Physics
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The Physics department is committed to education and research in physics, the study of the fundamental universal laws that govern the behavior of matter and energy, and the exploration of the consequences and applications of those laws. Our department is widely known for its excellent teaching and student mentoring. Our department plays an important role in the university’s Core Curriculum. We have strong academic programs with several options for undergraduate physics majors, leading to the B.S. degree, as well as graduate curricula leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Our research groups span a variety of fields within physics. Our principal concentrations are in Astrophysics, Relativity, Gravitation and Cosmology, Condensed Matter Physics, Lasers and Optics, Physics Education, Solar Physics, and the Space Science and Engineering Lab.
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Item Comment on “dielectric study of the ferroelectric transition of KH2PO4”(1976-08) Western, Arthur B.; Schmidt, V. HugoWe reanalyze a.c. dielectric data taken by Eberhard and Horn for KH2PO4 near Tc, and obtain a much lower value of the critical bias field, near 300 V/cm in accord with results found by other workers.Item One-dimensional model for cooperative hydrogen motion in ferroelectric crystals(1974-01) Schmidt, V. HugoThe static and dynamic behavior is examined for “Takagi groups” in double-minimum potential wells containing protons (or deuterons) coupled by harmonic forces. Predictions of this model are compared with observed isotope effects on domain wall mobility and dielectric relaxation in KH2PO4. The model predicts effects previously attributed to tunneling.Item Search for tricritical point in KH2PO4 at high pressure. I. Static dielectric behavior near critical point at zero pressure(1977-01) Western, Arthur B.; Baker, A. G.; Pollina, R. J.; Schmidt, V. HugoThe proposed tricritical point in KDP occurs if the critical field, Ecr, can be brought to zero by applying pressure. The Landau equation of state E = A0(T - T0)P + BP3 + CP5 gives straight-line “isopols” in the T-E plane. We obtain values for A0, B and C and thus Ecr by observing such isopols. We find A0 = 4.3 × 10-3; B = -2.35 × 10-11 C = 5.91 × 10-19 cgs esu for the crystal studied at ambient pressure. These values lead to Ecr = 232 V/cm and δPspon (Tc) = 1.82 C/cm2. High pressure results are imminent.Item Tricritical point and tricritical exponent δ in KH2PO4(1978-01) Schmidt, V. Hugo; Western, Arthur B.; Baker, A. G.; Bacon, Charles R.Static dielectric results for a KH2PO4 crystal at pressures of 0, 2, and 2. 4 kbar are analyzed in terms of a Landau free energy expansion using the “isopol” technique. The measured exponent δ at 2. 4 kbar is consistent with the mean-field tricritical value of 5. This result and the Landau parameter values indicate a tricritical point near 2. 4 kbar.Item Hydrostatic optical cell with simple window structure for low temperature and hydrostatic pressure up to 5 kilobars(1978) Yamada, Masayoshi; Schmidt, V. HugoA compact gas high‐pressure cell with four windows for optical studies of phase transitions at low temperature and hydrostaticpressure up to 5 kilobars has been made. Techniques for sealing window components are discussedItem Exact solution in the discrete case for solitons propagating in a chain of harmonically coupled particles lying in double-minimum potential wells(1979-12) Schmidt, V. HugoSolitons of the form xn=x0tanh(ωt−kna) can propagate in a chain of harmonically coupled particles in the discrete case if the potential −1/2Axn^2+1/4Bxn^4 giving such solitions in the continuum limit is suitably modified. This modified potential is expressible in closed form, and its shape is a function of ω and k. For large ω the maximum at xn=0 becomes a minimum, giving a triple-minimum potential. Potential shapes and particle positions are illustrated for various (ω,k) combinations. The total energy and its kinetic, potential, and spring energy constituents are also expressible in closed form. In the continuum limit the total energy has the form E=(m0cS^2)/(1−v^2/cS^2)^1/2, where m0 is the soliton effective mass, v is the soliton speed, and cS is the speed of sound in the mass-spring chain.Item Spin-Lattice Relaxation of Al^{27} in Thulium Aluminum Garnet(1973-05) Trontelj, Z.; Schmidt, V. HugoThe Al27 spin-lattice relaxation time T1 has been measured between 127 and 425 °K at 8 and 14 MHz for the aluminum a and d sites in thulium aluminum garnet. Both sites exhibit T1 dips at 275 °K which are attributed to Al27-Tm169 cross relaxation. Below 190 °K the a-site T1 magnitudes and approximately ω−2 frequency dependence are explained by magnetic field fluctuations caused by the Tm3+ ion making transitions between its two lowest crystal-field levels with a correlation time near 4 × 10−12 sec.Item Tricritical Point in KH_{2} PO_{4}.(1976-11) Schmidt, V. Hugo; Western, Arthur B.; Baker, A. G.Item Pressure-induced tricritical point in the ferroelectric phase transition of KH_{2}PO_{4}(1978-06) Western, Arthur B.; Baker, A. G.; Bacon, Charles R.; Schmidt, V. HugoMeasurement of the net polarization charge of two KH2PO4 crystals as a function of temperature, applied electric field, and hydrostatic pressure indicates the existence of a tricritical point in the (2.3±0.3)-kbar pressure range. This result is based upon static measurements of the polarization response to applied dc field in a 0.5-K neighborhood of the ferroelectric transition at pressures of 0, 1, 2, 2.4, and 3 kbar. Unlike He3- He4 mixtures and some metamagnets, for KH2PO4 the field which gives rise to the "wing" structure of the tricritical point is experimentally available. For each of the five pressures the paraelectric region is well described by the Landau equation of state, E=A0(T−T0)P+BP3+CP5, to within 0.05 K of the transition temperature. The exponent δ derived from our data at 3 kbar is in the crossover region between the critical value of 3 and the tricritical value of 5 predicted by Landau theory. At 2.4 kbar our derived value of δ is consistent with the tricritical value of 5. Analysis of the data along lines of constant polarization, which are here called "isopols," indicates that the transition is first order at 0 and 1 kbar with the critical field decreasing from 183±60 V/cm at 0 kbar to 43±13 V/cm at 1 kbar. At 3 kbar the B coefficient is positive which indicates a second-order transition. This observation of a change in the order of the transition is supported by a change in the behavior of the isothermal dielectric susceptibility which has a maximum for E>0 at 0.5 kbar and at E=0 at 3 kbar.Item Dipolar Relaxation of 7Li by Hindered Rotators NDxH3−x in Lithimn Hydrazinium Sulfate.(1972-04) Parker, Robert S.; Schmidt, V. HugoWhen a hindered rotation does not change the spatial charge distribution but merely permutes the locations of nuclear magnetic moments, the resulting spin-lattice relaxation of a nearby fixed nucleus is likely to be dipolar even if this nucleus has a quadrupole moment. The dipolar relaxation rate is props rtional to the average of γ2I(I + 1) for the rotating nuclei and accordingly varies linearly with percentage of deuteration. For 7Li in LiN2H5SO4 at 14 MHz the peak is 1.8 sec− at 185°K, while in 81% deuterated LiN2D5SO4 it is 4.2 times smaller, as predicted. The ND2 group deuterons also have a peak at this temperature, and all three curves show activation energy of about 0.19 eV, as found previously for protons and deuterons within rotating NH3 and ND3 groups.