The Physics Advanced Laboratory (Fortgeschrittenenpraktikum Physik) is anchored in the last two semesters of the standard curriculum of the Bachelor programme (Physics Advanced Laboratory I) and continues during the specialisation phase of the Master programme (Physics Advanced Laboratory II). The students have the opportunity to conduct challenging state-of-the-art experiments in optics, spectroscopy, microscopy or material science.
The goal of the Physics Advanced Laboratory is for students to measure and analyse experimental data, to deal with modern and complex equipments, and to deepen their communication skills, all in an independent manner. Learning in the advanced lab is different from the introductory lab as it is a "troubleshooting" experience closer to what happens in research or industrial laboratories. The experiments may not have a single and well - defined procedure, so the students must use their knowledge and practical experience to find proper solutions to different problems. Furthermore, the advanced lab students are trained to write and present professional scientific reports and conduct meaningful literature searches.
Physics B. Sc.: successfull completion of the modules "Introductory Physics Laboratory I and II" (according to study and examination regulations for the bachelor courses in physics and business physics - March 2017)
Physics M.Sc.: successfull completion of the module "Physics Advanced Laboratory I"
Business Physics and Biophysics M.Sc.: no regulations
Bachelor students: Bachelor students of the former examination regulations (Prüfungsordnung Bachelor Physik before 2015) must complete five experiments (Physics Advanced Laboratory I - 10 CP). Bachelor students of the actual examination regulations (Prüfungsordnung Bachelor Physik 2017) must complete four experiments (Physics Advanced Laboratory I - 8 CP).
Master students: All Master students must complete four experiments (Physics Advanced Laboratory II - 8 CP).
1. Prof. Dr. Othmar Marti
Institute of Experimental Physics
Uni East, N25/5208
2. Dr. Manuel Rodrigues Goncalves
Institute of Experimental Physics
Uni East, N25/5212
manuel.goncalves(at)uni-ulm.de
Martin Müller
Uni East, N25/4213
martin-1.mueller(at)uni-ulm.de
10:00 - 18:00 in winter semester
08:00 to 16:00 in summer semester
Information regarding organizational and safety aspects of the practical course will be given in an introductory meeting on the first Thursday of the semester. The lecture hall will be posted shortly before.
Attendance is mandatory.
Information about registration will be given during the introductory meeting.
In the introductory meeting will be presented guidelines and rules for a safe and efficient working practice in our laboratories. However, much of the safety precautions come down to each individual student as our staff cannot be available at all times for supervision.
Besides attending the mandatory (by law) safety instructions, it is required that the students access several links and learn about the radiation (the radiation protection act, Verordnung über den Schutz vor Schäden durch ionisierende Strahlen) and laser radiation protection (Laserstrahlung).
On each lab day there will be an entrance colloquium. It is expected that the student should thoroughly understand the theory of the experiment, the kind of apparatus needed and the procedure to be followed. To this aim, each student group should contact the advisor at least one week before starting the respective experiment, in order to plan the approach properly and get additional material and information. Two days are allocated to each experiment. After the execution of the experiment, the students have three weeks to handover the lab report to the advisor. Only one correction of the report is allowed.
Useful links provide databases for physical constants and guidelines for measurement uncertainities as well as for the international system of units (SI).
For experiments in the fields of nuclear and x-ray physics, these links provide databases relevant for the atomic properties of different isotopes and for absorption coefficients of materials from NIST.
| Experiment and Instructions | Location | Advisor |
|---|---|---|
| Magneto Optics | N24/4203 | M.R. Goncalves (N25/5212) |
| Optical Tweezers | N25/4206 | P. Schwilling (N25/ 5402) |
| Light Diffraction | N25/1213 | Yan Liu (N25/4104) |
| N25/1217 | P. Balasubramanian (N25/4107) | |
| Holography | N25/1216 | K. Fehler (N25/3121) |
| Non-Linear Optics | N25/4206 | R. Waltrich (N25/3119) |
| Laser Spectroscopy on Rubidium | Uni West/Institute of Quantum Matter | S. Rupp (Uni West 45.2.212) |
| Gamma Spectroscopy | N25/4205 | M.R. Goncalves (N25/5212) |
| Single-Molecule Spectroscopy | Uni East / Institute of Biophysics | T. Weggler (N25/3405) |
| Scanning Tunneling Microscopy | N25/1218 | R. Leiter (SALVE 00.10) |
| Atomic Force Microscopy | N25/1218 | I. Radu (N25/3101) |
| Transmission Electron Microscopy | N25/1214 and N27 | D. Geiger (N27/2077) |
| Hall Effect | Uni West / Institute of Quantum Matter | W. Limmer (Uni West 45.2.308) |
| Differential Scanning Calorimetry | N25/4204 | I. Radu (N25/3101) |
1. Abstract
An abstract is a very short summary of the experiment performed and of your main results.
2. Introduction
Here, briefly explain the general principles of the experiment, describe the tasks of your work and emphasize your main findings.
3. Materials and Methods
The experimental procedure should be written as precisely as possible: describe the essentials but mention the drawbacks and how they were overcome.
4. Results and Discussion
The analysis and interpretation of the data are the most important parts of your report. Include also a comparison between the experimental and theoretical results. All diagrams, graphs, figures, or tables should be labelled and give them numbers.
5. Conclusions
The main goals of the conclusion section are to give a brief summary of the main results, discuss the implications of the comparison between experiment, point out successes and failures, and highlight what you have achieved and how the experiment could be improved.
6. References
References should be listed in the order in which they appear and referred to by placing the reference number in brackets at the appropriate point in the text. If websites were used during the writing of the lab report, include the site name, the full path to the site, and the date accessed.
Clear communication of the results of your own research is essential for your scientific career and professional practice. This review shows you how to write a good scientific report / paper.
