ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY

Guwahati
Course Structure and Syllabus

M.Sc. Physics (CBCS)

(For Admission Batch 2018-19 onwards)

THIRD SEMESTER
 ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY

Guwahati

Course Structure and Syllabus

(From Academic Session 2018-19 onwards)

M.Sc. Physics (CBCS)

3rd Semester: Course Structure

Sl Hours per Marks

Credit
No. Sub-Code Subject Week
L T P C CE ESE
Theory
Core
1 MPH182301 Atomic and Molecular Physics 4 0 0 4 30 70
2 MPH182302 Computational Physics 3 0 0 3 30 70
3 MPH182303 Nano-Structured Materials 2 0 0 2 30 70
4 MPH182304 Vacuum Techniques 2 0 0 2 30 70
Elective (Any one Part: A/B/C)
Part A:
1 MPH18230E1 Astrophysics and Cosmology-I 5 0 0 5 30 70
2 MPH18230E2 Astrophysics and Cosmology-II 5 0 0 5 30 70
Part B:
1 MPH18230E3 High Energy Physics-I 5 0 0 5 30 70
2 MPH18230E4 High Energy Physics-II 5 0 0 5 30 70
Part C:
1 MPH18230E5 Digital Electronics 4 0 0 4 30 70
2 MPH18231E5 Digital Electronics Lab 0 0 12 6 30 70
Total 21/15 0 0/12 21 180 420
Total Contact Hours per week : 21/27
Total Credit : 21

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 1 of 11

 Detailed Syllabus

Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit

L-T-P C
MPH182301 Atomic and Molecular Physics 4-0-0 4

Unit 1:

Fine structure of hydrogen atom, relativistic correction, Lamb shift, Spectra of alkali atoms, spin-
orbit interaction and fine structure in alkali atoms, Pauli’s exclusion principle, equivalent and
nonequivalent electrons, interaction energy in LS and jj coupling for two electrons, Normal and
anomalous Zeeman effect, Paschen-Back effect, Stark effect, hyperfine structure of hydrogen
and alkali atoms, width and shape of spectral lines.

Unit 2:

Molecular spectra, Molecular Orbital theory-covalent, ionic binding, Heitler London theory.
Rotational Spectra- isotopic effect in rotational spectra, intensity of rotational line, information
derived from rotational spectra.
Vibrational spectra- anharmonicity, vibrational spectra of diatomic molecules, vibrating-rotator.
Electronic spectra-Born-Oppenheimer approximation, vibrational analysis of electronic band
spectra, fine structure of electronic band spectra, Raman spectra, IR, Raman spectrometer.

Unit 3:

Basic theory of Lasers, Method of creating population inversion, Threshold condition for laser
oscillation, optical resonator and modes, Ammonia Maser, Ruby laser, CO2 laser.
Properties of laser-spatial and temporal coherence, monochromaticity, unidirectionality.

Text Books/Reference Books:

1. Atomic Spectra, Structure and Modern Spectroscopy, D.K. Rai and S.N. Thakur
Vaivaswat Publication, Varanashi
2. Atomic Spectra, H.E. White McGraw Hill
3. Molecular spectroscopy, Banwell and McCash Tata McGraw Hill
4. Molecular Structure and Spectroscopy, G. Aruldhas, Prentice Hall of India
5. Molecular Spectra and Molecular Structure, G.Herzberg, McGraw Hill
6. Lasers and Nonlinear Optics, B.B. Laud, New Age International

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 2 of 11

 Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit
L-T-P C
MPH182302 Computational Physics 3-0-0 3

Unit 1:

Windows and Unix user commands

Unit 2:

FORTRAN programming, flow chart, integer and floating point arithmetic, expressions, built-in
functions, executable and non-executable statements, assignment, control and input, output
elements, subroutines and functions, operation with files, programming examples of numerical
methods.
Introduction to C and C++.

Unit 3:

Approximations and errors in computing: introduction, data errors, round off error, truncation
error, modeling error, significant digits, absolute and relative error, general formula of errors,
error estimation.

