theoretical physics bachelor thesis

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Andrea Idini

How to write a thesis in theoretical physics.

Your thesis is like your first love: it will be difficult to forget. In the end, it will represent your first serious and rigorous academic work, and this is no small thing. - U. Eco

A Thesis in theoretical physics

You visited an advisor and got a topic to work on in theoretical physics, congratulations! Now the only thing you are left to do is study; do the research; wrap it up and write it down. As for the Tools of the trade article, this list has a down-to-earth approach on providing a pragmatical look on tools and advice regarding your thesis. As in other articles I will be as general as possible and as specific as needed. I will describe my suggestions for doing a thesis in general -> in physics -> theoretical physics -> theoretical nuclear physics -> and my Lund group in particular. Both at undergraduate, graduate and PhD level.

There are entire libraries, websites, and initiatives dedicated to the craft of writing in general and academic writing in particular. Nice initiatives and tools on general writing are shut up and write , Hemingway App . There is also plenty of material to take inspiration regarding academic writing. Most interestingly, there is a whole 300-pager by Umberto Eco: “How to write a thesis” ( here you can read the review and excerpt). Online you can find the book if you wish but don’t waste precious thesis time (this post is already long more than enough). Keep in mind that Eco’s book was written in the context of Italian humanities where a thesis lasts easily more than a year of pure writing, therefore is more applicable to a PhD’s than an undergraduate’s thesis. Lund University (LU from now on) has its own resources on academic writing. There are courses, workshops and an interesting website .

Learning to have a strong academic writing is a lifelong endavour. It is not possible to master every process at any given stage of your studies. However, following advice and practicing you will become better and more confident on your writing.

Bibliographic Research

Textbook, journals and articles, bibliographic tools, programming, scope, tone, language, following up.

The thesis is the final academic document testifying some work required for the attainment of a degree. There are theses for bachelor, master students, licenciate, and PhD degrees. Theses are used even for some professional or professor habilitation in some countries and circumstances. Therefore, even though topics, length and depth might differ from thesis to thesis, they have always the same primary audiences: the people handing out the degree. In LU the B.Sc. and M.Sc. graduation theses are refereed by one or two external examiners. In our case, they are usually people in mathematical physics, that have experience in many-body systems but not necessary in your method of choice or nuclear physics.

When writing anything, the first thing to keep in mind is the reader. Like your examiners, other people that might read your thesis are knowledgeble of the field, but not of the argument. For example in our case, they will be your students colleagues that might need to pick up your work. That is, prospective physicists but not necessarely with a nuclear or theoretical physics background. You can give for granted that the reader knows what is a Lorentz transformation or quantum state, but you should not abuse field-specific jargon and use it without introduction. Every acronym, method and code must be introduced and referred to with references.

The use of references has to be strategic. Being the thesis an official document for the attainment of degree, it has to “stand on its own feet”. The reader from your target audience has to be able to read comfortably without need of constantly referring to the literature. Of course, you need to use references and literature, especially to provide plenty of examples and material to study in more depth. However, within reason, everything you use for your results needs to be introduced explicitly so that the content and context of your work is clear.

The work done for a thesis in physics is usually a work centered in research, either by critically reviewing previous research results or by developing original research guided by the supervisor. Bachelor and Master theses are 15, 30, or 60 credits, corresponding to 10, 20 or 40 weeks of full time work respectively. The goals are usually set by the supervisor, and the amout of supervision and independence will dependend on the specific project and adjusted according to performance.

Last and probably least, another consequence of being an official document it is that the thesis has often to adhere to some official or unofficial guidelines. Usually concerning length, structure, format and rarely content. For Lund physics department, you can find the guidelines here and here . Here is the checklist for registration of a Physics diploma work in LU. Pay particular attention to the learning outcomes.

The first thing when approaching thesis work, is to understand the scientific background and context to your work. This is done by reading articles and books suggested by the supervisor that are instrumental to the problem. Some articles are worth to read and understand in detail, others to skim to grasp the main concepts and results. Only experience can judge how much to devote to each article and how to read and understand effectively. It is not an exact science but an art that improves with experience.

Your thesis work is the opportunity to delve into the literature and start to gain this experience, picking the brain and experience of an expert supervisor, so make the most of it. Try to read academic literature every day. Read everything that you think is worth to cite and everything you will cite in your work. Read modern developments on journals and the arXiv of your field. It is not uncommon for a thesis work to review dozens and even few hundreds articles. The articles your supervisor cites you are only the starting point of a journey of understanding.

In the writing of your thesis, especially in the introduction you will need to refer to the literature, in order to point the reader providing context and pointers to concept and tools you used in your work. In the same way, scientists use references in articles, and often in books. Therefore, you can use the bibliography of the article you read as an important tool for your bibliographic research. You can follow citations in two ways:

• upstream, looking at an article references to understand on which other works is based,
• and downstream, looking at works that cited the said articles and use it for follow-up works.

This is crucial to understand the scientific foundation and impact of a work.

At LU a short training course is given in Language and Library .

There are different outlets of scientific publications. Textbooks are published by a publisher. Articles of different type get published by a journal. Topical journals are the traditional and always good way to read and update about new results in a field. The editorial collocation of an article is an indication about subject, novelty, and median impact of a publication. Unofficially and roughly they can be cathegorized in the following way.

• Textbooks: you encountered textbooks in your basic education. Academic textbooks are often more advanced but they are written to be a comprehensive, reliable, organized, and pedagogically useful treatment of an argument. There are few updated books in nuclear physics, in the later years the community is relying more and more on articles.
• Review papers: they are long overview of an argument published in a journal. More updated, limited and cutting-edge than a book, may contain new results. They are a good starting point to work on an argument, especially if books are not available. Journals publishing reviews are e.g. Review on Modern Physics and Reports on progress in physics
• Articles: these are the “standard” scientific publications, describing new results in as much detail as needed for understanding and reproduction. It is good practice to periodically read issues of the journal publishing articles in the field you want to be updated. For physics a good resources are the APS journals , in particular Physical Review C (shortened PRC) for nuclear physics and Physical Review E for many-body systems and non-linear phenomena. In these journals, some particularly interesting articles get featured on the homepage as editorial suggestions.
• Letters: these are short articles, to communicate particularly novel results and timely results that the community should take quick notice. For this reason, on average letters have higher impact and the selection is often stricter. Topical journals like PRC have “rapid communication” sections for letters. Letters are often targeted to a wider public of physicists and even scientists in general. Being featured in Physical Review Letters (shortened PRL), Nature and Science is an achievement for any physicist.

To organize the work of the bibliographic research and citation, apart from the quite important brain and internet, sometimes is useful to be helped by tools:

• Zotero to organize your article library.
• Scholar and web of science to find scientists, topics, articles and track citations.

Some people use Mendeley, but I don’t feel right endorsing bibliographic options owned by editorial companies.

This will probably be your first experience in original scientific work. Arguably, your objectives shoud be:

• To learn as much as possible.
• To do a good research job, that feeds into the primary objective.
• To present it properly. That is part of the learning outcomes for the diploma work.
• To think about the role of science and your work in business, society and in your future.

Here is the list of learning outcomes for the diploma work of B.Sc. and M.Sc. . These are no small technicalities, but set the expectation of the quality of your work required by not only LU, but the ministry of research and education. Be mindful of the responsability that the title you are applying for carries.

To organize the work according to these requirements, you have to coordinate with your supervisor. Set a timeline and schedule. Keep in mind that the most open and available of the supervisors is probabily a busy person, and has other duties to attend to and frequent trips. Be sure that he is available for any strict bureaucratic or work request you have from your project.

The time management is your responsability and to be open about duties and request you have is an important part of efficient project management and hence successfull work. Check the deadlines and appointments. According to the type of work and credits you have for the project (1 credit are 25-30 hours of work), the work load will be set accordingly and the supervisor will help you set realistic goals.

Some research requires coding to simulate and understand the physical system and formalism. The tools of the trade article can help you find some tools and resources. Regarding the context of the thesis work, one word of advice is to not trying to do it all. Choose few tools to perfect and focus on getting most done and be effective for your project.

To help the organization of the work and collaboration, it is sometimes efficient to use git. For this reason at the division of mathematical-physics we set up our own Gitlab server (not to be confused with the public gitlab.com). Focus the objectives and the structure the code accordingly.

It is good practice to use git as versioning system (not anymore v1, v2) and when you get the hang of it, it is convenient to use also for important documents, such as the thesis.

