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Physics

College of Natural Sciences
Watanabe 416
2505 Correa Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7087
Fax: (808) 956-7107
E-mail: physics@hawaii.edu
Web: www.phys.hawaii.edu

Faculty

* Graduate Faculty

• *J. Gaines, PhD (Chair)--condensed matter, experiment
• *T. Browder, PhD--elementary particles, experiment
• *P. Crooker, PhD--condensed matter, experiment
• *A. Feldman, PhD--physics education
• *F. Harris, PhD--elementary particles, experiment
• *C. Hayes, PhD--condensed matter, experiment
• *M. D. Jones, PhD--elementary particles, experiment
• *P. K. Lam, PhD--condensed matter, theory
• *J. G. Learned, PhD--particle astrophysics
• *J. M. J. Madey, PhD--free electron laser physics
• *S. Olsen, PhD--elementary particles, experiment
• *S. Pakvasa, PhD--elementary particles, theory
• *M. W. Peters, PhD--elementary particles, experiment
• *K. Sattler, PhD--condensed matter, experiment
• *E. B. Szarmes, PhD--free electron laser physics
• *X. R. Tata, PhD--elementary particles, theory
• *S. F. Tuan, PhD--elementary particles, theory
• *C. Vause III, PhD--condensed matter, theory
• *H. Yamamoto, PhD--elementary particles, experiment

Affiliate Graduate Faculty

• C. Fadley, PhD--condensed matter, experiment
• W. Laidlaw, PhD--condensed matter, theory
• S. Ohnuma, PhD--elementary particles, experiment
• W. Simmons, PhD--elementary particles, theory

Degrees Offered: BA in physics, BS in physics, MS in physics, PhD in physics

The Academic Program

Physics (PHYS) is the study of matter and energy and how they interact at the most basic levels. Areas include mechanics, optics and lasers, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, nuclear phenomena, condensed matter, and elementary particles. Physics is widely regarded as the most basic of all the sciences. The University of Hawai'i at Manoa offers both the bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in physics. The faculty members teaching the courses are at the forefront of research in physics both in experiment and theory. In the field of elementary particles, some faculty members are doing experiments in Japan to detect neutrino oscillations and studying high-energy gamma rays coming from the stars. Others are involved in experiments at the Beijing (China) accelerator and the KEK accelerator in Japan. In condensed-matter physics, they investigate novel materials, study electrical noise in composites, probe the exotic phases of liquid crystals, and use a scanning tunneling microscope to take pictures of individual atoms. A new research effort in free electron laser (FEL) physics has begun, capable of working at the forefront of medical research, chemistry, material science, or basic physics. Often, the undergraduate physics majors work on these projects along with graduate students and the faculty.

Undergraduate Study

BA Degree

Requirements
Students must complete 40 credit hours, including:

• PHYS 170/170L, 272/272L, 274/274L, 310, 350, 400, 430, 450, 480, and 480L
• One course from PHYS 440, 481, or 490
• Two courses from PHYS 305, 475, or 481L
• CHEM 171/171L or CHEM 181/181L. (CHEM 161/161L and CHEM 162/162L may be substituted with consent from physics adviser).
• MATH 241, 242, 243, 244, and 311. (MATH 251, 252, 253, may be substituted for MATH 241, 242, 243, 244. MATH 215, 216, may be substituted for MATH 241, 242, with consent from physics adviser.)

Upon approval of a physics department adviser and chair, the PHYS 170 through 272L requirements may be satisfied by PHYS 151 through 152L.

BS Degree

Requirements
Students must complete 43 credit hours, including:

• PHYS 170/170L, 272/272L, 274/274L, 310, 311, 350, 400, 430, 450, 480, and 480L
• One course from PHYS 440, 481, or 490
• Two courses from PHYS 305, 475, or 481L
• CHEM 171/171L or 181/181L. (CHEM 161/161L and 162/162L may be substituted with consent from Physics adviser).
• MATH 241, 242, 243, 244, and 311. (MATH 251, 252, 253, may be substituted for MATH 241, 242, 243, 244. MATH 215, 216, may be substituted for MATH 241, 242, with consent from physics adviser.)