Unit 4:

Elementary probability theory, random variables, binomial, Poisson and Normal distributions,
central limit theorem.
Elements of computational techniques, root of functions, interpolation, extrapolation, integration
by trapezoidal and Simpson’s rule.
Solution of first order differential equation using Runge-Kutta method. Finite difference
methods.
Linear and non-linear curve fitting, chi-square test.

Text Books/Reference Books:

1. Numerical Recipes in, C/Fortran Press et al., Cambridge University Press

2. Fortran 77 V. Rajaraman, Prentice Hall of India
3. MATLAB Primer
4. How to Solve it by Computer, H. Drowmey, Prentice Hall of India

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 3 of 11

 Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit
L-T-P C
MPH182303 Nano-Structured Materials 2-0-0 2

Unit 1:

Introduction to nanotechnology, nanoscale phenomena, history and scope, interdisciplinary

nature, Idea of band structure, density of states in bands, variation of density of state and band
gap with crystal size, electron confinement in one, two and three dimensions

Unit 2:

Applications: nanostructured materials, Sensors, Catalysis, medical applications, advanced

electronic materials, nano machines and novel devices.

Unit 3:

Chemical, physical and biological methods for synthesis of nanostructured materials, their
comparative advantages and disadvantages.

Unit 4:

Nanomaterials characterization, instruments, principle of measurements, measurement

techniques: X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy,
scanning tunneling microscopy, atomic force microscopy, optical and vibrational spectroscopy.

Text Books/Reference Books:

1. Updated materials/notes on individual topics will be provided during classes.

2. Introduction to Nanotechnology, Charles P. Poole, Jr. and Frank J.Owens, Wiley
Interscience,
2003.
3. Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and nanotechnology, Edited by Hari Singh Nalwa, 2004.

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 4 of 11

 Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit
L-T-P C
MPH182304 Vacuum Techniques 2-0-0 2

Unit 1: Production of Vacua

Different types of vacuum pumps, Rotary pump, diffusion pump cryogenic pumps, cryosorption
pumps, getter pump.

Unit 2: Vacuum materials

Absorption of gases, out gassing of materials, out gassing rates of vacuum materials, the
permeation process, permeability of vacuum materials.

Unit 3: Vacuum assembly techniques

Design and performance of high vacuum system.

Unit 4: Vacuum measurements

Leak detection, pressure measurements (MeLeod, Pirani, Penning gauge), residual gas analysis,
Bayard-Albert partial gas analysis, mass spectrometers.

Text Books/Reference Books:

1. Vacuum Technology, A.Roth, Elsevier

2. Handbook of Vacuum Science and Technology, Dorothy M. Hoffman, John H. Thomas,
Bawa Singh, Elsevier Science and Technology Books
3. High Vacuum Techniques, J. Yarwood, Chapman and Hall Ltd.
4. Vacuum Science, Technology and Applications, Pramod K. Naik, CRC Press Taylor and
Francis Group

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 5 of 11

 Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit
L-T-P C
MPH18230E1 Astrophysics and Cosmology-I 5-0-0 5

Unit 1: Fundamentals of Astronomy and Observational Techniques

Celestial coordinates, concept of time, astronomical telescopes, photometry, spectrophotometry,

modern image processing devices, multiwavelength astronomy (radio, x-ray, γ-ray).

Unit 2: Stellar Properties and Distance Measurements

Luminosity, surface temperature, Saha’s ionization theory, spectral classification, mass and their
correlations, mean molecular weight, Hertzsprung-Russel diagram, variable stars, star clusters,
stellar motion and oscillations, trigonometric parallax, magnitude system.

Unit 3: Stellar Structures and Sun

Stellar structure equations, Newtonian theory of equilibrium, polytropic gas spheres, Lane-
Emden equation and its solutions, physical characteristics from solutions of Lane-Emden
equation, structure of sun (photosphere, chromosphere, corona), solar activity.

Unit 4: Energy Transport

Various mechanisms of energy transport in stars, stellar opacity, Rosseland mean opacity,
equation of radiative transfer and its solutions, thermodynamics of radiation, radiative processes
in astrophysics.

