College of Sciences

Physics Department
Undergraduate program in physics
B.Sc. in General Physics
1424 H (2003 G)

TABLE OF CONTENT

1 INTRODUCTION______________________________________________________________________________________________________________2
1. 1 KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM & MINERALS_____________________________________________________________________________2
1. 2 THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS____________________________________________________________________________________________________2
1. 3 OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT________________________________________________________________________________________________2
1. 4 MAJORING IN PHYSICS____________________________________________________________________________________________________________2
1. 5 WHO BECOMES A PHYSICIST?______________________________________________________________________________________________________3
1. 6 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES___________________________________________________________________________________________________3
1. 7 TEACHING PHYSICS AT KFUPM____________________________________________________________________________________________________3

2 DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES_____________________________________________________________________________________________________3
3 COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR B.S. DEGREE IN PHYSICS_________________________________________________________________________4
3. 1 B.S. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS______________________________________________________________________________________________________4
3. 2 PHYSICS CURRICULUM____________________________________________________________________________________________________________5
3. 3 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS___________________________________________________________________________________________________________6

4 DEPARTMENT FACILITIES____________________________________________________________________________________________________12
4. 1 TEACHING FACILITIES___________________________________________________________________________________________________________12
4. 1. 1 THE GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORIES________________________________________________________________________________________________12
4. 1. 2 THE COMPUTER AIDED LEARNING (CAL) LABORATORY_________________________________________________________________________________12
4. 1. 3 SMART CLASS ROOM___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________12
4. 1. 4 THE PHYSICS EXHIBITION ROOM_______________________________________________________________________________________________________13
4. 1. 5 COMPUTER ROOM______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________13

4. 2 RESEARCH FACILITIES___________________________________________________________________________________________________________13
4. 2. 1 THE SURFACE SCIENCE LABORATORY__________________________________________________________________________________________________13
4. 2. 2 THE SUPERCONDUCTIVITY LABORATORY_______________________________________________________________________________________________13
4. 2. 3 THE RADIATION PHYSICS LABORATORY________________________________________________________________________________________________13

4. 3 OTHER FACILITIES_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________13
4. 3. 1 THE ELECTRONIC WORKSHOP__________________________________________________________________________________________________________13
4. 3. 2 THE CRYOGENIC WORKSHOP___________________________________________________________________________________________________________14
4. 3. 3 THE MACHINE SHOP____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________14

5 FACULTY____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________14

INTRODUCTION

1.1

KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM & MINERALS

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, is one of the oldest technical universities in the Kingdom. The
setting for the university is a limestone JABAL on the Dhahran oil-bearing formation where oil was first discovered. The University overlooks the Arabian Gulf
from a height of 30 m above sea level, blending beautifully with the rugged landscape. The architecture of the University is unique in that it combines modern
building techniques with distinctive Islamic features.
The University has been in existence since 1963 and has a special responsibility to the Kingdom for setting high academic standards in the development of
science and engineering and for providing trained manpower to make the best use of the Kingdom's resources.
The University with its common goal of excellence covering all departments is held in high regard by other universities inside and outside the Kingdom.
Great care is taken to ensure that only high quality students are accepted and that highly qualified faculty are employed. The material taught is continuously
reviewed and kept fully up-to-date.
Advancement in the fields of science and engineering is taking place at a very rapid rate. To keep pace with this development both the graduate and
undergraduate programs are designed to cover a wide range of disciplines including; the preparatory year; science; applied engineering; engineering science;
industrial management; environmental design; computer science and computer engineering.

1.2

THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

One of the great needs in Saudi Arabia today is for scientists with a deep insight into the laws of nature to work in areas of fundamental and applied research, thus
creating an intellectual foundation upon which further technological advancements can be achieved. The Department of Physics was established in recognition of
this need. Being one of the first departments to be established at the University, it is today one of the largest with 40 faculty members (6 professors, 10 associate
professors, 15 assistant professors and 9 lecturers), 1 graduate assistant, 3 research assistants, 14 supporting staff members, 28 students and 6 graduate students.

1.3

OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT

The objectives of the Department are extensive and include educational and research programs of internationally recognized standards, designed to prepare
students for scientific positions in or out of academia. Services are being offered by the department both locally and nationwide. Locally, the department teaches
general physics to all students including those in the College of Industrial Management and the College of Environmental Design. In addition, the department
offers short courses for high school teachers, industry and hospital personnel, etc. The department also supplies other institutions with liquid Nitrogen and Helium
produced in its cryogenic facility.

1.4

MAJORING IN PHYSICS

In physics the subjects are studied from the point of view of understanding the underlying concept rather than just purely applying them, as is the case in
engineering disciplines. Physicists, therefore, receive a much broader training in the fundamentals of science.
Each program at KFUPM is a blend of basic and specialized topics. The physics program is no exception. This is in line with the world-wide trend. Since the
invention of computers in the fifties and the newly emerging nuclear industry in the sixties, universities over the world have introduced specialized programs to
prepare physicists to move into these newly emerging fields.
The department of physics at KFUPM now offers physics graduates the opportunity to specialize in various fields such as Nuclear Physics, Elementary Particles,
Lasers and Condensed Matter, and Medical Physics. Students, who do not wish to specialize in physics but, instead, pursue a career in teaching or move into
related field such as engineering or computer science, are given a solid background in all main areas. However, if s student has an inborn desire to study the pure
sciences, he will have the opportunity to develop his major. Once he graduates, he will realize that there are many and diverse opportunities for him to use his
unique talents at the frontiers of the industrial and academic world.

