FY829: Research activities in experimental physics

Study Board of Science

Teaching language: Danish or English depending on the teacher, but English if international students are enrolled
EKA: N510033112, N510033102
Assessment: Second examiner: None
Grading: Pass/Fail
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Master

STADS ID (UVA): N510033101
ECTS value: 5

Date of Approval: 03-03-2023


Duration: 1 semester

Version: Approved - active

Comment

The course is a new version of the previous course titled FY821. This means that if you have previously taken an exam in FY821, these exam attempts will automatically be transferred to this new course.

Entry requirements

A Bachelor’s degree in Physics, or similar subject area or a minor in Physics.
The course cannot be followed by students who have passed FY821.

Academic preconditions

Students taking the course are expected to have knowledge of the topics from the courses: 

  • FT504: Electromagnetism and Optics (10 ECTS)
  • FY544 Quantum mechanics I (5 ECTS)
  • FY547 Quantum mechanics II (5 ECTS)
  • FY550 Statistical physics (5 ECTS)

Course introduction

The aim of the course is that students become familiar with modern, innovative methods in experimental physics and data analysis. 
The course builds on the knowledge acquired in previous experimental courses in the physics curriculum, and provides conceptual and practical tools to be used later in the master project.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:
  • Give the competence to conduct advanced physical experiments or data analysis within a broad range of topics from fundamental physics to biophysics. 
  • Give the skills to conduct advanced physics experiments, interpret experimental data and critically evaluate own results as well as literature results.
  • Give knowledge on physical or data analysis techniques used in the research at SDU
  • Give knowledge about current research topics and their role in scientific progress and innovation. 

Expected learning outcome

The learning objective of the course is that the student demonstrates the ability to:
  • Describe the phenomenological background of the techniques used and assess their applications.
  • Work with advanced scientific measurement equipment or advanced data analysis tools and implement quantitative data processing.
  • Identify strategies to tackle a scientific question and produce original results.
  • Reflect on the impact of the topics seen in the course and of the specific course project on the advancement of science and on innovation.
  • Demonstrate the ability to communicate orally and in writing the outcome of own results and results from relevant scientific literature. 

Content

The following main topics are contained in the course: 
  • Microscopy of biological interfaces 
  • Superconducting sensors for fundamental physics searches
  • Astrophysics and black holes 
  • Optical microscopy and liquid crystals 

Literature

See itslearning for syllabus lists and additional literature references.

Examination regulations

Prerequisites for participating in the exam a)

Timing

Autumn

Tests

Participation and laboratory report

EKA

N510033112

Assessment

Second examiner: None

Grading

Pass/Fail

Identification

Full name and SDU username

Language

Normally, the same as teaching language

Examination aids

To be announced during the course

ECTS value

0

Additional information

Prerequisites for participating in the exam consists of:

  • Participation in the introductory phase (Corresponds to the first 8 hours of classes/ 4 lectures, in which each instructor will introduce and explain their projects)
  • Participation in laboratory exercises
  • One laboratory report.

The prerequisite examination is a prerequisite for participation in exam element a). 

Exam element a)

Timing

Autumn

Prerequisites

Type Prerequisite name Prerequisite course
Examination part Prerequisites for participating in the exam a) N510033101, FY829: Research activities in experimental physics

Tests

Oral examination

EKA

N510033102

Assessment

Second examiner: None

Grading

Pass/Fail

Identification

Full name and SDU username

Language

Normally, the same as teaching language

Examination aids

To be announced during the course

ECTS value

5

Additional information

The exam is oral and consists of a poster presentation in class with questions from the lecturers, which takes place on the last day of the teaching.

Re-examination: The poster presentation should be given in front of the course instructors.

Indicative number of lessons

44 hours per semester

Teaching Method

At the faculty of science, teaching is organized after the three-phase model ie. intro, training and study phase.

      • Intro phase (lectures) - Number of hours: 8
      • Training phase: 2 hours lecture and 3 hours tutorial per each activity chosen by the students 

      The course starts with a series of lectures on all the topics of the experimental and data analysis activities. The introduction will put the topics in the context of scientific discovery and innovation and will briefly explain the projects' goals. Students should choose 2 of the proposed projects and will be divided into small groups. Each group will be given a more detailed theoretical introduction of the chosen activity and a tutorial/training on the equipment or data analysis program.

      Activities during the study phase:

      • Independent study of reading material relevant to the chosen topics.
      • Independent collection of data and/or data analysis 
      • Analysis of data collected during lab exercises. Writing of report. Preparation of poster presentation.  

      Students will have to carry out two short research projects, each lasting 4 weeks. Reading material and/or journal articles will be provided, describing the projects' background and the context and relevance of the research. Students will have the possibility to interact often with the supervisors during the project. 
      Each student will then choose ONE project to report in a written document and ONE project to report as a poster presentation. Reports can be done in groups while poster presentations should be individual. 

      Teacher responsible

      Name E-mail Department
      Francesca Serra serra@sdu.dk Fysik

      Additional teachers

      Name E-mail Department City
      Adam Cohen Simonsen adam@sdu.dk Fysik
      Manuel Meyer mey@sdu.dk Fysik
      Roman Gold gold@sdu.dk Fysik

      Timetable

      Administrative Unit

      Fysik, kemi og Farmaci

      Team at Educational Law & Registration

      NAT

      Offered in

      Odense

      Recommended course of study

      Transition rules

      Transitional arrangements describe how a course replaces another course when changes are made to the course of study. 
      If a transitional arrangement has been made for a course, it will be stated in the list. 
      See transitional arrangements for all courses at the Faculty of Science.