Text Books/Reference Books:

1.Observational Astronomy. - D. Scott Birney (Cambridge)

2. Cosmic Perspective - Bennettt, Donahue, Schneider and Voit (Pearson Addision Wesley)
3. Introduction to Stellar Astrophysics - E. Bohm (Cambridge)
4. An Introduction to the Study of Stellar Structure - S. Chandrasekhar (Dover Publication)
5. An Introduction to Astrophysics - B. Basu (Prentice-Hall of India)
6. Astrophysics : Stars and Galaxies - K. D. Abhyankar(Orient Longman)
7. Stars and Galaxies - Michael A. Seeds (Thomson Learning)
8. Astronomy: A Physical Perspective - M. L. Kutner (Cambridge)

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 6 of 11

 Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit
L-T-P C
MPH18230E2 Astrophysics and Cosmology-II 5-0-0 5

Unit 1: Stellar Evolution

Virial theorem, star formation, Jeans criteria, various stages of nuclear burning, protostars,
evolution of pre- and post-main sequence stars, compact objects: white dwarf, neutron stars
(pulsars) and black holes.

Unit 2: Stellar Models

Gaseous stars, ε= constant model, η ∝ ρα Tυ model.

Unit 3: Galaxies

Milky Way galaxy: galactic rotation and rotation curve, density distribution, spiral structure,
galactic center, external galaxies: Hubble’s classification, active galaxies: starburst galaxies,
Seyfert galaxies, active galactic nuclei, supermassive black holes, quasars, blazars; cosmic
distance ladder: Cepheid variables, mean sequence fitting, Tully-Fisher relation; supernovae and
gravitational lensing.

Text Books/Reference Books:

1. Principle of Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis. - D. D. Clayton (University of Chicago

Press)
2. An Introduction to the Study of Stellar Structure - S. Chandrasekhar (Dover Publication)
3. Introduction to Stellar Astrophysics - E. Bohm (Cambridge)
4. An Introduction to Astrophysics - B. Basu (Prentice-Hall of India)
5. Astrophysics : Stars and Galaxies - K. D. Abhyankar(Orient Longman)
6. Stars and Galaxies - Michael A. Seeds (Thomson Learning)
7. Cosmic Perspective - Bennettt, Donahue, Schneider and Voit (Pearson Addision Wesley)
8. Astronomy: A Physical Perspective - M. L. Kutner (Cambridge)
9. Relativistic Astrophysics, - Zel’dovich and Novikov (University of Chicago Press)

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 7 of 11

 Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit
L-T-P C
MPH18230E3 High Energy Physics-I 5-0-0 5

Unit 1: Introduction to Elementary Particles

Historical introduction and classification of elementary particles, intrinsic properties of

elementary particles, behaviour of elementary particles under: charge conjugation (C), parity (P),
time reversal (T) and G-parity; Gell-Mann-Nakano-Nishijima law, eightfold way (Gell-Mann
and Ne’eman classification).

Unit 2: Group Theory and The Quark Model

Symmetries in physics, Lie groups, unitary and special unitary groups (U(1), SU(2) and SU(3)),
Tensor method in SU(n), Young tableaux, Isospin symmetry the quark model, quark-mass
formulas, Zweig rule and charm quark, heavy quarks beyond charm, quark color, hadron wave
functions, quark model predictions: magnetic moment, hadron masses.

Unit 3: Relativistic Wave Equations

Natural units, Lorentz covariance and four-vector notation, Klein-Gordon equation, Dirac
equation, covariant form of Dirac equation, Dirac γ-matrices, adjoint equation and conserved
current, solution of the Dirac equation (free particle spinors), negative energy states,
antiparticles, normalization of spinor and the completeness relations, Lorentz covariance of
Dirac equation, bilinear covariants, Dirac equation for zero mass particles (the two-component
neutrino), helicity states.

