Course Information

Graduate Courses in Physics

PH7001
Graduate Seminar Module I

4 AU

Detailed course information

This is a seminar-style course covering multiple topics in contemporary physics research. Students will attend presentations about recent research topics, given by experts as well as their peers. Students are also required to give presentations and participate in discussions. The aim is to improve students' presentation skills, so that they can participate in scientific seminars in a professional manner.
PH7002
Concepts in Statistical Mechanics

4 AU
Available for undergraduates

Detailed course information

This course is an introduction to the physics of phase transitions. Through the course, students will build foundational knowledge in key topics such as scaling, critical exponents, universality, fractal behavior, transfer matrix, Monte Carlo simulations, renormalization group, which are critical in the study of phase transitions.
PH7003
Graduate Solid State Physics

4 AU
Available for undergraduates

Detailed course information

This course aims to equip students with the advanced concepts and problem solving skills in condensed matter physics. It surveys foundational phenomenology of solid state systems with an emphasis on the origin and basic techniques used to describe how electrons behave in crystals, and material responses to electric and magnetic fields. The course will provide students with an essential conceptual framework to parse fundamental electronic phenomena in crystalline materials, as well as a toolkit of effective models and approximations to perform calculations for materials.  

PH7006
Classical Electrodynamics

4 AU 
Available for undergraduates

Detailed course information

This course aims to equip students with a unified macroscopic theory of the dynamics of classical electromagnetic waves (hence called Classical Electrodynamics), in accordance with the form invariance of the Maxwell equations and the constitutive relations. Great emphasis is placed on the fundamental important of the k vector in electromagnetic wave theory.
PH7007
Experimental Techniques in Condensed Matter Physics

4 AU

Detailed course information

This course aims to acquaint students with many of the tools and techniques currently used by experimental condensed-matter physicists. Through this course, students will learn how the development of materials, measurement techniques, and theoretical insights are employed to explore the impact of quantum architecture of materials on new device responses. This builds an understanding of how experimental methods work and apply to real-world problems.
PH7011
Nonlinear Dynamics

4 AU
Available for undergraduates

Detailed course information

This course aims to equip students with the basic concepts of determinism and randomness in the physical world. Students will develop a basic understanding of dynamical system theory which is an essential component in physics, engineering, chemistry, biology, and the social sciences. They will also gain basic computational and analytical skills to solve and understand real-world problems involving chaotic and non-linear systems. 
PH7013
Advanced Numerical Methods for Physicists

4 AU
Available for undergraduates

Detailed course information

The course aims at providing the practical skills needed to address problems numerically. Special focus will be given to problems in physics, but several examples will show the applicability of the techniques to a broader range of problems, like industrial planning. Students will review numerical methods for several prototypical problems and learn how to effectively implement them for practical applications.
PH7014
Optical Spectroscopic Techniques

4 AU
Available for undergraduates

Detailed course information

This course aims to teach students optical spectroscopic and imaging techniques that form an important class of non-destructive, state-of-the-art material characterization methods which have been extensively used in traditional bulk and thin film studies as well as in nanoparticles, nano-devices and bio-molecular research. The topics covered include Raman and Brillouin scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and imaging, photoluminescence and photo-excitation spectroscopy.

PH7015
Advanced Optics

(Previously titled Nonlinear Optics)

4 AU
Available for undergraduates

Detailed course information

This course intends to equip students with the fundamental concept and principles of key topics in advanced optics and nonlinear optics. Students will gain knowledge in the mechanisms of beam manipulation, generation of ultrafast laser pulses, optical resonators, wavelength conversion, nonlinear absorption etc.
PH7020
Magnetism & Spintronics

4 AU

Detailed course information

This course aims to introduce the fundamental physical concepts of spin electronics and their applications in technology. It includes a study of fascinating magnetic phenomena in condensed matter systems, as well as an analysis of cutting-edge research in spintronics. Central to the course is the underlying physical principles, including symmetry, quantum mechanics, and electromagnetism.
PH7021
Quantum Information

4 AU
Available for undergraduates

Detailed course information

This course aims to equip students with the central theoretical framework and tools which are paramount to understanding the advantage brought by quantum information processing and some experimental basics of realizing these technologies. Students will learn a comprehensive overview of central topics of interest in active research areas. 
PH7024
Graduate Quantum Mechanics

