Atomic & Molecular Physics

• http://www.phys.ucl.ac.uk/admissions/course_descriptions/CD2006-07/y2/PHAS2224.pdf

Official Course Web Address

• http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucapjun/phas2224e/

Course Background

Get ready for some real use of Hamiltonians and Schrodingers equation, this module is where we move away from the safe haven of the hydrogen atom and into the real world

• multi electron hamiltonians
• multi electron hamiltons in weak and strong magnetic fields
• multi nucleus single electron molecule hamiltonians
• multi nucleus multi electron modecule hamiltonians

The patterns area very similar, write down a Hamiltonian that has the right number of potential terms. Determine a suitable wave function for the system, spin singlet and spin triplets and the solve the eigen vector equation.

These solutions get some what tricky and we resort to approximate method (Born Openhiemer), however the exact solutions are available but not studied in this module. I get the feeling that the author of this course is more interested in empirical short hand solutions as apposed to exact numerical solutions (especially distain for computer generated solutions).

Course work?

The problem sheets are not that easy, a good blend of book work, graphing and theory, these have been some of the most challenging but enjoyable questions.

Course Text

Buy the book, Bransden and someone, has been essential in looking up information for the both the tutorial questions and the section on how to generate term symbols.