Text Books/Reference Books:

1. Introduction to Elementary Particles - D. J. Griffiths (John Wiley & Sons)

2. Quarks and Leptons - Francise Halzen and Alan D. Martin (John Wiley & Sons)
3. Physics of Elementary Particles - H. Muirhead (Pergamon Press)
4. An Introduction to Quarks and Partons - F. E. Close (Academic Press)
5.Quarks - Y. Nambu (World Scientific)
6. Relativistic Quantum Mechanics - James D. Bjorken and Sidney D. Drell (McGraw-Hill)
7. Introduction to High Energy Physics - Donald H. Parkings (Cambridge University Press)

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 8 of 11

 Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit
L-T-P C
MPH18230E4 High Energy Physics-II 5-0-0 5

Unit 1: Particle Interactions

Fundamental interactions (electromagnetic, weak, strong and gravitational) and their

characteristics, conservation laws and decay modes, charged leptonic weak interactions, decays
of muon, neutron and charged pions, neutral weak interactions, Fermi theory of weak interaction,
V-A interaction, Cabibbo angles, weak mixing angles, CP violation, CPT theorem.

Unit 2: Gauge Theories

Noether’s theorem, gauge theories of interactions, gauge symmetries (global and local), Abelian
and non-Abelian gauge theories (Yang-Mills theories).

Unit 3: Quantum Field theory (QFT)

Concept of field and quantization, Lagrangian of a field, Schwinger’s action principle, Fock
space states and their eigenvalues, method of second quantization, canonical quantization of
scalar, vector and spinor fields, energy, momentum and charge of the field, vacuum in field
theory; C, P, T transformation properties of scalar and vector fields.

Text Books/Reference Books:

1. Introduction to Elementary Particles - D. J. Griffiths (John Wiley & Sons)

2. Quarks and Leptons - Francise Halzen and Alan D. Martin (John Wiley & Sons)
3. Introduction to High Energy Physics - Donald H. Parkings (Cambridge University Press)
4. Gauge Theory of Elementary Particle Physics - Ta-Pei Cheng and Ling-Fong Li (Oxford
University Press)
5. Physics of Elementary Particles - H. Muirhead (Pergamon Press)
6. Quantum Field Theory - Lewis H. Ryder (Cambridge University Press)
7. An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory - Michael E. Paskin and Daniel V. Scroeder
(Levant Books)
8. Field Quantization - W. Greiner and J. Reinhardt (Springer)

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 9 of 11

 Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit
L-T-P C
MPH18230E5 Digital Electronics 4-0-0 4

Unit 1: Digital ICs

ROM and RAM, ICs of multiplexer, demultiplexer, encoder decoder. programmable logic:
ROM, PLA, PLD,FPGA.

Unit 2: Microprocessor and Microcontroller

Microprocessors: Microcomputer, 8085- Architecture, Bus timings, instruction set, addressing

modes, assembly language programming, counting and indexing, counters and timing delays,
stacks and subroutines.
8086 architecture and programming, new processors and features.
Microcontroller 8051 programming with C language and embedded systems.

Unit 3: Signal Processing systems

Poles and zeroes, Active filters, filter polynomials, design of filters. Introduction to digital filters:
IIR and FIR.
Sample and hold circuit, ADC, DAC, timer circuit: IC555.Schmitt trigger

Text Books/Reference Books:

1. The Art of Electronics, Horowitz and W. Hill Cambridge University Press

2. Op amps and Linear Integrated, Circuits R.K. Gaekwad, Prentice Hall of Indi
3. Introduction to Microprocessors for Engineers and physicists, P.K. Ghosh and P.R.
Sridhar, Prentice Hall of India
4. Operational Amplifiers and linear ICs, D.A. Bell, Prentice Hall of India
5. Digital Principles and Applications, D.P. Leach and A.P. Malvino Tata McGraw Hill
6. Microprocessor Architecture, Programming and Application with 8085/86, R.S. Gaonkar
7. Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, R. Boylested and L. Nashsdsky

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 10 of 11

 Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit
L-T-P C
MPH18231E5 Digital Electronics Lab 0-0-12 6

Experiments:

1. To design a (a) voltage divider biasing circuit and (b) RC coupled amplifier for specific gain.
2. To design an integrator and differentiator circuit using IC 741 OPAMP.
3. To design an astable and monostable multivibrator using timer IC555.
4. Study amplitude modulation and frequency modulation.

************

ASSAM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Page 11 of 11