The tone and language of the thesis have to be gauged according the objective and the audience. The audience are your examiners, and your fellow students. You have to write for prospective students that need to understand the scientific context, have a good bibliography to start from, and a report of your results useful to reproduce and continue your work. Even more than usual, write only what you really know to be correct. Typos happen. Imprecise concepts, incorrect statements, wrong equations, will not help your reader, and therefore you.

Scientific writing has to be crisp and precise. Use short and clear phrases. Keep the grammar simple and exact. Choose your words precisely. The objective is first and foremost a dry, correct , and objective account of your research and results.

A modified version of George Orwell’s rules for writing can be used: > A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself […]: What am I trying to say? What words will express it? What image or idiom will make it clearer? […] I think the following rules will cover most cases:

• Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print .
• Never use a long word where a short one will do.
• Without compromising precision , if it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
• Never use the passive where you can use the active. Use the first person singular, when is work you (and only you) have done. Use the first person plural to refer to the group or the community. Use “One” to refer to an eventual reader. Use the passive voice when needed, especially to refer to the work itself
• Never use a foreign phrase ~~, a scientific word, ~~ or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. Use the scientific words respecting their context and meaning
• Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous wrong .

In addition,

• Equations are part of a phrase, use punctuation when introducing (not : but ,) and after the equation (usually , or .)
• I cannot stress this enough: define everything you use. Every symbol and index in an equation, quantum number, content of a figure, axes of a plot… etc… Attach captions to figures and tables.
• Refer to equations as Eq. (*). Figures as Fig. *. Tables as Table *.
• Write, both thesis and code, for yourself of the future. When you will have forgotten what was that index in the third line of equation (7.24) about.

If you read as suggested, you will pick up the style of your discipline. Try to imitate it.

For more information, a short training course is given in LU regarding Language and Library .

Being the thesis an official document, it is extra important to respect official rules. One of the most relevant regards plagiarism. Literal quotes of other works have to be in quotes and properly referred. Not original figures have also to be cited, even when the copyright is available and free to use. Plagiarism is a serious offence, and can ruin careers and lives. LU has a zero-tolerance policy on plagiarism on diploma works, including self-plagiarism (copying one own’s work). To guarantee this, al thesis are passed through a plagiarism detection system called URKUND. Submit the thesis to URKUND few days in advance of the deadline.

The number of pages of a report varies enomoursly according to topic and originality. A research thesis requires less pages than a review one. At the Physics department of Lund a (somewhat) strict limit of pages for diploma works is in place:

• 15 credits B.Sc. report: 25 pages max;
• 30 credits M.Sc. report: 40 pages max;
• 60 credits M.Sc. report: 50 pages max.

This can work also as indicative size for similar works.

Other constrains might be in place, depending on your field, University and situation. Formalities such as cover page are often in place. Moreover, Lund’s physics department also imposes the sections that have to be present in a thesis.

The title of the thesis should illustrate the work you have done. There is no point in too general titles (“Nuclear physics”); too specific titles (“Study of 2+ states in rotational bands using HFBTHO code in the Praseodymium isotopic chain”) on the other hand discourage the reader that might be interested in more general concepts. As with many things related to writing, you will have to strike a balance. Let’s use the latter example to guide you through the process, considering you evaluate this to be your contribution. Your study might not only be interesting for people looking for 2+ states. For sure, if your study is in physics, the results should not depend on the code used. Hence, without loss of information, “Study of rotational bands in the Praseodymium isotopic chain” is definetely more useful for people that need to decide if your thesis deserves a second look.

When writing, you should always ask yourself what is needed here, why, and how is it possible to improve it. Especially for important sections like title and abstract.

The abstract is a short summary of few lines. It regards the premise, main method and results and conclusion of your work. A thesis summary is not much different from an article, therefore you have plenty of examples under your hand.

In the appendix of the diploma work are specified the necessary sections and content of a thesis.

If you allow me a kitchen metaphor, consider the thesis as a hamburger: the Introduction is the restaurant, table and plate; the Method the bottom bread; the Results the patty; the Conclusion the condiments; the Bibliography the top bun; the Appendix , code and other documentation your complementary fries and beverage.

Introduction

The introduction is the support and presentation for your work. It is needed to introduce your work and its scientific context. Use what you have read but don’t exagerate with background information. A thesis is not a textbook. The main objective of having context is to introduce the significance of your work. Why are you doing what you are doing, and how does this help the scientific community. One of your student colleagues should be able to be introduced to the topic, have the pointers to the literature needed to understand deeper, and be compelled to continue reading.

The method section is the foundation of your work. It is not strictly required by the syllabus and can eventually be merged with “results”. However, is good practice to keep them separate. Here you should introduced the techniques that will be used in the result section, in order to decrease the reliance of external reference material and make your thesis self-sufficient.

For example, Hartree-Fock method, or cellular automata, are examples of well-known techniques that might be needed to understand your work. A brief and to the point description of this well-known method will help the reader. But restrain yourself and describe only the methods which are most relevant to your work. Other background information should be referenced to literature. Remember the page limit and to preserve the sanity and disposition of advisors and examiners. Think that we have to read few of these theses in a week, and while we want to verify you understand, reading pages of well known irrelevant details does not put us in the mood for a positive evaluation.

The results section is where “the beef” is. The main content of your work, your original contribution. Here you use the methods introduced, within the scientific context explained in the introduction, to provide new insight into the topic of your thesis. Depending on the type of thesis, stage of studies, ambition, field, it can be radically different. The results section is the one most comparable to articles. Therefore, you should take inspiration from the literature on how to present your results.

Here more than ever you have to consider Orwell’s suggestion: ask yourself “What am I trying to say? What words will express it? What image or idiom will make it clearer?”. Try to focus a message and think of the best way to convey it.

A common mistake is thinking of the thesis as a simple laboratory report, where you are tempted to list all your trials in chronological order. Introducing results chronologically might be an efficient strategy (often a thesis progresses in complexity and builds on previous results), but it is not always the best strategy. Focus on the scientific message, and select those results that are important to illustrate that message.

Conclusion and Outlook

The conclusion gives the flavour and aftertaste. What you want the reader to take away and remember? What are the discoveries you made in your work, and how do they fit with and contribute to our understanding?

Moreover, an outlook must also be provided. That is, suggesting possible avenues for continuing the journey you started. What should we do next? Why?

Bibliography

The good researched and redacted bibliography is an essential part of a text. It provides both motivation, context and possibility to investigate deeper. In good bibliographies you can find insightful texts and hidden gems. An expert examiner (or referee) can almost judge the quality of a work by only looking at the attached bibliography. The bibliography is a good marker of quality because is a marker of the intellectual “diet” of a person. The more varied, deep, sophisticated is the diet the higher quality the work will usually come to be. An intellectual is just as good as his/her reading list and scientists make no exception.

Curate your reading list and demonstrate good use of the bibliography. Readers will be grateful.

Appendix and others

Appendix is an additional part of the text. It is a good and sometimes necessary addition. Interesting derivations, ancillary results, additional content, can enrich the text and provide details for the not-so-average reader. In the main text you target the audience of examiner and fellow students, that need to understand the scientific contribution you made. The appendix will be reserved for the reader that want more details. The student that have to pick up the work. Someone that might want to implement something you derived. Who want to know the nitty gritty of your results in order to reproduce them.

Before my time, way back when dinosaur roamed the earth, codes used to be attached in the appendix. Today is not that useful to have a line-by-line printout of the code. It is way easier to provide a link to a public or semi-public repository (like the division’s gitlab ), and often codes are now too complicated to be printed out with ease. However, this is an excellent example of the content of an appendix: something perhaps not directly scientifically relevant, but informative for people that want to look closer and work it out for themselves.

As I described in the article Tools of the trade , physics and theoretical physics in particular use Latex for scientific writing. This comes from a general tendency to prefer opensource and Linux-based tools. Moreover, latex has the perfect equation typeset. To write Latex you can use whatever text editor, but I find Kile to be the easiest editor. Some people use Lyx or Overleaf .

Since the bibliography in a thesis is substantial, is useful to use the proper instrument to cite it. I suggest to use bibtex, since is the most automatic and complete way to reference literature in latex. You have to put bibtex references in a separate .bib file, and cite it with \cite{...} . Figures and equation can be labelled with \label{...} and \ref{...} . Here is a short introduction to Latex by A. Cottrell, and a short tutorial on overleaf.com .

