Course Syllabus

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PHYS427 Course Description

Summer 2021

Applications of Physics

Name of the Instructor: Subramanian Ramachandran, PhD

Number of credits: 3

The course will “Discuss the physics and thermodynamics of mechanisms involved in the realization of cryogenic temperatures down to nK. The focus will be on closed cycle refrigerators including pulse tube and Gifford-McMahon refrigerators. Topics to be studied will include dilution refrigeration, and adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration.”

STUDENTS DESIRING TO EARN WRITING CREDITS WILL BE REQUIRED TO WORK ON A SCIENTIFIC PAPER ON A TOPIC THAT IS RELEVANT TO THE COURSE IN CONSULTATION WITH THE INSTRUCTOR.

This course meets the upper division elective requirements in physics.

Pre-requisites:

PHYS 224 and PHYS 225. Please contact the instructor if you have questions at: ramacs@uw.edu

Prescribed text:

Matter and Methods at Low Temperatures 3rd edition, Frank Pobell, Springer Publications.                    

Detailed Syllabus:

PHYS 427 _Applphy_Sum2021_course_syllabus.pdf

              

Weekly Schedule:

Week

Date

Topic

Read

HW

1

6/22

Introduction, Properties of LH2

Pobell 2.2

HW 1 assigned

 

6/24

LH2 and LHe (Quiz 1)

Pobell 2.3

 

2

6/29

LHe (Quiz 2)

Pobell 2.3

 

 

7/1

Discussion of relevant thermal, electrical, and magnetic properties

Pobell 3

Hw 1 due, HW 2 assigned

 3

7/6

Discussion of relevant thermal, electrical and magnetic properties (Quiz 3)

Pobell 3

 

 

7/8

Thermal  Contact and Thermal Isolation; He4 cryostat, He4 cryostat

Pobell  4.1 to 4.3 , 5.2

 

4

7/13

Closed Cycle refrigerators (Quiz 4)

Notes, Pobell 5.3

HW2 due,

HW 3 assigned

 

7/15

Closed Cycle refrigerators

Review; Exam online

Notes

 

 5

7/20

Helium 3 cryostat (Quiz 5)

Pobell 6.1 and 6.2

7/22

3He-4He dilution refrigerator; phase diagram (Quiz 6)

Pobell 7.1-7.3

HW 3 due

HW 4 assigned

6

7/27

3He-4He dilution refrigerator; building blocks

Pobell 7.3, 7.4

 

7/29

Pomeranchuck cooling (Quiz 7)

Pobell 8.1-8.3

HW 4 due

HW 5 assigned

7

8/3

Refrigeration by adiabatic demagnetization of paramagnetic salt (Quiz 8)

Pobell 9.1- 9.4

 

8/5

Adiabatic nuclear demagnetization Review, Exam online

Pobell 10.1-10.3

HW 5 due, HW 6 assigned

8

8/10

Adiabatic nuclear demagnetization – heat load and heat leak (Quiz 9)

 

Pobell 10.4-10.5

 

 

8/12

Nuclear refrigerants, hyperfine enhanced nuclear refrigeration, nuclear demagnetization refrigerator

Pobell 10.6-10.8

HW 6 due, HW 7 assigned

9

8/17

Low temperature thermometry

(Quiz 10)

Pobell 12.1-12.3

 

 

8/19

Review, Exam online

 

HW 7 due

Course Summary:

Date Details Due