Upon approval of a physics department adviser and chair, the PHYS 170 through 272L requirements may be satisfied by PHYS 151 through 152L; and requirements for PHYS 450, 480L, 481 (or 440 or 490), and 481L may be modified so as to accommodate special emphasis or interdisciplinary programs for which the major in physics is appropriate.

Minor

Requirements

• PHYS 151 and 152 (plus labs) or PHYS 170 and 272 (plus labs)
• PHYS 274 (lab not necessary)
• 15 additional upper division credit hours, including PHYS 310, 350, and 480
• Grade of C or better in the above courses

Upon recommendation of a physics department adviser and chair, requirements for PHYS 310, 350, and 480 may be modified if an equivalent course is taken in another department.

Graduate Study

This program offers opportunities for study and research leading to the MS and PhD degrees in physics. The staff and facilities are especially aimed toward experimental and theoretical work in elementary particles, electronic structure of solids, liquid crystals, composite materials, low-temperature physics, scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, and surface science.

Intended candidates for the MS or PhD in physics must present a minimum of 35 undergraduate credit hours in physics, including atomic and nuclear physics, electromagnetism, mechanics, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics. Courses in general chemistry and differential equations are also required. Official scores of the GRE General Test and the subject test in physics must be submitted prior to admission.

At least one year of experience as a teaching assistant is required of all MS or PhD candidates. All graduate students are required to attend the weekly departmental seminar.

Master's Degree

Students wishing to terminate their formal education with the MS degree generally select Plan A (thesis) so as to gain some research experience, as well as formal class work. These students are prepared to enter teaching positions at the community college level or industrial and civil service positions at the junior scientist and engineer level.

Students planning advanced graduate work generally complete the Plan B (non-thesis) or Plan C (examination) requirements for the MS degree. At this point most of their formal class work has been completed and further work consists mainly of seminars, directed research, and the dissertation. 

Requirements
For the MS Plan A, students must complete 30 credit hours of course work, including (a) a minimum of 18 credit hours of physics courses numbered 600 to 798, including PHYS 610, 650, 670, and 690; (b) minimum of 6 credit hours of thesis; and (c) approved electives, which may be selected from PHYS 699 for a maximum of 2 credit hours and courses in mathematics, chemistry, meteorology, engineering, and philosophy. Other courses can be included on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the department chair. A final oral examination covers the thesis and related areas and completes the Plan A requirements.

For the MS Plan B, students must complete 30 credit hours of course work, including (a) a minimum of 18 credit hours of physics courses numbered 600 to 798, including PHYS 610, 650, 670, and 690; and (b) approved electives, as in Plan A. A written qualifying examination completes the Plan B requirements.

For the MS Plan C, there is no credit hour requirement but a minimum residency requirement must be satisfied. MS Plan C is intended for students who had completed equivalent course requirements at another institution. Admission to Plan C requires the approval of the physics graduate program advisory committee. A written qualifying examination and a final oral examination complete the requirements for Plan C.

Doctoral Degree

The PhD degree is essentially a research degree. Students complete an original and significant piece of research and are at the forefront of one area of physics. Students are expected to enter the academic world in a teaching and research capacity or industrial and government research laboratories as senior scientists.

Requirements
To be admitted to the PhD program, students must perform satisfactorily on a written qualifying examination followed by an advancement to candidacy oral examination. A student is allowed two attempts to pass the written qualifying examinations within the student's first six semesters as a regular classified graduate student. The student's first attempt must be within the student's first four semesters as a regular classified graduate student. Students who fail twice cannot continue in the graduate program.

In addition to the courses required for the MS degree, students are responsible for the material covered in PHYS 651 and 671. A scholarly dissertation must be written, and a final oral examination in defense of the dissertation completes the requirements for the PhD.

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