When the thesis is done and delivered. You will have to present it (and sometimes defend it) in front of the examiners. This usually consists in a presentation, that in LU Physics consists in 30 minutes or less. If your thesis needs to have a clear scientific message, this is doubly true for the presentation. In a presentation everything needs to be purposefully presented with the objective of delivering a single, impactful, scientific message.

A good exercise is: think of you thesis, and summarize the conclusion in 10 simple words or less. Now question everything: “does this help me deliver this 10 word message?”. Build your presentation on this.

Reason by blocks: the single presentation needs to build up to a single message; the single slide needs to have a single message that helps the presentation; the single figure and text needs to convey a single message that helps the slide. You get the jist.

If you have to revolutionize the structure you use in your thesis, or cut out many results, so be it. A presentation have to be convincing and compelling, not a complete account of your work. In fact quite the opposite. In the most prestigious conferences often you have few minutes to summarise years of work.

Also in the presentation, the most important attribute is precision. Avoid touching subjects you are not sure of and employ a specific and correct vocabulary adequate for your subject.

It is fairly common that after the presentation, the examiners request some changes before agreeing on the final mark. Don’t be discouraged, scientific work and writing is a lifelong endavour and this is an excellent opportunity to polish your craft. Maybe your last opportunity to confront yourself with professionals in scientific writing.

If your work is particularly original and potentially impactful, your advisor can propose to publish it in a scientific journal. If that’s the case, you can use results, figures and paragraphs you have produced in the thesis. You will discuss with your supervisor the type of article and the style to adopt.

In most cases, substantial revision is needed, because the format of an article is quite different from a thesis. A scientific article has a lower degree of self-sufficiency and a higher reliance on external sources. For example, in your thesis you might need to define Hartree Fock, in an article is not necessary in most cases, since it is a well known method and can be referenced. This might imply also that the notation you used might need a revision.

In this case, your supervisor will guide you very closely. It is good practice to offer a first draft, revised as asked. This first draft will probably need extensive correction, but again this is common. Having a publication out of a thesis up to several factors not always under your control, but certainly does feel good to have a test of the scientific maturity you have reached in such a short amount of time, and definetly will help future PhD publications.

This concludes this guide. Don’t hesitate to contact me for more explanation and suggest modification. Sorry if it’s long, I did not have time to make it shorter. To compensate, you deserve a Seal of approval to have arrived here!

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Physics Theses, Dissertations, and Masters Projects

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Ab Initio Computations Of Structural Properties In Solids By Auxiliary Field Quantum Monte Carlo , Siyuan Chen

Constraining Of The Minerνa Medium Energy Neutrino Flux Using Neutrino-Electron Scattering , Luis Zazueta

Experimental Studies Of Neutral Particles And The Isotope Effect In The Edge Of Tokamak Plasmas , Ryan Chaban

From The Hubbard Model To Coulomb Interactions: Quantum Monte Carlo Computations In Strongly Correlated Systems , Zhi-Yu Xiao

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Broadband Infrared Microspectroscopy and Nanospectroscopy of Local Material Properties: Experiment and Modeling , Patrick McArdle

Edge Fueling And Neutral Density Studies Of The Alcator C-Mod Tokamak Using The Solps-Iter Code , Richard M. Reksoatmodjo

Electronic Transport In Topological Superconducting Heterostructures , Joseph Jude Cuozzo

Inclusive and Inelastic Scattering in Neutrino-Nucleus Interactions , Amy Filkins

Investigation Of Stripes, Spin Density Waves And Superconductivity In The Ground State Of The Two-Dimensional Hubbard Model , Hao Xu

Partial Wave Analysis Of Strange Mesons Decaying To K + Π − Π + In The Reaction Γp → K + Π + Π − Λ(1520) And The Commissioning Of The Gluex Dirc Detector , Andrew Hurley

Partial Wave Analysis of the ωπ− Final State Photoproduced at GlueX , Amy Schertz

Quantum Sensing For Low-Light Imaging , Savannah Cuozzo

Radiative Width of K*(892) from Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics , Archana Radhakrishnan

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

AC & DC Zeeman Interferometric Sensing With Ultracold Trapped Atoms On A Chip , Shuangli Du

Calculation Of Gluon Pdf In The Nucleon Using Pseudo-Pdf Formalism With Wilson Flow Technique In LQCD , Md Tanjib Atique Khan

Dihadron Beam Spin Asymmetries On An Unpolarized Hydrogen Target With Clas12 , Timothy Barton Hayward

Excited J-- Resonances In Meson-Meson Scattering From Lattice Qcd , Christopher Johnson

Forward & Off-Forward Parton Distributions From Lattice Qcd , Colin Paul Egerer

Light-Matter Interactions In Quasi-Two-Dimensional Geometries , David James Lahneman

Proton Spin Structure from Simultaneous Monte Carlo Global QCD Analysis , Yiyu Zhou

Radiofrequency Ac Zeeman Trapping For Neutral Atoms , Andrew Peter Rotunno

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

A First-Principles Study of the Nature of the Insulating Gap in VO2 , Christopher Hendriks

Competing And Cooperating Orders In The Three-Band Hubbard Model: A Comprehensive Quantum Monte Carlo And Generalized Hartree-Fock Study , Adam Chiciak

Development Of Quantum Information Tools Based On Multi-Photon Raman Processes In Rb Vapor , Nikunjkumar Prajapati

Experiments And Theory On Dynamical Hamiltononian Monodromy , Matthew Perry Nerem

Growth Engineering And Characterization Of Vanadium Dioxide Films For Ultraviolet Detection , Jason Andrew Creeden

Insulator To Metal Transition Dynamics Of Vanadium Dioxide Thin Films , Scott Madaras

Quantitative Analysis Of EKG And Blood Pressure Waveforms , Denise Erin McKaig

Study Of Scalar Extensions For Physics Beyond The Standard Model , Marco Antonio Merchand Medina

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Beyond the Standard Model: Flavor Symmetry, Nonperturbative Unification, Quantum Gravity, and Dark Matter , Shikha Chaurasia

Electronic Properties of Two-Dimensional Van Der Waals Systems , Yohanes Satrio Gani

Extraction and Parametrization of Isobaric Trinucleon Elastic Cross Sections and Form Factors , Scott Kevin Barcus

Interfacial Forces of 2D Materials at the Oil–Water Interface , William Winsor Dickinson

Scattering a Bose-Einstein Condensate Off a Modulated Barrier , Andrew James Pyle

Topics in Proton Structure: BSM Answers to its Radius Puzzle and Lattice Subtleties within its Momentum Distribution , Michael Chaim Freid

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

A Measurement of Nuclear Effects in Deep Inelastic Scattering in Neutrino-Nucleus Interactions , Anne Norrick

Applications of Lattice Qcd to Hadronic Cp Violation , David Brantley

Charge Dynamics in the Metallic and Superconducting States of the Electron-Doped 122-Type Iron Arsenides , Zhen Xing

Dynamics of Systems With Hamiltonian Monodromy , Daniel Salmon

Exotic Phases in Attractive Fermions: Charge Order, Pairing, and Topological Signatures , Peter Rosenberg

Extensions of the Standard Model Higgs Sector , Richard Keith Thrasher

First Measurements of the Parity-Violating and Beam-Normal Single-Spin Asymmetries in Elastic Electron-Aluminum Scattering , Kurtis David Bartlett

Lattice Qcd for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay: Short Range Operator Contributions , Henry Jose Monge Camacho

Probe of Electroweak Interference Effects in Non-Resonant Inelastic Electron-Proton Scattering , James Franklyn Dowd

Proton Spin Structure from Monte Carlo Global Qcd Analyses , Jacob Ethier

Searching for A Dark Photon in the Hps Experiment , Sebouh Jacob Paul

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

A global normal form for two-dimensional mode conversion , David Gregory Johnston

Computational Methods of Lattice Boltzmann Mhd , Christopher Robert Flint

Computational Studies of Strongly Correlated Quantum Matter , Hao Shi

Determination of the Kinematics of the Qweak Experiment and Investigation of an Atomic Hydrogen Møller Polarimeter , Valerie Marie Gray

Disconnected Diagrams in Lattice Qcd , Arjun Singh Gambhir

Formulating Schwinger-Dyson Equations for Qed Propagators in Minkowski Space , Shaoyang Jia

Highly-Correlated Electron Behavior in Niobium and Niobium Compound Thin Films , Melissa R. Beebe

Infrared Spectroscopy and Nano-Imaging of La0.67Sr0.33Mno3 Films , Peng Xu

Investigation of Local Structures in Cation-Ordered Microwave Dielectric a Solid-State Nmr and First Principle Calculation Study , Rony Gustam Kalfarisi

