PHYS 318 : INTERMEDIATE LAB The University of Virginia Spring  2008

SCHEDULE  and  CURRENT INFORMATION.

CLASS SYLLABUS and RULES.  (Please read!)

EXPERIMENTS:

1. Atomic spectroscopy.
• Use a grating spectrometer with computer interface to study dischange tube and other spectra.
2. Electron spin resonance.
• Microwave frequency magnetic resonance absorption by unpaired electrons in various materials.
3. Holography.
• Recording of transmission holograms; holographic interferometry.
4. Josephson effects  [See notebook for instructions and background].
• Tunneling of electron pairs between superconductors: The a.c. and d.c. Josephson effects.
5. Laser spectroscopy  [See notebook for instructions and background].
• Use of a diode laser to study resonant absorption in rubidium vapor, including hyperfine structure.
6. Nuclear I:  Gamma Spectroscopy.
1. Gamma spectroscopy and gamma-gamma coincidences using scintillation detector and standard electronics.
7. Nuclear II: Background Radiation. [Nuclear I is prerequisite.  Outline available in lab]
   
• Ambient radon, cosmic rays; high-resolution germanium detector.
  
8. Nuclear magnetic resonance.
• Manipulation of nuclear spin orientation in liquids by pulsed radio-frequency fields.  Measurement of spin relaxation times T₁ and T₂.
9. Optical diffraction and ultrasonics.   
• Diffraction of light by slits, etc., and by ultrasonic waves in liquids.
10. Optical pumping.
• Dynamic polarization of rubidium atoms by resonant circularly polarized light.  Determination of the weak-field Zeeman splitting by magnetic resonance; quadratic Zeeman effect and coupling to hyperfine splitting.
11. Vacuum techniques.
• Properties of various types of pumps, pressure gauges, etc.; deposition of metal films.
• New apparatus!
  
12. X-ray diffraction.
• Bragg diffraction by powder samples of simple crystals, using the Siemens diffractometer.
13. Zeeman effect.
Splitting of mercury spectral lines in a magnetic field.
14. Scanning Probe Microscopy.
Use of atomic force microscope and scanning tunneling microscope to study surfaces of various samples
15. Magnetic levitation   [See notebook for instructions and background].
Measure the viscosity and/or density of water as a function of temperature using a magnetic float.