1.5

WHO BECOMES A PHYSICIST?

The person who studies and practices physics must be interested in the physical world around him. He must have an inquiring mind and must always ask
questions and try to find answers to them. Why is glass transparent? What are the unifying laws of the universe? How are TV pictures transmitted across the
continents? The study of physics enables one to answer these and other fundamental questions.
A physicist therefore needs the broadest possible training as his field overlaps with those of mathematicians, chemists, engineers, and so on, and the reward is
great! Besides the satisfaction of finding answers to fundamental questions, his training, which is the most versatile of all branches of science, gives enormous
opportunities for a wide variety of employment.

1.6

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Most technological advances and inventions ranging from the steam engine to the fastest computer are based on physics. One of the basic things a physicist learns
is the scientific approach to problem-solving, namely, identifying a problem, analyzing it, and finally, developing ways of solving it. This makes it easy for a
physicist to fit in many fields, outside his specialty and be involved in most aspects of technological development.

As we look to the future in Saudi Arabia, there are clearly technical manpower needs that are being planned for. However, there are many needs that cannot be
foreseen and for those needs physicists will be needed. The physics major has been and will be the safety valve in the technological manpower needs of the
Kingdom, as in all technologically advanced nations. However there is no need for every student to become a physicist but those scientifically gifted students
who opt for careers in physics need to have their special talents developed fully so that they can make a maximum contribution to the scientific, academic and
industrial growth of the country. Graduates of the KFUPM Physics Department are employed in research, teaching, computer programming and design. One finds
KFUPM Physics students graduates working for firms such as ARAMCO, the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization, King Abdulaziz City for Science and
Technology, the Chemical Industry, the Royal Saudi Forces, and many other private businesses. In addition, many of our students receive government
scholarships and pursue graduate studies at universities abroad.

1.7

TEACHING PHYSICS AT KFUPM

Introductory physics courses are required for all KFUPM Students. These are conducted in both large and small lecture formats.
In upper level courses students enjoy the atmosphere of small classes, where a closer working relationship is established between students and instructors.
Lectures are supplemented by tutorial sessions, class notes, and worked examples. Text books are constantly reviewed for the quality of their contents and
educational approach, and are replaced as more current material becomes available.
Most of the Laboratory experiments and procedures are designed by our faculty. Audiovisual facilities and films from the Physical Science Study Committee and
other sources are available for demonstrating concepts prior to laboratory experiments.
Examinations are given during each course. These and other assignments are graded, corrected, and returned promptly, keeping faculty members continually
aware of the performance and progress of each student. In addition, the faculty allocates office time for the sole purpose of consultation with students and are
happy to advise and counsel students whenever the need arises.
Another safeguard to success is the advisor system. Each student is assigned an advisor who is in touch with and aware of his progress, taking a personal interest
in his course of study.

DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES

Department faculty members are involved in various extra curricula activities such as holding exhibitions, giving public lectures, preparing posters related to their
area of research such as Medical Physics, surface science, or Superconductivity. Other activities include sky seeing, visits to high schools to deliver lectures as
well as receiving visits of students from different high schools in the area. The department holds weekly formal seminars as well as weekly informal gathering in
which various topics in Physics, Math or any other topics related to education are discussed. The department also holds, every semester, a party to honor those
students who scored A+ in Physics 101 and/or Physics 102.
Some faculty members are involved in the high school gifted students program that KFUPM hosts every summer. Other members are involved in delivering short
courses to male as well as female high school Physics teachers. The short courses were well received by the participants.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR B.S. DEGREE IN PHYSICS

3.1

B.S. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Every student majoring in Physics must complete the following curriculum:

i)

General Education Courses (61 credit hours)

ii)

Core Courses (33 credit hours)

iii)

Physics Elective Courses (12 credit hours)

iv)

Mathematics Electives (6 credit hours)

v)

Free Electives ( 9 credit hours)

Each student is expected to take 9 credit hours of free electives where at least 6 credit hours should be from outside his program.
vi)

Summer Training (2 credit hours)

vii)

Total Requirements (123 credit hours)

Students are required to spend eight weeks in summer working in industry prior to the term in which they expect to graduate. They will be required to write a
report and present it in a seminar at the Department.
Each student must take a total of 12 credit hours from the following physics elective courses:
The total required credits for the B.Sc. degree in Physics are 123 semester-credit-hours.
Subject

