These notes cover my part of our 3rd year module ph330 Particles and Fields. In the first half of the second semester, I will cover the Atomic Physics part of the course, John Gough and Edwin Flikkema cover various aspects of quantum and Particle Physics, and Marie Gorman will add some Molecular Physics. Atomic, Molecular and Particle Physics have in common that they are applications of Quantum Mechanics applicable to the structure of matter at different length scales. In the Atomic Physics part, we will be looking at the structure of atoms as derived from Quantum Mechanics as well as spectroscopic techniques used to probe these structures experimentally.
There will be two one-hour lectures each week throughout the academic year. There are also four problem sheets (including one in Atomic Physics) worth 7.5% of the 20 credits each and a three-hour exam for 70% at the end (about a quarter of the exam will be on Atomic Physics). In addition, there will be weekly formative quizzes during the Atomic Physics section, and there are also exercises interspersed in the notes, which should give students an opportunity to reflect on the material and test their appreciation of it without the pressure to get it right at once for credit.
The Atomic Physics part of the module covers these topics:
Please note that these notes are meant to help you revise. However, I may include additional material in the lectures or not cover all of the material listed here.
These recommendations are for the Atomic Physics part of the module, although some of the textbooks also cover the other topics to a variable extent.
Christopher J Foot's Atomic Physics comes from a quantum-mechanical angle and builds up the complexities of atomic structure by adding successive perturbations to the quantum-mechanical solution of the hydrogen atom. We'll draw on this in much of the formal, mathematical part of the lecture, but it goes substantially beyond the content of this module. There are a number of hardcopies in the Physical Sciences library, and the full text is also available online via AU institutional subscription. The book contains some useful examples, and the author has a website with further information on some of them. [Primo]
Despite its title, Molecular Quantum Mechanics by Peter W Atkins and Ronald S Friedman covers atomic physics to a useful extent before moving on to molecular physics. It introduces the maths necessary for the subject at a more gentle pace, which contrasts nicely with other texts where intermediate steps are sometimes glossed over or taken for granted. The atomic physics part of this book covers much of the content of this lecture along with the necessary maths. There are plenty of examples with solutions in it, too. [Primo]
Finally, Tim P Softley's Atomic Spectra deals more with the practical side of atomic physics and concentrates on spectra and the various insights into atomic structure that can be derived from experimental data. While it gives important practical background, it does not cover the theory of atomic structure sufficiently to be used as the main text on its own for study for this module. Again, there are a number of copies in the Physical Sciences library. [Primo]
To get started, let's define the field of Atomic Physics and highlight some important topics within it.