4 AU
Available for undergraduates

Detailed course information

 

The course covers advanced concepts in quantum mechanics, with a focus on multi-particle systems. Students will learn how to quantitatively describe the scattering of quantum mechanical particles, the effects of scattering resonances, entanglement between quantum subsystems, and the quantization of fields such as the electromagnetic field. Key analytical and numerical methods taught in this course include quantum Green’s functions, Fermi’s golden rule, density matrices, and second quantization. This course provides the theoretical background for advanced courses in quantum field theory, high energy physics, and condensed matter physics. 
PH7027
Plasma Physics & Fusion Energy

4 AU
Available for undergraduates

Detailed course information

This course is an introduction to plasma physics applied to magnetic fusion energy. It will present key nuclear reactions, and the advantages/drawbacks of fusion energy. This course will explain why confining a hot plasma is the best way to produce fusion energy, and how this can be done with intense magnetic fields.  In addition, it will introduce the main instabilities that may plague a plasma.
PH7028
Nanophotonics

4 AU

Detailed course information

This course intends to equip students with the fundamental knowledge and methodologies on nanophotonics, nanophotonic structured light, nanophotonic materials and devices, by focusing on several frontier subfields including plasmonics, metamaterials, subwavelength gratings, and near-field optics. It will focus on the fundamental principles, applications, and recent developments of the nanophotonic devices. Numerical modeling methods, nanofabrication techniques, and characterization methods of the nanostructures and fields will also be introduced.

Courses for MSc in Precision Scientific Instrumentation

Compulsory Courses

PH6701
Precision Instrumentation Laboratory

3 AU
This is a laboratory-based course aiming to train student on experimental techniques employed in electronic device measurement and material characterisation. Student will be trained on how to do hardware and software programming of microcontroller and applied to real precision control

Prescribed Elective Courses (Specialisation Track)

Nano-Photonics Technology

PH6603
Semiconductor Processing Technologies

3 AU
This course aims to provide comprehensive introduction to student on the fabrication technologies of semiconductor devices. It covers essential topics including principles and design, in order to provide foundation knowledge of the functionality and applications of the devices. You will be taught to design device fabrication recipe, and linking theory and practice so that concept learned in the course can be implemented. The processing technologies of semiconductor devices, from wafer growth to packaging, will be explained in detail. Up-to-date technology development in semiconductor research and industry will be discussed so that students are upkeep with the latest technology advancement. It is the aim of this course to familiarise student with the common semiconductor devices in advanced manufacturing industry so that the student can have relevant background before embarking their engineering career in advanced manufacturing industry.
PH6730
Advanced Techniques for Spectroscopic Research and Engineering

3 AU
This course will give you a comprehensive introduction to optical spectroscopy and imaging techniques. These techniques are widely used in the non-destructive analytical characterisation of traditional materials such as organic compounds, semiconductors, and metals, as well as in emerging fields like nanophononics and biomolecular research. By covering the physical mechanisms, instrumentation, and data analysis involved in optical spectroscopy, this course will provide the relevant background needed to embark on a successful professional career in this field.
PH6732
Optoelectronic Technology

3 AU
This course aims to provide a good understanding of the principles of optoelectronic technology. Topics covered include fundamentals and applications of optics, Optical fiber communication, display technology, and semiconductor optoelectronic devices etc.
PH6654
Quantum Optics


3 AU
Early 80’s, Aspect's experiment demonstrated the violation of Bell’s inequalities which ended a long quest initiated by the EPR paradox in 1935. This is a keystone for what is called nowadays the second quantum revolution. This revolution is characterised firstly by the emergence of new technologies that allowed for a constantly improved control of simple quantum systems (single and twin photon sources, for example). Besides, it is based on the recognition that the irreducibly non-classical behaviour of quantum systems offers new ways to tackle old problems such as cryptography and algorithmic. The course aims to introduce the basic concepts behind this revolution and illustrate them with applications related to quantum information and quantum sensing processing.

