and superconductors. 

In this module, you will learn how these ordered phases are described through broken symmetries, which helps in understanding their properties and phase transitions. You will study various mean-field approaches used to analyse these phases. Finally, you will explore how moving beyond the mean-field approach reveals the emergence of universal critical behaviour.

This module introduces you to the physics and applications of Semiconductors. Semiconductors are key materials of the current Information Age. They enabled most of the devices and technologies we use everyday, such as computers, internet, mobile phones. Semiconductors help us to mitigate global warming, data theft, end of the Moore’s law and other global challenges.

This module includes detailed overview of the Semiconductors past, present and future, and provides skills and knowledge essential for a future Semiconductor researcher or engineer.

You’ll study:

• Physics and applications of conventional semiconductor materials and devices, for example p-n diodes and field-effect transistors
• Physics and applications of novel semiconductor materials, quantum materials, nanostructures, low dimensional materials, such as graphene and quantum dots
• Current and future semiconductor challenges and technologies, such as efficient solar cells, ultrasensitive phone cameras and quantum computers.

This module introduces spacetime and gravity, as explained by Einstein's theories of relativity.

You will learn that when velocities approach a significant fraction of the speed of light, spatial distance and elapsed time become relative to the observer. The relativistic laws of mechanics are presented within a unified framework of four-dimensional spacetime, and key implications, such as Einstein's famous equation E=mc2E=mc2, are explored. 

The module also covers the concept of gravitational effects, which require spacetime to be warped or curved. You will study the relevant mathematics to describe this curvature and its physical effects, using the Schwarzschild solution and the corresponding black hole as a key example.

This module will enhance your knowledge and understanding of the applications of modern physics, showing how the basic principles of physics, explored in your second and third year, are extended in this area. You will use the skills developed earlier in the course to engage with material that is at the forefront of modern physics applications.

General relativity predicts the existence of black holes which are regions of space-time into which objects can be sent but from which no classical objects can escape. This course uses techniques learnt in MATH4015 to systematically study black holes and their properties, including horizons and singularities. Astrophysical processes involving black holes are discussed, and there is a brief introduction to black hole radiation discovered by Hawking.

This course aims to introduce the physics of black holes and its mathematical description, giving insight into problems of research interest. It provides an opportunity to apply techniques and ideas learned in previous modules to important astrophysical problems. Students will acquire knowledge and skills to a level sufficient to begin research in general relativity.

20 credits in the Spring Semester

In this module, you'll deepen your knowledge and understanding of the frontiers in astrophysics, building on the basic principles of physics covered in Parts I and II. You'll engage with material informed by the forefront of current research, using the skills developed earlier in your programme. This module will allow you to critically engage with research literature and synthesize your knowledge to produce outputs in various formats.

By the end of the module, you'll have significantly enhanced your critical engagement with advanced topics in astrophysics. You'll strengthen your ability to independently research and gain a deep understanding of complex material. Additionally, you'll demonstrate high-level skills in communicating your understanding of advanced concepts and work successfully as part of a small team to research and present key aspects of cutting-edge astrophysical knowledge.

This module will develop your knowledge and understanding gravity and to show how the basic principles of physics are their extensions considered in Part I and II are developed in this area.  You will use the skills developed earlier in the programme to engage with material that is at or is informed by the forefront of current research in classical and quantum gravity.  

Modern science is data rich. For example, it’s not uncommon for a single experiment to generate terabytes, or even petabytes of data. As scientists, one of the major challenges we face is to collapse these vast data archives into meaningful information that we can understand, and use to draw conclusions.

In this module, you will learn the critical mathematical techniques that are used to do this. We will cover techniques from simple image processing, all the way to advanced blind source separation and machine learning. You will then put these techniques into practice, in a data processing project that may range from satellite imaging to measuring the amount of information stored by the human brain.

This module gives a mathematical introduction to quantum information theory. The aim is to provide you with a background in quantum information science. This will help with your further independent learning and allow you to understand the scope and nature of current research topics.

This module will extend previous work in the areas of atomic and optical physics to cover modern topics in the area of quantum effects in light-matter interactions. Some basic material will be introduced in six staff-led seminars and you’ll have around two hours of lectures and student-led workshops each week. 

This module aims to provide a foundation in modern machine learning, covering supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning. It will address a variety of problems, including linear and non-linear regression, classification, density estimation, data generation, and optimal control. The module combines theoretical concepts with hands-on applications to a selection of example problems.

The purpose of this module is to explore more advanced topics in machine learning and artificial neural networks, building on the foundation established in Machine Learning in Science Part 1. Topics covered will include deep neural networks and deep supervised learning, convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), generative adversarial networks (GANs), unsupervised learning, restricted Boltzmann machines (RBMs), deep RBMs, and autoencoders. Additionally, the module will cover reinforcement learning, Markov decision processes, data cleaning, and handling large datasets. Concepts will be applied through associated small projects.

This module introduces you to the key ideas behind modern approaches to our understanding of the role of inflation in the early and late universe, in particular through the formation of structure, the generation of anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background radiation, and the origin of dark energy. You’ll study through a series of staff lectures and student-led workshops.

In this module, you'll deepen your knowledge and understanding of quantum coherent phenomena and devices, building on the basic principles of physics covered in Parts I and II. You'll engage with material informed by the forefront of current research, using the skills developed earlier in your programme. This module will allow you to critically engage with research literature and synthesize your knowledge to produce outputs in various formats.

By the end of the module, you'll have significantly enhanced your critical engagement with advanced topics in quantum coherent phenomena and devices. You'll strengthen your ability to independently research and gain a deep understanding of complex material. Additionally, you'll demonstrate high-level skills in communicating your understanding of advanced concepts, preparing you for a career in cutting-edge physics research and development.

This module will deepen your knowledge and understanding of quantum matter, showing how the basic principles of physics from your second and third years are extended in this field. You will use the skills developed earlier in the programme to engage with material that is at the forefront of current research in quantum matter.