Courses

Credit Hours

Classical Mechanics II

PHYS 302

Laser Molecular Spectroscopy

PHYS 307

Astrophysics

PHYS 315

Physics of Nuclear Reactors

PHYS 323

Radiation & Health Physics

PHYS 353

Introduction to Medical Physics

PHYS 365

Methods of Theoretical Physics

PHYS 371

Intro. to Computational Physics

PHYS 373

Selected Experiments in Physics

PHYS 404

Advanced Optics

PHYS 411

Physics of Lasers

PHYS 412

Cosmology and the Early Universe

PHYS 416

Nuclear & Particle Physics

PHYS 422

Introduction to Solid State Physics

PHYS 432

Introduction to the Physics of Surface

PHYS 434

Superconductivity

PHYS 435

Particle Physics

PHYS 441

Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

PHYS 442

Introduction to Plasma Physics

PHYS 461

Selected Topics in Physics

PHYS 493

Guided Studies

PHYS 495

3.2
COURSE

PHYSICS CURRICULUM
TITLE

LT LB CR

COURSE

TITLE

LT LB

CR

First Year (Preparatory)

ENGL

001

Preparatory English I

15

ENGL 002 002

Preparatory English II

MATH

001

Preparatory Math I

MATH 002 002

001 001

Preparatory Shop I

ME 002

Prep Physical Education I

PE 002

18

10

14

ME
PE

001

15

Preparatory Math II

002

Preparatory Shop II

002

Prep Physical Educ II

18

10

14

Total credits required in Preparatory Program: 28

Second Year (Freshman)

CHEM

101

General Chemistry I

CHEM 102 102

General Chemistry II

ENGL

101

English Composition I

ENGL 102 102

English Composition II

IAS

111

Belief & Its Consequences

MATH 102 102

Calculus II

MATH

101

Calculus I

PE 102

Physical Education II

PE

101

Physical Education I

PHYS 102 102

General Physics II

PHYS

101

General Physics I

____________

15

18

13

16

Ethics in Islam

102

Third Year (Sophomore)

ENGL

214

Tech. Rep. Writing

IAS 211

211

IAS

101

Practical Grammar

MATH 202 202

Elementary Diff. Eqn.

MATH

201

Calculus III

MATH xxx xxx

(Math Elective I)

PHYS

211

Optics

PHYS 212 212

Modern Physics

ICS

101

Computer Program

xxx xxx

(Free Elec. I)

12

14

14

15

Shareah: Objectives & Sys.

xxx

Fourth Year (Junior)

IAS

201

Arabic Writing

GS

xxx

Social & Behavioral Sci.

IAS 311

PHYS

301

Classical Mechanics I

PHYS 304 304

Experimental Physics II

PHYS

303

Experimental Physics I

PHYS 306 306

Electricity & Magnetism II

MATH

xxx

(Math Elective II)

xxx

(Free Elective II)

PHYS

305

Electricity & Magnetism I

PHYS 401 401

Quantum Mech. & Appl. I

16

17

311

xxx

12

13

PHYS 399

Summer Training

Fifth Year (Senior)

IAS

301

Styles of Literature

PHYS

402

Quantum Mech. & Appl. II

IAS 4xx

PHYS

403

Senior Physics Lab

PHYS

xxx

(Physics Elective I)

Physics Seminar

Thermal & Statistical Phys.

PHYS

409

PHYS

430

(Islamic Studies Elective)

PHYS xxx xxx

(Physics Elective II)

PHYS 4xx 4xx

(Physics Elective III)

PHYS 4xx 4xx

(Physics Elective IV)

(Free Elective III)

12

14

14

14

xxx

4xx

xxx

Total credits required in Degree Program: 123

3.3

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

PHYS 101 General Physics I

(3-3-4)

First course of calculus-based, general physics sequence. Particle kinematics and dynamics; conservation of energy and linear momentum;
rotational kinematics; rigid body dynamics; conservation of angular momentum; simple harmonic motion; gravitation; the statics and
dynamics of fluids.
Corequisite: MATH 101

PHYS 102 General Physics II

(3-3-4)

A continuation of PHYS 101. Wave motion and sound; temperature, first and second law of thermodynamics; kinetic theory of gases;
Coulombs law; the electric field; Gauss law; electric potential; capacitors and dielectrics; D.C. circuits; the magnetic field; Amperes and
Faradays laws.
Prerequisite:

PHYS 101

Co-requisite:

MATH 102

PHYS 133 Principles of Physics

(3-3-4)

This is a non-calculus based physics course. Particle kinematics and dynamics, work, energy, and power. Kinetic theory of gases.
Temperature, first and second laws of thermodynamics. Heat transfer. Wave motion and sound. Electricity and magnetism. Light and
optics.
Prerequisite: None

PHYS 201 General Physics III

(3-3-4)

A continuation of PHYS 101 and 102. Inductance; magnetic properties of matter, electromagnetic oscillations and waves; geometrical and
physical optics. Relativity, introduction to quantum physics, atomic and molecular physics, nuclear physics, particle physics and
cosmology.
Prerequisite: PHYS 102, MATH 102
For non-Physics Majors

PHYS 203 Electrical and Magnetic Properties of Materials

(3-0-3)

Concepts of Modern Physics: photons, electronic structure of isolated atoms; atoms bonding, crystal structure, energy bands in solids,
insulators, semiconductors and conductors; electrons and holes in semiconductors, drift and diffusion, mobility, recombination and
lifetime, conductivity; PN junctions, I (V) characteristic, applications; photo detectors, Light emitting diodes, Solar-cell, Bipolar transistor,
MOSFET and JFET, Lasers, Magnetic Properties, Use of computer to simulate the effect of various physical properties of semiconductors
on the I (V) characteristics of devices.
Prerequisite: PHYS 102

PHYS 211 Optics

(2-3-3)

An introductory course in Geometrical and Physical Optics. Nature and propagation of light; image formation-paraxial approximation;
optical instruments; superposition of waves; standing waves beats; Fourier analysis of harmonic periodic waves and wavepackets; twobeam and multiple-beam interference; polarization; Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction; holography; lasers.
Prerequisite:

PHYS 102

PHYS 212 Modern Physics

(3-3-4)

Special relativity; quantum mechanics: the particle and wave aspects of matter; quantum mechanics in one and three dimensions, quantum
theory of the hydrogen atom; atomic physics; statistical physics; selected topics in solid state physics; nuclear physics.
Prerequisite: PHYS 102
Not open for credit to students who have taken PHYS 201.