Measurement of the Elastic Ep Cross Section at Q2 = 0.66, 1.10, 1.51 and 1.65 Gev2 , YANG WANG

Modeling The Gross-Pitaevskii Equation using The Quantum Lattice Gas Method , Armen M. Oganesov

Optical Control of Multi-Photon Coherent Interactions in Rubidium Atoms , Gleb Vladimirovich Romanov

Plasmonic Approaches and Photoemission: Ag-Based Photocathodes , Zhaozhu Li

Quantum and Classical Manifestation of Hamiltonian Monodromy , Chen Chen

Shining Light on The Phase Transitions of Vanadium Dioxide , Tyler J. Huffman

Superconducting Thin Films for The Enhancement of Superconducting Radio Frequency Accelerator Cavities , Matthew Burton

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Ac Zeeman Force with Ultracold Atoms , Charles Fancher

A Measurement of the Parity-Violating Asymmetry in Aluminum and its Contribution to A Measurement of the Proton's Weak Charge , Joshua Allen Magee

An improved measurement of the Muon Neutrino charged current Quasi-Elastic cross-section on Hydrocarbon at Minerva , Dun Zhang

Applications of High Energy Theory to Superconductivity and Cosmic Inflation , Zhen Wang

A Precision Measurement of the Weak Charge of Proton at Low Q^2: Kinematics and Tracking , Siyuan Yang

Compton Scattering Polarimetry for The Determination of the Proton’S Weak Charge Through Measurements of the Parity-Violating Asymmetry of 1H(E,e')P , Juan Carlos Cornejo

Disorder Effects in Dirac Heterostructures , Martin Alexander Rodriguez-Vega

Electron Neutrino Appearance in the Nova Experiment , Ji Liu

Experimental Apparatus for Quantum Pumping with a Bose-Einstein Condensate. , Megan K. Ivory

Investigating Proton Spin Structure: A Measurement of G_2^p at Low Q^2 , Melissa Ann Cummings

Neutrino Flux Prediction for The Numi Beamline , Leonidas Aliaga Soplin

Quantitative Analysis of Periodic Breathing and Very Long Apnea in Preterm Infants. , Mary A. Mohr

Resolution Limits of Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry with Pulsed Source , Guangzhi Qu

Solving Problems of the Standard Model through Scale Invariance, Dark Matter, Inflation and Flavor Symmetry , Raymundo Alberto Ramos

Study of Spatial Structure of Squeezed Vacuum Field , Mi Zhang

Study of Variations of the Dynamics of the Metal-Insulator Transition of Thin Films of Vanadium Dioxide with An Ultra-Fast Laser , Elizabeth Lee Radue

Thin Film Approaches to The Srf Cavity Problem: Fabrication and Characterization of Superconducting Thin Films , Douglas Beringer

Turbulent Particle Transport in H-Mode Plasmas on Diii-D , Xin Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Ballistic atom pumps , Tommy Byrd

Determination of the Proton's Weak Charge via Parity Violating e-p Scattering. , Joshua Russell Hoskins

Electronic properties of chiral two-dimensional materials , Christopher Lawrence Charles Triola

Heavy flavor interactions and spectroscopy from lattice quantum chromodynamics , Zachary S. Brown

Some properties of meson excited states from lattice QCD , Ekaterina V. Mastropas

Sterile Neutrino Search with MINOS. , Alena V. Devan

Ultracold rubidium and potassium system for atom chip-based microwave and RF potentials , Austin R. Ziltz

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Enhancement of MS Signal Processing for Improved Cancer Biomarker Discovery , Qian Si

Whispering-gallery mode resonators for nonlinear and quantum optical applications , Matthew Thomas Simons

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Applications of Holographic Dualities , Dylan Judd Albrecht

A search for a new gauge boson , Eric Lyle Jensen

Experimental Generation and Manipulation of Quantum Squeezed Vacuum via Polarization Self-Rotation in Rb Vapor , Travis Scott Horrom

Low Energy Tests of the Standard Model , Benjamin Carl Rislow

Magnetic Order and Dimensional Crossover in Optical Lattices with Repulsive Interaction , Jie Xu

Multi-meson systems from Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics , Zhifeng Shi

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Dark matter in the heavens and at colliders: Models and constraints , Reinard Primulando

Measurement of Single and Double Spin Asymmetries in p(e, e' pi(+/-,0))X Semi-Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering , Sucheta Shrikant Jawalkar

NMR study of paramagnetic nano-checkerboard superlattices , Christopher andrew Maher

Parity-violating asymmetry in the nucleon to delta transition: A Study of Inelastic Electron Scattering in the G0 Experiment , Carissa Lee Capuano

Studies of polarized and unpolarized helium -3 in the presence of alkali vapor , Kelly Anita Kluttz

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Previous Bachelor Theses in Theoretical Physics

Below you can find list of Bachelor Theses completed in our Division before. For more detailed information you can follow the links to  Diva Portal  which also contains the full text of the theses.

The Inflationary Universe

Author:  Benjamin Cavcic Supervisor:   Daniel Panizo Pérez Full Text

General Relativity and Dynamical Universes

Author:  Kajsa Fransson Supervisor:   Daniel Panizo Pérez Full Text

Calculating the Mass of Magnetic Monopoles in Non-Abelian Gauge Theories

Author:  Måns Holmberg Supervisor:   Magdalena Larfors Full Text

Geometric Quantization

Author:  Fredrik Gardell Supervisor:  Luigi Tizzano Full Text

Construction of Two-Dimensional Topological Field Theories

Author:  Hans Nguyen Supervisor:  Luigi Tizzano Full Text

Cosmological environment study of a black hole: a closer look on the science of Interstellar

Author:  Anton Gustafsson Supervisor:   Ulf Danielsson Full Text

Symplectic geometry and Calogero-Moser systems

Author:  Lukas Rødland Supervisor:  Luigi Tizzano Full Text

Renormalization group approach to statistical systems

Author:  Patrik Lidén Supervisor:  Anton Nedelin Full Text

Limits of Relativistic Systems

Author:  Marcus Stålhammar Supervisor:   Ulf Lindström Full Text

Quantum Hall Effect

Author:  Simon Taylor Supervisor:  Anton Nedelin Full Text

Semiclassical Tunneling Effect

Author:  Johan Öhman Supervisor:   Staffan Yngve Full Text

The Point-Split Method and the Linking Number of Space Curves

Author:  Timmy Forsberg Supervisor:   Antti Niemi Full Text

Calculating Matrix Integrals Using Feynman Diagrams

Author:  Adam Friberg Supervisor:   Maxim Zabzine Full Text

Geometrical structures in black holes

Author:  Roberto Goranci Supervisor:  Giuseppe Dibitetto Full Text

Symmetries of the Point Particle

Author:  Alexander Söderberg Supervisor:   Ulf Lindström Full Text

Quantum Entanglement and Cryptography

Author:  Sean Gray Supervisor:   Joseph Minahan Full Text

Generating Solutions in General Relativity using a Non-Linear Sigma Model

Author:  Johan Henriksson Supervisor:   Ulf Lindström Full Text

Analysis of the Many-Body Problem in One Dimension with Repulsive Delta-Function Interaction

Author:  Martin Albertsson Supervisor:   Maxim Zabzine Full Text

Diagrammatic Representations in Quantum Theories

Author:  Jacob Stenberg Supervisor:   Maxim Zabzine Full Text

It's pretty super!: A Mathematical Study of Superspace in Fourdimensional, Unextended Supersymmetry

Author:  Eric Fridén Supervisor:   Ulf Lindström Full Text

Feynmann diagrams in a finite dimensional setting

Author:  Daniel Neiss Supervisor:   Maxim Zabzine Full Text

Retardation effects in fundamental physics

Author:  Fredrik Härlin Supervisor:  Thomas Klose Full Text

Gravity approach to strongly coupled gauge theories

Author:  Kristofer Lundmark Supervisor:  Thomas Klose Full Text

From the quantum Hall effect to topological insulators: A theoretical overview of recent fundamental developments in condensed matter physics

Author:  Hjalmar Eriksson Supervisor:   Joseph Minahan Full Text

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Bachelor-, Master-, PhD-Theses und Habilitations

Master's theses, bachelor's theses or student research papers within the framework of ongoing research projects are constantly being awarded to interested students. If you are interested and motivated, simply contact the chair staff .

