Course Catalog

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to basics robotics, autonomous systems design, planning, and control of robot systems. This will be a project-based experience which will include an overview and introduction of robotics in practice with topics including vision, motion planning, computation, mobile mechanisms, kinematics, sensors and feedback.

This course is intended to provide engineering physics students an opportunity to explore elements of research and development through the completion of hands-on electronics projects. Students will engage the engineering design process through problem identification, system design and construction, calibration and testing, and effective communication of results. The primary focus of the course will be on the design and creation of data acquisition and control systems using a variety of electronic sensors (resistive, photoelectric, electromechanical, inductive, capacitive), signal conditioning electronics, and computer interfacing, leading to the development of integrated measurement and control systems.

A treatment of applied Newtonian mechanics focusing on rigid body mechanics, viscous forces, vibrations, noninertial reference frames, system dynamics, Lagrangian mechanics, and computational solutions to real problems. Prerequisites: PHYS 122; MATH 130 or MATH 131.

An introductory course in analog and digital electronics with an emphasis on the analysis, design, construction, and evaluation of working electronic devices. Topics include DC circuit analysis techniques (Ohm’s Law, Kirchhoff’s Laws, Mesh & Nodal Analysis, Thevenin & Norton equivalent circuits, and Superposition). Time-dependent (RC, RL) circuits. AC circuits (sinusoidal analysis, complex variables, phasors). Resonant circuits, transformers, and filters. Diode circuits (voltage limiters, rectifiers). Transistor (BJT, FET) circuits and switching. Analysis and design of operational amplifier circuits. Introduction to digital logic and Boolean algebra. Design, construction, and evaluation of digital logic circuits, prototyping, and testing. Lectures and one laboratory period per week. Prerequisites: ENGR 152 or PHYS 122, and MATH 132. Fall semester, alternate years.

An advanced course in the design and construction of automated sensory, control, and data acquisition systems. Students will participate in several multi-week projects in collaboration with their physics colleagues, requiring strong coordination, clear communications, and a firm understanding of experimental methods, uncertainty analysis, and experimental design in order to design and construct working experimental apparatus. Students will gain experience with the tools and practices associated with the development of automated systems, including the design and fabrication of parts and assemblies, construction and testing of systems, creation of assembly drawings, oral presentation of results, and the writing of user’s manuals. Students will also gain valuable experience in leadership, scheduling, budgeting, procurement, and overall project management. Three lectures and one laboratory period per week. Prerequisites: PHYS 225, MATH 132. Spring semester, alternate years.

An intermediate treatment focusing on the first and second laws of thermodynamics, thermodynamic properties of pure substances, applications of thermodynamic systems operating in steady state and transient processes including one and two-dimensional steady state heat conduction, transient heat conduction and computational methods in energy transfer.

An introduction to the current fields of optics, lasers, and their applications. The foundations of modern optics will be laid, including the electromagnetic and quantum mechanical theory of light, geometric and wave optics, instrumentation, polarization, lasers, and modern optical components. Emphasis will be placed on the design and implementation of complex optical systems, including microscopy methods and precision measurements. Prerequisite: PHYS 241.

An advanced treatment of the principles and methods of quantum mechanics related to engineering applications. Topics include the Schrodinger equation, the harmonic oscillator, the hydrogen atom, quantum statistics, and applications of quantum mechanics to solid state physics, nanoscale material structures, electronics, optoelectronics, and other modern engineering technologies. Co-requisite: MATH 210/310. Spring semester, alternate years.

Appropriate work experiences with businesses, governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, or schools may be undertaken for course credit, when directly related to the educational goals of the student. The work done or a description of the field experience is not sufficient for academic credit; there must also be evidence of reflective analysis and interpretation of the experience which relates it to the basic theory in related areas. This course will allow students pursuing Physics, Engineering and Robotics to complete internships for credit while also developing career readiness skills. Instructor permission is required.