PHYS 215 Introduction to Astronomy

(3-0-3)

Celestial mechanics; the solar system; stellar measurement; stellar magnitudes and spectra; galaxies; cosmology.
Prerequisite: PHYS 102
PHYS 261 Energy

(3-0-3)

A survey of energy sources and resources; a quantitative evaluation of energy technologies; the production, transportation, and
consumption of energy. Nuclear energy; fossil fuels; solar energy; wind energy; hydropower; geothermal energy; MHD; energy storage
and distribution; automotive transportation.
Prerequisite: PHYS 102

PHYS 271 Introduction to Special Relativity

(3-0-3)

Properties of space-time; the Lorentz transformation; paradoxes; four vector formulations of mechanics and electromagnetism.
Prerequisites: PHYS 102
PHYS 301 Classical Mechanics I

(3-0-3)

Newtons laws of motion and conservation theorems, oscillations; non-linear oscillations and chaos; Computational study of forced
oscillatory motion and nonlinear motion gravitation; Hamiltons variational principle Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Dynamics; Central
force; Motion in a non-inertial reference frame.
Prerequisite:

MATH 202, PHYS 101

PHYS 302 Classical Mechanics II

(3-0-3)

Planetary Motion; dynamics of a system of particles; motion in a non-inertial reference frames; dynamics of rigid bodies; coupled
oscillations; continuous systems; special theory of relativity; Computational study of coupled oscillatory motion and Eulers equations.
Prerequisite: PHYS 301
PHYS 303 Experimental Physics I

(2-3-3)

An introductory course in electronics and the methods of experimental physics. The physics of semi-conductors; junction transistor;
amplifiers; feedback circuits; oscillators; nonlinear devices; digital electronics; digital logic; counters and registers; analog-to-digital
converters.
Prerequisite: PHYS 212 or PHYS 201

PHYS 304 Experimental Physics II

(1-3-2)

Methods of experimental physics. Analysis of experimental data. Relationship between theory and experiment. Curve fitting processes;
fundamental of the theory of statistics; evaluation of experimental data; estimation of errors: Selected experiments in physics will be
performed in conjunction with lecture material.
Prerequisite: PHYS 303

PHYS 305 Electricity and Magnetism I

(3-0-3)

Introduction to classical electromagnetic theory based on vector calculus. Electrostatics; Laplace and Poissons equations; Dielectric media
and magnetostatics fields in matter; Computer will be used to solve electromagnetic problems.
Prerequisite:

PHYS 102 and MATH 202

PHYS 306 Electricity and Magnetism II

(3-0-3)

A continuation of Physics 305. Electrodynamics; Electromagnetic waves; Electromagnetic radiation and relativity.
Prerequisite:

PHYS 305

PHYS 307 Laser Molecular Spectroscopy

(3-0-3)

Introduction to lasers; laser in time-resolved and in frequency-resolved spectroscopy; basic elements of spectroscopy; rotational,
vibrational, and electronic spectroscopy.
Prerequisite:

PHYS 212 or PHYS 201

PHYS 315 Astrophysics

(3-0-3)

Basic methods for obtaining information about stars: stellar positions, size, luminosity, spectra. Methods for deducing stellar parameters
from those observations. Newtonian gravitation, spectral analysis, Doppler shift, interaction of matter and radiation. Modeling the
structure of stars. Pulsating stars, novae and supernovae. Collapsed stars (white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes). Stellar systems and
clusters, Galaxies, systems of galaxies, filament and voids.
Prerequisite: PHYS 212 or PHYS 201

PHYS 323 Physics of Nuclear Reactors

(3-0-3)

Nuclear reactions and fission; the multiplication factor and nuclear reactor criticality; homogeneous and heterogeneous reactors; the onespeed diffusion theory; reactor kinetics; multi group diffusion theory; Computer will be used in simple criticality calculations and reactor
kinetics.
Prerequisite: PHYS 212 or PHYS 201, MATH 202
PHYS 353 Radiation and Health Physics (3-3-4)
Properties of ionizing radiation; interaction of radiation with matter, detection methods, dosimetry, biological effects of radiation, external
and internal radiation protection.
Prerequisite: PHYS 212 or PHYS 201

PHYS 365 Introduction to Medical Physics

(3-0-3)

Biomechanics; sound and hearing; pressure and motion of fluids; heat and temperature; electricity and magnetism in the body; optics and
the eye; biological effects of light; use of ionizing radiation in diagnosis and therapy; radiation safety, medical instrumentation.
Prerequisite: PHYS 201 or PHYS 212

PHYS 371 Methods of Theoretical Physics

(3-0-3)

Functions of a complex variable; contour integration; partial differential equations; special functions; numerical techniques.
Prerequisite: MATH 202
Not open for credit to students who have taken MATH 301.