Possible dissertation topics and open doctoral positions can always be found advertised on this page. If you are interested in writing a dissertation at our department and can plan for the longer term, it is also possible to apply for funding for a specific project.   

You will certainly be interested in the work of the doctoral students currently employed at the chair.

A list of succesfully completed master theses , diploma theses , dissertations and habilitations can also be found on this page.  

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Student theses in Eric Jeckelmann's research group

Bachelor theses.

The goal of a bachelor thesis project in my group is the study and visualization of physical problems with computational tools. The proposed projects serve to illustrate basic concepts in theoretical physics or deal with a current problem in condensed matter theory.

You can begin working on a bachelor thesis project in my group anytime. The workload is three months full time. The main requirement is a practical experience in the programming language C, C++ or Python. The bachelor thesis can be written in English or in German. Literature and previous works may be in German or in English.

Topics for bachelor thesis projects

See the German version of this page.

Bachelor theses in the last 5 years

Master theses.

Master thesis projects in my research group deal with current problems in Computational Physics, Quantum Many-Body Theory, or Condensed Matter Theory. The main requirements are a knowledge of Advanced Quantum Theory (2nd quantization) and basic Computational Physics as well as a practical experience in the programming languages C, C++ or Python. The master thesis can be written in English or in German. Literature and previous works are mostly in English.

You can begin working on a master thesis project anytime. It consists of two modules: Research Internship / Project Planning and Master Thesis. The workload is twelve months full time. Note that you must be enrolled at the Leibniz Universität Hannover and have completed one year of study in the Master programme before the start of the thesis project.

Topics for master thesis projects

• Study of magnetic chains and ladders with exact diagonalizations and the density-matrix renormalization group method

Master theses in the last 5 years

• Alexander Fufaev, Charge density waves in alternating spinless fermion ladders, 2023
• Keshab Sony, Topological Phases of One and Two Su-Schrieffer-Heeger Wires on a Semiconducting Substrate , 2023
• Emil Klahn, Reduzierte Dichtematrizen korrelierter bosonischer Systeme, 2021
• Sören Wilkening, DMRG-LBO method for inhomogeneous one-dimensional electron-phonon systems, 2021
• Jonas Hachmeister, Reduzierte Dichtematrizen korrelierter fermionischer Systeme, 2020
• Gökmen Polat, Numerische Untersuchung des Peierls-Übergangs an zweidimensional geordneten Quantendrähten auf Substratoberflächen, 2020
• Morten Pfeiffer, Untersuchung eines Polaron-Exziton-Modells mit dem TEBD-LBO-Algorithmus , 2019

Last Change: 05.12.23; Eric Jeckelmann Print

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Welcome to the Institute for Theoretical Physics (ITP)

Bachelor's & Master's Theses at the ITP

If you are interested in doing your Bachelor's or Master's thesis on the topic of theoretical particle physics at the ITP, feel free to drop by on the 12th floor and talk to us or send us an e-mail . To get an idea of what we are working on, you can check out the research page of each group, or you can have a look at the completed Bachelor's and Master's theses at our institute.

Job Openings

For open PhD or postdoc positions at the ITP, check the Job Openings page or the News & Events ticker below.

News & Events

Research groups at the institute for theoretical physics.

The Institute for Theoretical Physics (ITP) consists of five research groups. Their activities are described below.

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Topics for bachelor's thesis in Theoretical Physics

Elementary particle physics.

Elementarteilchenphysik

Solid State Theory

Festkörpertheorie

Head of the Department

Axel torsten maas, evamaria holler-merschnik.

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Particle theory

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• Fields, strings, and quantum dynamics
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• Recent Theses

Related research groups

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Theses written by recent former students of the group, listed by main supervisor

Joseph Conlon Searches for Axion-Like Particles with X-ray astronomy Nicholas Jennings (2018) Astrophysical signatures of axion and axion-like particles Francesca Day (2017) Cosmology & Astrophysics of Dark Radiation Andrew Powell (2016) Phenomenology of Dark Radiation & String Compactifications Stephen Angus (2014)

Andre Lukas Aspects of string model-building and heterotic/F-theory duality Callum Brodie (2019) Calabi-Yau Manifolds, Discrete Symmetries & String Theory Challenger Mishra (2017) Heterotic string compactification & quiver gauge theory on toric geometry Chuang Sun (2016) Heterotic Compactification on Spaces of General 6-Structures Eirik Eik Svanes (2014) (with Prof Xenia de la Ossa Maths) Elementary Particle Physics from String Theory Compactifications, Michael Klaput (2014) Heterotic string models on smooth Calabi-Yau threefolds Andrei Constantin (2013)

John March Russell Radiation from Black Holes George Johnson (2020) Aspects of massive spin-2 effective field theories James Bonifacio (2017) (with Prof Pedro Ferreira Astro) Multimetric theories of gravity James Scargill (2016)  (with Prof Pedro Ferreira Astro) Searching for New Particles at the Large Hadron Collider: Theory and Methods for Extradimensional Supersymmetry James Scoville (2015)  (with Prof Alan Barr PP) New Phenomenology from Asymmetric Dark Matter Robert Lasenby (2015) Supersymmetry and Electroweak Fine Tuning Edward Hardy (2014) Aspects of Asymmetric Dark Matter James Unwin (2013) (with Prof Philip Candelas   Maths) The String Axiverse and Cosmology David Marsh (2012)

Gavin Salam Precision fits for the LHC and beyond Emma Slade (2020) (with Juan Rojo, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam) Precision Physics at the Large Hadron Collider Frederic Dreyer (2016) (with Matteo Cacciari, LPTHE, Paris Diderot University) Theoretical & experimental study of electroweak corrections for inclusive production of jets and development of methods for detecting extreme topologies Nicolas Meric (2013)  (with Philippe Schwemling, LPNHE, Paris Diderot University)

Subir Sarkar

On the impact of new, light states in some astrophysical and laboratory systems Giacomo Marocco (2022) (with John Wheater ) Investigating new physics with high power lasers  Konstantin Beyer (2021) (with Gianluca Gregori , ALP)

Inhomogeneities in Cosmology David Kraljic (2016) From the LHC to IceCube Jim Talbert (2016) (with Dr Guido Bell) The Standard Model to the Planck scale Kyle Allison (2015) (with Prof Graham Ross) Phenomenology of Asymmetric Dark Matter Felix Kahlhoefer (2014)

Andrei Starinets Holographic Approaches to Strongly-Interacting Systems Nikola Gushterov (2018)  (with  Dr Andrew O'Bannon Southampton) Applications of the gauge/gravity duality Jonas Probst (2017) Gauge/Gravity Duality & Non-Equilibrium Dynamics of Strongly Coupled Quantum Systems Philip Kleinert (2017) Hidden structures in scattering amplitudes & correlation functions in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories Jakub Sikorowski (2015) (with Prof Luis Fernando Alday Maths) Hydrodynamics: from effective field theory to holography Saso Grozdanov (2014) Holographic quantum liquids Nikolaos Kaplis (2013) Excitations in holographic quantum liquids Richard Davison (2012)

John Wheater

On the impact of new, light states in some astrophysical and laboratory systems Giacomo Marocco (2022) (with Subir Sarkar )

Topics in quantum gravity and quantum field theory Dennis Praveen Xavier (2022) Spin systems and boundary conditions on random planar graphs Aravinth Kulanthaivelu (2020) Naturalness in beyond the standard model physics Isabel Garcia Garcia (2017) Random Matrices, Boundaries and Branes Benjamin Niedner (2015) Spectral dimension in graph models of causal quantum gravity Georgios Giasemidis (2013)

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Student Services Specialist

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choosingphysics [at] stanford.edu (Pre-Major Advising)

Senior Thesis and Honors

All Physics majors who pursue research with a faculty member have the opportunity to complete a Senior Thesis. Completing a Senior Thesis is not required for a Bachelor’s degree in Physics but is required for graduation with Honors.

On this page, we provide guidelines for applying to graduate with Honors, applying to complete a Senior Thesis, choosing a thesis research topic, writing the Senior Thesis, and preparing the thesis presentation.

Honors Requirements

Physics majors are granted a Bachelor of Science in Physics with Honors if they satisfy these two requirements beyond the general Physics major requirements.

• The student completes a Senior Thesis by meeting the deadlines and requirements described in the Senior Thesis guidelines section below. 
• The student completes course work with an overall GPA of 3.30 or higher, and a GPA of 3.50 or higher in courses required for the Physics major.