PHYS 373 Introduction to Computational Physics

(2-3-3)

Computer simulation of physical systems. Simulation techniques; programming methods; comparison of ideal and realistic systems;
limitations of physical theory; behavior of physical systems.
Prerequisites:

PHYS 212 or PHYS 201, ICS 101

Not open for credit to students who have taken MATH 321 or SE 301.

PHYS 399 Summer Training

(0-0-2)

Students are required to spend eight weeks in summer working in industry prior to the term in which they expect to graduate. They will be
required to write a report and present it in a seminar at the Department.
Prerequisite: ENGL 214, Junior Standing and approval of the department.
PHYS 401 Quantum Mechanics and Applications I

(3-0-3)

This course deals with the fundamentals of non-relativistic quantum mechanics. Failures of classical physics in describing
microscopic phenomena. Mathematical tools and basic postulates of Quantum Mechanics. Matrix formulation of Quantum Mechanics. The
Schrodinger equation and its application to various one-dimensional systems. Orbital angular momentum. Applications of Quantum
Mechanics to the study of three-dimensional systems. Wavefunctions for some of the above systems and related expectation values
obtained via computer packages.
Prerequisite: MATH 202, PHYS 301

PHYS 402 Quantum Mechanics and Application II

(3-0-3)

This course is a continuation of Physics 401. Addition of angular momenta. Time-independent perturbation theory. The variational method
and its applications. Schrodinger, Heisenberg and Interaction pictures. Time-dependent perturbation theory. Scattering Theory. Identical
particle systems. Approximate solutions of several Schrodinger equations obtained via computer packages.
Prerequisite: PHYS 401
PHYS 403 Senior Physics Laboratory

(0-6-2)

A number of experiments selected both for their importance in the historical development physics and their educational value in presenting
the techniques used in experimental physics correlation of the experimental work with theory are stressed.
Prerequisites: PHYS 304

PHYS 404 Physics Project Laboratory

(0-6-2)

A laboratory course, which offers an opportunity for students to carry out experimental projects, based on their special interests and ideas
to study physical phenomena. Faculty help students determine the feasibility of proposed projects.
Prerequisites:: PHYS 403

PHYS 409 Physics Seminar

(1-0-1)

Students are given the opportunity to present and attend lectures on topics of current research interest.
Prerequisites: Senior standing

PHYS 411 Advanced Optics

(3-0-3)

Fourier transforms and applications, theory of coherence, interference spectroscopy, auto correlation function, fluctuations, optical transfer
functions, diffraction and Gaussian beams, Kirchhoff diffraction theory, theory of image formation, spatial filtering, aberrations in optical
images, interaction of light with matter, crystal optics, nonlinear optics, lasers.
Prerequisites: PHYS 306

PHYS 412 Physics of Lasers

(3-0-3)

Stimulated emission and coherence; population inversion; Gaussian beam propagation; optical resonators and cavity modes; stability
criteria; unstable resonators; phase conjugate resonators; oscillation threshold and gain; line broadening; gain saturation; density matrix
formulation and semi-classical theory of lasers; lasers without inversion; Q-switching, mode-locking and pulse compression.
Prerequisite: PHYS 306 or Consent of the Instructor
PHYS 416 Cosmology and the Early Universe

(3-0-3)

Distance scale of the universe. Hubble expansion and modeling by non-Euclidean spaces. The steady state models: Einstein, De Sitter,
Lemaitre. Continuous creation models: Bondi, Hoyle-Harlikar. The relativistic evolution equation and Friedmanns expanding models.
Cosmology and nucleosynthesis. Gamows big bang model. Phase transitions and the thermal history of the universe. Problems of the
standard model of cosmology: horizons and structure formation. Solution by inflationary models using grand unified field theories, their
problems and the revised inflationary scenarios.
Prerequisite: PHYS 212 or PHYS 201, Math 202

PHYS 422 Nuclear and Particle Physics

(3-0-3)

Study of Nuclear and Particle Physics with the help of Quantum Mechanics. Nuclear properties, forces between nucleons, nuclear models,
radioactive decays and detectors, nuclear reactions, accelerators. Fundamental particles, forces, the subnuclear zoo. Two-body bound and
scattering problems, nuclear forces, models, etc. studied both analytically and via computer packages.
Prerequisite: PHYS 401

PHYS 430 Thermal and Statistical Physics

(4-0-4)

Statistical physics, developing both thermodynamics and statistical mechanics simultaneously. Concepts of

temperature, laws of

thermodynamics, entropy, thermodynamic relations, free energy. Applications to phase equilibrium, multicomponent systems, chemical
reactions, and thermodynamic cycles. Application of statistical mechanics to physical systems; introduction to treatment of MaxwellBoltzmann, Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac statistics with applications. Computational aspects of free-energy entropy magnetization for
various classical and quantum distributions.
Prerequisite: PHYS 401

PHYS 432 Introduction to Solid State Physics

(3-0-3)

Introductory concepts in crystal diffraction and the reciprocal lattice. Crystal bonding; lattice vibrations; thermal properties of insulators;
free electron theory of metals; band theory; semiconductors, introduction to superconductivity. Simple band structure calculations using
computer software packages.
Prerequisite: PHYS 401

PHYS 434 Introduction to the Physics of Surface

(3-0-3)

A course may be offered in conjunction with current research at the Surface Science Laboratory. Preparation of clean surfaces;
experimental methods such as XPS, UPS, Auger, and LEED; thin films; surface states; temperature effects.
Co-requisite: PHYS 432

PHYS 435 Superconductivity

(3-0-3)

Experiment and phenomenology, the two fluid model. Perfect conductance and electrodynamics of superconductors. Thermodynamics of
the phase transition, type I and type II superconductors. Ginzburg Landau phenomenological theory of type II superconductors: coherence
length, vortices, Abrikosov vortex lattice, critical fields and vortex flow dynamics. The microscopic theory of BCS and the concept of
electron pairing. High Tc superconductivity.
Prerequisite: PHYS 401
PHYS 441 Particle Physics

(3-0-3)

Accelerators and detectors; the subnuclear zoo; symmetries and conservation laws; the quark model; the gauge principle.
Prerequisite: PHYS 401

PHYS 442 Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

(3-0-3)

Relativistic spin zero particle; the Klein-Gordon equation; relativistic spin one-half particles; the Dirac equation; propagation theory.
Corequisite: PHYS 402

PHYS 461 Introduction to Plasma Physics

(3-0-3)

An introduction to plasma Physics: Single-particle motions; plasmas vs fluids; waves in plasmas; diffusion and resistivity; equilibrium and
stability; a simple introduction to kinetic theory; nonlinear effects; controlled fusion.
Prerequisite: PHYS 306

PHYS 493 Selected Topics in Physics

(1-3 credits)

Selected topics of special interest to students. This course may be repeated for credit as an investigation in depth of a single topic or as a
survey of several topics.
Prerequisite: consent of the instructor

PHYS 495 Guided Studies

(1-0-1)

Guided reading and reporting on special topics by individual students under the guidance of faculty members.
Prerequisite: consent of the instructor.

DEPARTMENT FACILITIES
Teaching facilities
4.1
The General Physics Laboratories
4.1.1

There are four permanent rooms for conducting laboratory experiments in the Physics 101 course and four other rooms for the Physics 102
course. The Phys 101 Labs are equipped with 10 experiments spanning all fields of mechanics. The Phys 102 labs are also equipped with
10 experiments covering the subjects of waves, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism. There are generally 4 running labs every day
with 20 to 22 students per section in each course. In each lab there are 8 setups per experiment. The experiments are under continuous
review for improvement.

4.1.2

The Computer Aided Learning (CAL) Laboratory

10

The Physics CAL Lab is located in Building 6, Room 204. There are 24 computers in the CAL Lab. This lab is designed for learning tasks.
For example each section of students in Physics 101 or/and Physics 102 will visit this lab at least once per semester. In that visit, students
will practice some application skills like plotting a data graph, linear regression, advanced spreadsheet skills and practice some of the
Physics Software related to the material covered in the lecture. In addition, some Physics Short Workshops can be arranged in that
laboratory.

4.1.3

Smart Class Room

The Smart Class Room is located in Building 6, Room 125 auditorium. Instructors can use all the features of the Smart Class Room. Using
a dedicated computer, instructors can present many animations to the students which are related to the lecture, or use a DVD player in case
the instructor has a scientific movie for teaching purposes, or use the S-Visualizer if the instructor would like to show some figures, graphs
and use the Smart Board, when he needs to write something, and then save it in electronic format.

4.1.4

The Physics Exhibition Room

This is room 173-2 in the Physics department. The idea behind having a "Physics Exhibition Room" is to have, on continuous display, a set
of simple but at the same time interesting demonstrations, useful for both teaching and educational purposes.
The Department instructors, especially those who are teaching general physics, i.e., PHYS101 and PHYS102, can borrow demos from this
Room in order to explain more clearly certain difficult concepts, especially when the students need to see something or experience it on
their own. It also provides the visitors of the Department (high school students, University preparatory year students, etc) with a small
exhibit that is meant to arouse their curiosity about Nature and the Universe.
Currently, the number of displayed demos is around 15. However, the Department is striving to update the content of the Room and has,
recently, ordered some 20 new demos covering almost all branches of physics. These new acquisitions are expected to arrive soon.

4.1.5

Computer Room

The Computer Room is located in Building 6, Room 173-2. There are eight (8) computers in this lab. This room is available for
undergraduate as well as graduate students/Research Assistant (RA) students. These students can do their work electronically, and use the
Network Resources, Intranet, Internet, etc...

Research facilities
4.2
The Surface Science Laboratory
4.2.1
The surface science laboratory is equipped with a versatile surface analysis equipment, the ESCA MKII from Vacuum Generator (VG)
company. The equipment has the following capabilities: X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES),
UV Photoelectron Spectroscopy (UPS), Depth profiling using Ion Gun, Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED). The system is used for
various research projects related to surface Physics. The surface science lab has also a DC magnetron sputtering system for thin films
synthesis and characterization.