The student applies for the Honors Program by completing an Honors Program Application Form by mid-May.  Eligibility is confirmed by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Senior Thesis Guidelines

• Students must submit a Senior Thesis Application Form once they identify a research project in consultation with a faculty member with whom they are conducting theoretical, computational, or experimental physics research. The application form is attached to this webpage and is also available from the Student Services Specialist. The application must be submitted by 4 pm on Friday prior to the Thanksgiving break of the academic year in which the student plans to graduate. 
• Credit for the project is assigned by the research advisor within the framework of PHYSICS 205 , Senior Thesis Research. A minimum of 3 units of PHYSICS 205 must be completed for a letter grade during the student’s Senior year. Work completed in the Senior Thesis program may not be used as a substitute for regular required courses for the Physics major.
• A written thesis and presentation of the work at its completion are required for the Senior Thesis. The Senior Thesis candidate is required to present the project at the department's Senior Thesis Presentation Program in mid to late May. The expectation is that the student's advisor, second reader, and all other Senior Thesis candidates attend. Students may invite their family and friends as guests. 

Timeline for Completing a Senior Thesis & Applying for Honors in Physics

• First week of October: Students receive information about Senior Thesis Application via email (sent from the Student Services Specialist).
• Mid-November, before Thanksgiving break: Senior Thesis Application is due by 4pm on the Friday before Thanksgiving break. No late submissions will be accepted. Students will be notified if their application is approved after Thanksgiving break.
• First week of April: Students sign up for a date/time to present their Senior Thesis; presentations are scheduled in May. At this point, you should have your thesis title and abstract ready for submission.
• Students present their Senior Thesis in front of their advisor, second reader, other presenters, and guests. 
• Students submit the final version of their Senior Thesis shortly after the presentation; the precise deadline will be announced in early May.
• Students who present their Senior Thesis AND meet the GPA requirements must complete the Honors Program Application by mid-May to graduate with Honors. 

Choosing a thesis topic and writing the thesis

No later than the autumn quarter of your senior year, but preferably earlier, during a summer research position.

No later than winter quarter of your senior year.

When you have completed your senior thesis, you should be an expert on the particular area of research discussed in your thesis. Some projects are independent of the advisor’s research; some projects are a well-defined sub-area within the advisor’s broader research program.

Your thesis advisor, as well as graduate students and/or postdocs with whom you have worked closely, can provide advice. The Hume Center for Writing and Speaking is also a useful resource:  http://undergrad.stanford.edu/tutoring-support/hume-center

Students normally find a Senior Thesis topic and advisor through the Summer Research Program. Other sources are courses such as Physics 59 (Frontiers in Physics Research), faculty web pages and resources on the Undergraduate Research and Independent Projects web page: https://undergrad.stanford.edu/opportunities/research

Broad “review articles” in the field and references therein provide valuable background information. Your advisor and group members should also be able to point you to relevant papers.

You are required to enroll in Physics 205 (Senior Thesis Research) under your advisors’ section during your senior year for a minimum of 3 units. The course must be taken for letter grade. 1 unit = 3 hours of research per week.

No, you cannot earn course credit and get paid for the same work.

An advisor may occasionally have funds to support you during the academic year, but you cannot earn course credit for the same work.

The following links contain information on how to apply for funding during the academic year and during the summer term – Student Grants:  https://undergrad.stanford.edu/opportunities/research/get-funded Physics Summer Research Program:  https://physics.stanford.edu/academics/undergraduate-students/summer-research

The length of the thesis varies, depending on the type of thesis. A more theoretical thesis, perhaps fairly dense with equations, may be shorter than an experimental thesis containing a number of figures showing the experimental setup, plots of the data, fits to the data, etc. Most theses are between 20 and 60 pages long.

Electronic versions of Physics Senior Theses written in 2010 or later are available online here: http://searchworks.stanford.edu/catalog?f[collection][]=ds247vz0452

The thesis should contain the following elements:

• A title page listing the title, the student author, the primary and secondary readers, and the date.
• An abstract, which could be on the title page or inside the document.
• An acknowledgment at the beginning or after the abstract.
• Table of contents.
• A body, divided into sections and subsections.
• A bibliography of references at the end. Include page numbers.

Each table should have a caption above the table and each figure should have a caption below the figure. Include a reference to each table and figure in the text.  If you have a large number of detailed plots, or a very long detailed derivation, consider putting it in an Appendix so that the text flows better.

One-and-a-half spacing is best. It makes it easier to read and easier for your readers to mark up.

Yes, but it must be physics related and you must have a faculty member in Physics as the second reader.

Yes, a literature review should be included.

Your target audience should be students in your major. Other Physics majors should be able to follow the thesis and understand what you did – although they might not follow all the details.

Yes, as long as you include a citation to the publication.

Several Stanford professors have done research based on the results of my research. May I include some of their results because they greatly enrich my overall project or does the thesis have to be 100% on data I took myself? It is definitely OK to include other data as long as you provide credit and appropriate citations.

Preparing the thesis presentation

It is typical to use slides prepared with the presentation software of your choice.

Students should bring their own laptop and any necessary adapters.

•  PRACTICE!!
• The   presentation s   are   15 minutes and 5 minutes for questions . The next presenter will be asked to set up at the 20-minute mark.
• Practice presenting from your laptop in the same room well before the actual presentation. In this way, you can avoid embarrassing delays due to technical problems or missing connectors, etc. Any technical delays will only reduce your speaking time.
• Make sure you start your presentation with an  accessible  overview. The audience will contain mainly non-experts in the field you are going to discuss. This is often the most difficult aspect of any presentation since you must bring along the non-experts while explaining later technical results and their importance without losing the audience.
• PRACTICE!! (A good strategy is to do timed 15-minute practice sessions in front of your classmates, especially those who will also be presenting a thesis. Encourage your audience to give you feedback and to ask questions afterward about anything that was not clear.)

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Bachelor thesis, sub-navigation.

• Bachelor Thesis With Dr, Baum in 2024
• Bachelor Thesis With Prof. Czakon in 2024
• Bachelor Thesis With Prof. Harlander in 2024
• Bachelor Thesis With Prof. Krämer in 2024
• Bachelor Thesis With Prof. Lesgourgues in 2024
• Bachelor Thesis With Prof. Mertsch in 2024
• Bachelor Thesis with Prof. Worek in 2024
• Bachelor Thesis Archive
• Master Thesis

You like theoretical physics and you want to get into touch with elementary particle physics or cosmology in your bachelor thesis? If you want to write your bachelor thesis at the TTK during the summer term, you will get all necessary information during the Tag der Physik in January, this year on Friday January 26, 2024. Prof. Krämer and Prof. Lesgourgues will introduce the research topics at TTK in Hörsaal Physik at 9.30am. More details about possible bachelor thesis projects are presented in 26C 401 at 2pm. Also the details on how to apply for a bachelor thesis at the institute are given. However, you can also contact us via email. (More information can be also found via the Moodle room of the Tag der Physik .)

The projects for summer term 2024 are listed below:

• SRIMing and TRIMing for paleo-detectors (Baum) (More Information)
• Evolution of coherence in Quantum Mechanics (Czakon) (More Information)
• Renormalization of effective field theories (Harlander) (More Information)
• The gradient flow for massive quarks (Harlander) (More Information)
• Monte-Carlo speed-up for cross-section predictions (Harlander) (More Information)
• Playing with Feynman diagrams (Harlander) (More Information)
• Automated dark matter annihilation with machine learning (Krämer) (More Information)
• Testing different dark matter models with antideuterons (Krämer) (More Information)
• Simulating the LHC with machine learning (Krämer) (More Information)
• Searching for new physics at the LHC with machine learning (Krämer) (More Information)
• N-body simulations and light-cone analysis (Lesgourgues) (More Information)
• Dark matter models in the nonlinear universe (Lesgourgues) (More Information)
• Understanding Gravitational Collapse of Black Holes in the Early Universe (Lesgourgues) (More Information)
• Varying electron masses in the early universe (Lesgourgues) (More Information)
• Monte Carlo simulation of galactic cosmic rays on GPUs (Mertsch) (More Information)
• Stellar dynamics and the local dark matter density (Mertsch) (More Information)
• Stochastic differential equations and the cosmic ray streaming instability (Mertsch) (More Information)
• The local bubble and its impact on cosmic rays (Mertsch) (More Information)
• Lorentz Invariant Phase-Space Integrals (Worek) (More Information)
• Top-quark and Higgs-boson physics at the Large Hadron Collider (Worek) (More Information)
• Prof. Czakon
• Prof. Harlander
• Prof. Krämer
• Prof. Lesgourgues
• Prof. Mertsch
• Prof. Worek

Application form summer term 2024

last updated: 25/01/2024

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Bachelor theses project

Welcome to do your Bachelor thesis project at the Department of Physics. We offer projects of both theoretical and experimental character in a wide range of areas in physics.