4.2.2

The Superconductivity Laboratory

The superconductivity laboratory has a computer controlled vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) with a magnetic field range of 0-9
Tesla and a temperature range of 2300 K. There is also an apparatus for electrical transport measurements and a sample preparation
facility.

4.2.3

The Radiation Physics Laboratory

The Radiation Physics Laboratory houses the following research facilities: Active Radon Measurement System (Radon gas analyzer type
Alpha Guard), Nuclear Track Detection System (Chemical Etching and Optical Microscope with Image Analyzing System), Passive Radon
Radiometer, Gamma Ray Spectroscopic System, and a PGNAA Setup using a Nuclear Accelerator.

Other facilities
4.3
The electronic Workshop
4.3.1
The electronic equipment in the department is maintained by an experienced electronic engineer who takes care of trouble shooting and
repair.

11

4.3.2

The Cryogenic Workshop

The physics department operates a cryogenics facility, established in 1978, that is the only one of its kinds in the Kingdom. The facility has
a helium liquefier and a nitrogen liquefier and produces high-purity liquid helium and liquid nitrogen. These cryogens are used in various
KFUPM research laboratories and by Saudi ARAMCO for basic and applied research, and by hospitals for cooling equipment such as
NMR. A plan for upgrading this facility is underway.

4.3.3

The Machine Shop

The machine shop is used to manufacture new equipment for experiments for the student laboratories such as Phys 101 and Phys 102. It
has also produced nice simple demonstrations used for teaching purposes. It is also heavily used to get parts made which are urgently
needed for the research equipments.

FACULTY

Chaiman : Al-Shukri, Ali Mohammad

.

Fida F. Al-Adel

Professor
Laser Physics and Spectroscopy
Ph D 1981

1981

University of Paris / Pierre et Marie Curie, France

E-mail: ffadel@kfupm.edu.sa
.

Guldad K Khattak

Professor
Low Temperature Physics
Structural and magnetic properties
of amorphous materials

1978

PhD 1978
Purdue University, USA
E-mail: gkhattak@kfupm.edu.sa
Harry A. Mavromatis

Professor
Theoretical Nuclear Physics
Mathematical Physics

1966

Ph D 1966

Princeton University, USA

E-mail: harrym@kfupm.edu.sa

Hocine Bahlouli

Professor
Condensed Matter Theory and Quantum

1988

Phenomena

Ph D 1988
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, USA
E-mail: bahlouli@kfupm.edu.sa
M. Osama Dabbousi

Ibraheem M. A.

Nasser
Adjunct Professor
Solid State Physics
Ph D 1975

1975

University of California, U S A

12

E-mail: dabbousi@kfupm.edu.sa

1985

Professor
Theoretical Physics
Applied Optics
Ph D 1985
Connecticut University, USA
E-mail: imnasser@kfupm.edu.sa
Mohamed Ibrahim Al-Jarallah
Professor

Radiation Physics

Ph D 1976

1976

Aston University, UK
Khalil A. Ziq
Associate Professor
Superconductivity and Magnetism
Magnetic glasses
Ph D 1989

.


1989

University of Illinois at Chicago, USA

E-mail: kaziq@kfupm.edu.sa
Mahmoud Mohammed Nagadi
Associate Professor
Nuclear Physics
Ph D 1992
Duke University, USA

.


1992

E-mail: mmnagadi@kfupm.edu.sa
Mohamed M Faiz

Associate Professor

Electronic Structure of High-Temperature

Superconductors
Surface Characterization of Catalysts

1992

Ph D 1992
University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
E-mail: mmfaiz@kfupm.edu.sa

13

Mohamed S Abdelmonem
Associate Professor
Theoretical Physics
Theoretical Nuclear Physics &
Scattering Theory

.


1975

Ph D 1975
University of Houston, Texas, USA
E-mail: msmonem@kfupm.edu.sa
Mohammad Al-Nasser
Associate Professor
Nuclear Physics
Ph D 1979
University of California, Los Angeles, USA

.


1979

E-mail: mnasser@kfupm.edu.sa
Mohammad Al-Ohali
Associate Professor

Nuclear Physics

General Astronomy

Ph D 1993
Duke University, USA

1993

E-mail: alohali@kfupm.edu.sa
Muhammad A. Garwan
Associate Professor
Experimental Nuclear Physics
Science Educational technology
Ph. D. 1992

.


1992

University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

E-mail: mgarwan@kfupm.edu.sa
Nabil Maalej

Associate Professor

Medical Physics/Biomedical Engineering

Ph D 1994
University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA

\
1994

E-mail: maalej@kfupm.edu.sa

Nouar Tabet
Associate Professor
Physics of Materials
Thin films , nanomaterials
Electron Spectroscopy and Microscopy
Monte Carlo simulations
Ph D 1988

.



.
1988

University of Orsay, Paris, France

E-mail: natabet@kfupm.edu.sa
Omar S Binbrek

Associate Professor

14

Neutron Diffraction

Surface Physics

Ph D 1975
University of Waterloo, Canada

1975

E-mail: obinbrek@kfupm.edu.sa

Abdelkrim Mekki

Assistant Professor

Materials Science

Structural and magnetic properties

of amorphous materials
Thin films
Surface Science
Ph. D. 1998

1998

University of Warwick, UK
E-mail: akmekki@kfupm.edu.sa

Abdulaziz Al-Haidari
Assistant Professor
Theory of Elementary Particles
Mathematical physics
Elementary particles and fields

.