Find a project

Please find the project list for spring 2021. Read and find something that interests you. Feel free to contact the supervisor if you have any questions about the projects.

Projects for 2024: KEX-projekt_Fysik_2024.pdf (pdf 1.2 MB) .

(Projects from previous years are here KEX-projekt_Fysik_2023.pdf (pdf 1.6 MB)

KEX-projekt_Fysik_2022.pdf (pdf 2.9 MB) )

Please choose 3 projects which interest you and email them to [email protected]  and/or [email protected] , before December 1.

We try as far as possible to satisfy your wishes and will assign the projects to you in December.

General information about the course can be found at the Course web

General questions

General questions about the Bachelor thesis projects at the physics department may be directed to the Coordinators.

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Undergraduate Requirements

The undergraduate curriculum allows students to acquire a deep conceptual understanding of fundamental physics through its core requirements. Students then choose one of two options to complete the degree, the Flexible track or the Focus track. Both options lead to the same degree, a Bachelor of Science in Physics. And both options are superb preparation for any student planning on applying to graduate school in Physics.

Students may choose either option at any time in their undergraduate career, but many determine their choice during sophomore year in order to have enough time to craft a program that best suits their individual needs. Each option provides time for exploration through electives.

The Flexible Track

The Flexible track is based on a series of rigorous courses in fundamental physics topics, and its options enable many of our students to complete second majors in other disciplines.

The Flex track requires:

• 8.03 , 8.04 or 8.041, 8.044 , 18.03 (Differential Equations)
• 8.21 Physics of Energy or 8.223 Classical Mechanics II (choose one)
• 8.033 Relativity, 8.05 or 8.051 Quantum Physics II, or 8.20 Introduction to Special Relativity (choose one)
• 8.13 Experimental Physics (a similarly rigorous lab subject from another department can be substituted with permission, or less frequently, an experimental project or experimentally-oriented externship may substitute be allowed to substitute). Note that 8.13 satisfies the lab requirement that is part of the GIRs.
• At least one elective Physics subject beyond 8.02

In addition, students in the Flex track complete a group of three related subjects, similar to a concentration, subject to the approval of Flex Major Coordinator Dr. Sean Robinson . This group of subjects is known as a “focus area.” Examples of possible focus areas include, but are not limited to:

• biology / biophysics
• computer science / engineering
• electrical engineering
• history of science
• mathematics
• materials science
• science teaching
• quantum physics

The Focused Track

This option—which includes three terms of quantum mechanics, 36 units of laboratory experience, and a thesis—constitutes strong preparation for a career in physics. It is comprised of three required parts: specifically required subjects; restricted electives; and a research thesis.

The Focus track requires:

• 8.03 , 8.033 , 8.04 or 8.041 , 8.044 , 8.05 or 8.051 , 8.06 , 8.223 , 18.03 (Differential Equations)
• 8.13 and 8.14 Experimental Physics I and II; note that both 8.13 and 8.14 satisfy the lab requirement that is part of the GIRs.
• one subject given by the Mathematics Department beyond 18.03 ;
• two additional subjects given by the Physics Department beyond 8.02 including at least one of the following: 8.07 , 8.08 , 8.09
• Students should have an idea for a thesis topic by the middle of junior year; many thesis projects grow organically out of UROP projects. A thesis proposal must be submitted by Add Date of senior year, and students must register for units of 8.ThU (Undergraduate Thesis) in the senior year. See the Senior Thesis section below for more details.

Double Major in Physics

A frequent question of undergrads is whether a double major is possible with Physics. It definitely is, and in fact the majority of our undergraduates pursue major studies in Physics and another department, or a minor, or both. Popular second majors for our Physics students include: Mathematics, Computer Science, Earth and Planetary Sciences, and Nuclear Science and Engineering.

A second major can only be declared after three terms. Students with two majors must complete the requirements of both departments. More general information about double majoring .

To apply for a double major:

• Email Dr. Sean Robinson ( [email protected] ), the Physics Flex Plan Coordinator, and make an appointment to discuss how you will meet all the requirements of the Flex major.
• Fill out the double major petition and submit it by emailing [email protected] or by delivering it to the Academic Programs Office, 4-315, for a signature. Please note that we will not sign your petition until you’ve obtained your advisor’s signature first.
• After obtaining the necessary signatures, submit the signed petition to the Committee on Curricula ( [email protected] ) to be processed. Once approved, the Physics Undergraduate Program Coordinator will reach out to you with a welcome.

Minor in Physics

The Minor in Physics provides a solid foundation for the pursuit of a broad range of professional activities in science and engineering. The requirements for a minor in Physics are:

• 18.03 or 18.034, plus
• at least five Course 8 subjects beyond the General Institute Requirements that constitute at least 57 units.

While subjects completed via transfer credit are eligible to be counted towards a Physics minor, at least half of your minor subjects must be MIT subjects taken while you are enrolled at MIT.

Students thinking about a minor in Physics might also consider the alternative of obtaining a second major in Physics through the Flexible option.

To add a Physics minor, submit a completed Minor Application Form to Physics Academic Administrator Shannon Larkin after obtaining the permission of your academic advisor. Note that students are required to document the completion of the minor in addition to listing the intended courses on the initial application form.

Minor in Astronomy

The minor in Astronomy, offered jointly with the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), covers the observational and theoretical foundations of astronomy. The minor requires a selection of seven subjects distributed among five areas:

• Astronomy, Mathematics, and Physics Required Subjects: 8.03 ; 8.282J/12.402J ; 18.03 or 18.034
• Astrophysics Choose one: 8.284 or 8.286
• Planetary Astronomy Choose one: 12.008 , 12.400 , 12.420 , or 12.425
• Instrumentation and Observations Choose one: 8.287/12.410 , 12.43J , 12.431J , or 12.432J
• Independent Project in Astronomy Choose one: 8.UR , 8.ThU , 12.UR , 12.ThU , or 12.411

Four of the subjects used to satisfy the requirements for the astronomy minor may not be used to satisfy any other minor or major. For more information, contact Astronomy Minor Coordinator is Prof. Michael McDonald .

Communication Requirement for the Physics Major (CI-M 8)

Each MIT undergraduate must take two subjects within their major that have been designated as communications-intensive (CI-M). CI-Ms teach the specific forms of written, oral, and/or visual communication appropriate to the field’s professional and academic culture. Students may write in teams; prepare and present oral and visual research reports for different audiences; learn audience analysis and peer review; or go through the experience of proposing, writing, and extensively revising a professional journal article. Most students complete their CI-Ms during the junior and senior year.

The Physics Department offers the following CI-Ms for both Flex and Focus students:

• 8.06 Quantum Physics III
• 8.13 Experimental Physics I
• 8.14 Experimental Physics II
• 8.225J Einstein, Oppenheimer, Feynman: Physics in the 20 th Century
• 8.226 Forty-three Orders of Magnitude
• 8.S227 Special Subject: Technical Communication, Scientific Judgment, and Professional Preparation (pilot, spring 2021)
• 8.287J Observational Techniques of Optical Astronomy

Students occasionally petition to substitute a CI-M from another department in place of one of these subjects; the department may support such a petition if the proposed substitution forms a natural part of the student’s individual program. Petitions are approved by the MIT Subcommittee on the Communications Requirement (SOCR).

Senior Thesis

Research is an integral part of any student’s experience as an MIT Physics major. Students who have had the opportunity to delve deeply into an area of research over time are encouraged to write a Senior Thesis describing their work and their conclusions.