1987

Ph. D 1987
University of California, Los Angeles, USA
E-mail: haidari@kfupm.edu.sa

Abdul-Aziz Al-Jalal
Assistant Professor
Molecular atomic optical physics/Laser
physics
Plasma based catalysis decoking

.


2001

Ph.D. 2001
MIT, USA
E-mail: aljalal@kfupm.edu.sa

Abdullah A. AlSunaidi

Assistant Professor

Chemical Physics

Ph D 1999
University of Maryland, College Park, USA

1999

E-mail: asunaidi@kfupm.edu.sa

Ali Hassan Al-Ramadhan

Assistant Professor
Nuclear Physics
Ph. D. 1994

.


1994

15

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, U SA

E-mail: alih@kfupm.edu.sa

Ali Mohammad Al-Shukri

Assistant Professor

Astrophysics

Optical Properties of Thin Films

Ph D 1991

1991

Georgia State University, USA

E-mail: alshukri@kfupm.edu.sa

Anan M. Al-Karmi
Assistant Professor
Biophysics / Medical Physics
Ph. D 1993
University of Mississippi, USA

.


1993

E-mail: alkarmi@kfupm.edu.sa

Mohammad F Al-Kuhaili

Assistant Professor

Solid State Physics

Optical properties of solids

Modulation spectroscopy

1999

Ph D 1999
University of Texas at Dallas, USA
E-mail: kuhaili@kfupm.edu.sa

Mohammed A. Al-Solami
Assistant Professor
Nuclear Physics
Ph D 1982
University of South Carolina, USA

.


1982

E-mail: alsolami@kfupm.edu.sa
Mohammed Saber Musazay
Assistant Professor
Nuclear Reactor Physics
Ph D 1981
North Carolina State University, USA
E-mail: smusazay@kfupm.edu.sa

.


1981

Rafat M. Nassar

Assistant Professor

Radiation Physics

Detection of nuclear radiation

1996

Ph D 1996

University of St. Andrews, Scotland, UK

16

E-mail: rnassar@kfupm.edu.sa

Saeed Mohammed Al-Amoudi

Assistant Professor
Non-equilibrium Quantum Field Theory
Ph. D. 1999
University of Pittsburgh, USA

.


1999

E-mail: alamoudi@kfupm.edu.sa
Saleh Ibrahim Al-Quraishi
Assistant Professor

Experimental Nuclear Physics

Low Energy Nuclear Reactions

1997

Ph D 1997

Ohio University, USA

E-mail: salehq@kfupm.edu.sa

Thamer A. AL-Aithan
Assistant Professor
Theoretical Particle Physics
QCD Phenomenology &
String Theory in Four Dimensions

.


1997

Ph. D. 1997
Syracuse University, NY, USA
E-mail: alaithan@kfupm.edu.sa
Zain H. Yamani
Assistant Professor
Solid State Physics and Molecular Physics
Ph D 1999
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA

.


1999

E-mail: zhyamani@kfupm.edu.sa
Ahmed Fathy Salem
Lecturer
Superconductivity
Magnetic properties of High Tc Superconductors
M. Sc 1999

1999

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals,

Saudi Arabia
E-mail: afsaleem@kfupm.edu.sa
Astra Agus Pramana
Lecturer
Material Science and Engineering
Superconductivity
M. Sc 1995

1995

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals,

Saudi Arabia

17

E-mail: agus@kfupm.edu.sa
Ayman Ghannam
Lecturer
Superconductivity; magnetic and
thermodynamic properties
M Sc 1997

1997

The University of Jordan,

Jordan
E-mail: ghannama@kfupm.edu.sa
Fazal-ur-Rehman
Lecturer
Radiation Physics/Health Physics
Radon Dosimetry, Neutron Dosimetry
M. Phil 1999

1999

Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan

E-mail: fazalr@kfupm.edu.sa
Fuad M. Enaya
Lecturer
Superconductivity
Magnetic properties of High Tc Superconductors
M.S 1998

1998

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals,

Saudi Arabia
E-mail: fenaya@kfupm.edu.sa

Khateeb-Ur-Rehman
Lecturer
Nuclear Physics
M. Sc. 1998
King Fahd University of Petroleum and
Minerals, Saudi Arabia

1998

E-mail: khateeb@kfupm.edu.sa
Mogtaba Bakheet Mekki
Lecturer
Application of Parallel Interfacing in Physics
M. Sc. 1999
Sudan University of Science and Technology,

1999

Sudan
E-mail: mogtaba@kfupm.edu.sa
Mohamed Rabigh Khodja
Lecturer
Theoretical High Energy Physics

18

Foundations of quantum physics

M Sc 1998

1998

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals,

Saudi Arabia
E-mail: khodja@kfupm.edu.sa
Mohamed S Kariapper
Lecturer
Surface Physics
Structure determination of adorbates on metal
single crystal surfaces

2001

Ph D 2001
University of Warwick
E-mail: mohamedk@kfupm.edu.sa

19