Senior Thesis Submission Dates

• Senior Thesis Proposal form (PDF) due by Add Date the term before you complete your thesis
• Senior Thesis Title form (PDF)
• Candidates on February 2024 degree list: Friday, January 12, 2024
• Candidates on May 2024 degree list: Friday, May 10, 2024

Senior Thesis Policies

• All Physics Focus students must write an undergraduate thesis; students on the Physics Flex track may choose to write a thesis, but are not required to.
• Any Physics Department faculty member or research staff member is an acceptable thesis supervisor.
• To write a thesis under the supervision of an MIT professor outside the Physics Department, or a non-MIT professor, you must have a departmental faculty member as a co-supervisor. Contact the Academic Programs Office for more information.
• You must be registered for thesis units (8.THU) in the term you plan to submit your thesis. The standard number of units is 12; a student with an unusual situation may register for up to 24 units, but should discuss with the thesis supervisor why this thesis requires more effort than a standard 12-unit subject.
• During the term you are enrolled in 8.THU, you may not also conduct a UROP project that contributes or relates to the thesis work, or vice versa (MIT UROP policy).
• For a list of formatting requirements and details for writing your senior thesis, see the MIT Libraries’ MIT Specifications for Thesis Preparation page , which contains links to several sections on thesis preparation, as well as MIT Thesis FAQs .
• Abstracts are not required for undergraduate theses.
• No ProQuest/UMI form is required.
• Copyright ownership depends on how your research was funded and what equipment was used.  Most likely, MIT will have funded/supplied equipment for your thesis, but be sure to read the policy in detail.
• Senior Thesis Title form (PDF):  use this template to format your title page.

Required Signatures and Submission Guidelines

Your thesis will be signed by you, your thesis supervisor, and the Associate Head of the Physics Department.  After your thesis supervisor has read your thesis completely, provided feedback or corrections, and approved the final version for submission:

• Submit your thesis in a PDF attachment via email to [email protected] .
• Copy your thesis supervisor(s) on the email.
• Your supervisor then provides a signature via Docusign . 
• Once this is done, the staff of the Academic Programs Office will be responsible for obtaining the signature of the Associate Head.

Digital Submission Guidelines

• Do not print OR physically sign and scan your thesis to us. Follow the signing instructions written below.
• When the final version of your thesis is completed, submit your thesis in a PDF attachment via email to [email protected] .
• You must copy your thesis supervisor(s) on the email.
• Once you’ve submitted your thesis and your supervisor has given their approval via Docusign , then the Associate Head will review it.

Each year, a group of faculty members are designated as academic advisors to an incoming cohort of sophomore Physics majors. In July, rising sophomores are provided information about the available advisors and are asked to indicate their top choices, and matches are then made by the Academic Administrator. Students who join the department after this initial set of assignments will then be matched with one of the advisors for the student’s class; these students may make specific requests which will be considered along with the current advising loads of each advisor.

Your advisor can assist with:

• Course selection and sequencing
• Changes to subject choices after Registration
• Academic progress
• Academic or personal support resources
• Advice about graduate school in physics or other disciplines
• Internship and career advice

Our advising program’s goal is for Physics majors to retain their advisor throughout the undergraduate program, but students are welcome to request a change of advisor if circumstances warrant by contacting the Academic Administrator Shannon Larkin .

FAQ for Prospective Undergraduate Students

Does the physics department accept ap credit.

Yes. The Physics Department awards credit for 8.01 to incoming students who score a 5 on both parts of the AP Physics C test. No credit is given for the Physics B test or for a qualifying score on only one part of the Physics C test.

Does the Physics Department grant credit for the International Baccalaureate or G.C.E. “A” Level Exams?

Entering students may receive 8.01 credit for qualifying scores on A-level exams, IB exams, the German Arbitur, and similar tests. For full details on Physics credit awarded for international exams and how to request it, see information on the website of the Office of the First Year.

If I have 8.01 credit already through an exam, do I have to take the Math Diagnostic Exam?

Yes. The Math Diagnostic Exam serves a dual purpose. In addition to providing advice for the appropriate level of Physics I for the majority of entering first-year students who must take a version of 8.01 , Math Diagnostic scores also validate AP credit for Mathematics courses.

How can I receive Physics transfer credit?

Requests for transfer credit for Physics courses taken at other institutions can be made through Physics Academic Administrator Shannon Larkin . Please read our Transfer Credit page for complete details on how to apply for credit. This page also has information on the scheduling of exams and on topics covered.

May I take 8.02 before passing 8.01?

No. All students must receive credit for 8.01 before registering for any version of 8.02. The sole exception to this policy is for second-semester seniors who have not yet completed either 8.01 or 8.02 . A senior who needs to complete both 8.01 and 8.02 in the final term should contact the Academic Administrator, Shannon Larkin .

Can I switch between the various versions of 8.01 or 8.02?

Yes. Students can switch between 8.01 and 8.01L , or 8.011 and 8.012 (as well as between 8.02 and 8.022 ) before Add Date. Instructors of the subject a student wishes to switch into can provide additional information on any written work to be submitted or tests to be taken to facilitate such a change.

Can I take graduate classes as an undergrad?

Yes, many undergrads take graduate courses, but we take prerequisites and appropriate preparation very seriously. Whether you are taking a first-year Physics course or an advanced graduate course, we want to be sure you are set up for success.

Are there any study-abroad programs?

Yes. Most study-abroad opportunities are handled by MIT’s Global Education and Career Development Office . The MISTI program is most specifically aimed towards science and technology initiatives.

Physics & Astronomy theses

Click on the link below to see bachelor and master theses in Physics and Astronomy.

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M.Sc. and PhD Theses

Büchler Group

• Quantum Fluctuations and Appearance of Supersolidity in Confined Ultracold Atomic Gases Tobias Ilg, PhD Thesis (2023)
• Functional Rydberg Complexes in the PXP-Model Simon Stastny, Master Thesis (2023)
• Quantum Hall Tunneling of Cold Atomic Gases Daniel Bidlingmaier, Master Thesis (2023)
• Photon correlations and collective phenomena with Rydberg superatoms Kevin Kleinbeck, PhD Thesis (2022)
• Spin 1 Haldane phase in one-dimensional systems of Rydberg atoms Johannes Mögerle, Master Thesis (2022)
• Accurate Quantum Simulations with Rydberg Atoms Sebastian Weber, PhD Thesis (2021)
• Properties of a supersolid in one dimension: Study on the algebraic decay of correlation functions and the stability analysis of the supersolid phase Chris Bühler, Master Thesis (2021)
• Collective Effects of Light-Matter Interactions in Rydberg Superatoms Jan Kumlin, PhD Thesis (2021)
• Symmetry Protected Topological Phases for Interacting Bosons Felix Roser, Master Thesis (2019)
• One-Dimensional Topological States of Synthetic Quantum Matter Nicolai Lang, PhD Thesis (2019)
• Quantum Phases of Water Molecules in Nano-cavities Luka Jibuti, Master Thesis (2018)
• Quantum Monte Carlo studies of strongly correlated systems for quantum simulators Stephan Humeniuk, PhD Thesis (2018)
• Quantum Corrections in Cold Dipolar Gases Tobias Ilg, Master Thesis (2017)
• Quantum Light Interaction with Superatoms Kevin Kleinbeck, Master Thesis (2017)
• Topological Order in 1-Dimensional Quantum Dipolar Gases Yuan Miao, Master Thesis (2017)
• Few-body quantum physics with strongly interacting Rydberg polaritons Dr. Przemyslaw Bienias, PhD Thesis (2016)
• Topological edge states in a one-dimensional ladder system Kai-Simon Guther, Master Thesis (2016)
• Quantum Simulator for Spin-Orbital Magnetism Dr. Adam Bühler, PhD Thesis (2016)
• Topological bands in cold gases Sebastian Weber, Master Thesis (2015)
• Quantum states with topological properties via dipolar interactions Dr. David Peter, PhD Thesis (2015)
• Phase transitions and topological phases by driven dissipation Nicolai Lang, Master Thesis (2013)
• Strongly Interacting Many-Body Systems in Cold Atomic Gases Dr. Jens Honer, PhD Thesis (2013)
• Spin density waves in bilayer cold polar molecules Amin Naseri Jorshari, MSc Thesis (2012)
• Ferroelectricity and quantum phase transition in cold polar molecules Markus Klinsmann, Diploma Thesis (2011)
• Dissipative Quantum Phase Transition in Cold Atomic Gases Elke Klug, Diploma Thesis (2011)
• Supersolid phases in cold atomic gases Dr. Adam Bühler, Diploma Thesis (2011)
• Quantum many-body physics with strongly interacting Rydberg atoms Dr. Hendrik Weimer, PhD Thesis (2010)
• Quantum phase transitions with polar molecules: Towards the realization of ferro-electric liquids Steffen Müller, Diploma Thesis (2010)
• Scattering properties of quantum degenerate atomic gases Alexander Janisch, Diploma Thesis (2009)
• Phase Transitions in Quantum Condensed Matter Prof. Dr. Hans Peter Büchler, PhD Thesis, ETH Zürich (2003)