Chip Technology

PH6603
Semiconductor Processing Technologies

3 AU
This course aims to provide comprehensive introduction to student on the fabrication technologies of semiconductor devices. It covers essential topics including principles and design, in order to provide foundation knowledge of the functionality and applications of the devices. You will be taught to design device fabrication recipe, and linking theory and practice so that concept learned in the course can be implemented. The processing technologies of semiconductor devices, from wafer growth to packaging, will be explained in detail. Up-to-date technology development in semiconductor research and industry will be discussed so that students are upkeep with the latest technology advancement. It is the aim of this course to familiarise student with the common semiconductor devices in advanced manufacturing industry so that the student can have relevant background before embarking their engineering career in advanced manufacturing industry.
PH6605
Physics of Solid State Electronic Devices

3 AU
This course offers a comprehensive introduction to solid-state semiconductor physics and devices. It begins with a concise review of crystal structures, quantum theory of solids, and an introduction to semiconductor materials. Building on this foundation, the course delves into advanced concepts in semiconductor material properties and device physics, focusing on their application in devices such as diodes and transistors. Students will also learn to use the Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE) for circuit modelling, gaining hands-on experience in designing, simulating, and analyzing circuits through simulation. The curriculum culminates in discussions on real-world applications, including discrete electronic components, memory technologies, and power semiconductor devices. By the end of the course, students will have a solid foundation to pursue careers in the semiconductor industry
PH6607
Principles of Semiconductor Wafer Test and Measurement

3 AU
Principles of Semiconductor Wafer Test and Measurement is an important complementary course if you are learning semiconductor physics and intend to pursue a semiconductor career. The introduction to on-wafer electrical measurements allows you to learn and understand how semiconductor passive and active devices are tested to support technology process development, yield enhancement, device reliability studies as well as device SPICE model extraction and development. This course also shed insights on challenges to accurately characterize silicon devices’ DC, analogue, RF and optical characteristics and how final tests are conducted for complex RF, optical transceivers and AI accelerating computing systems manufactured with Advanced Packaging processes.
PH6739
Digital Electronics

3 AU

This course covers core concepts and basic building blocks of digital electronics for understanding and designing complex digital systems. It will introduce the concepts related to number systems, Boolean algebra and logic gates. These concepts will be applied to design fundamental digital circuits of combinational (like adder, multiplexer, comparator, etc.) and sequential (like flip-flops, finite state machines, shift registers, memories, etc.) nature.

The students will be able to understand how to implement such complex circuits through hardware description language (like VHDL). Accompanying hands-on exercises are designed to enable a deeper understanding of the digital circuit design principle. The course will also discuss programmable logic, commonly used for prototyping, testing and deploying digital circuits. Finally, the design flow of digital integrated circuits will be discussed to provide a comprehensive look at digital systems from conception to fabrication to deployment.

Interdisciplinary AI

PH6603
Semiconductor Processing Technologies

3 AU
This course aims to provide comprehensive introduction to student on the fabrication technologies of semiconductor devices. It covers essential topics including principles and design, in order to provide foundation knowledge of the functionality and applications of the devices. You will be taught to design device fabrication recipe, and linking theory and practice so that concept learned in the course can be implemented. The processing technologies of semiconductor devices, from wafer growth to packaging, will be explained in detail. Up-to-date technology development in semiconductor research and industry will be discussed so that students are upkeep with the latest technology advancement. It is the aim of this course to familiarise student with the common semiconductor devices in advanced manufacturing industry so that the student can have relevant background before embarking their engineering career in advanced manufacturing industry.
PH6723
Computational Methods in Physics

3 AU
This course aims to provide students with the quantitative skills needed to study complex physical situations, such as multi-dimensional systems, nonlinear phenomena, and stochastic phenomena. Emphasis is placed on practical analysis, problem-solving, and debugging skills. These skills are developed through programming assignments, in which students will learn how to tackle a variety of physics problems in electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics etc.
PH6725
AI for Sciences

3 AU
This course is designed for students who are interested in AI for sciences. The course aims to cover basic concepts of machine learning, deep learning, nonlinear dimensionality reduction, data representation and featurisation, geometric deep learning and their applications in physics, chemistry, biology, and materials.  
PH6607
Principles of Semiconductor Wafer Test and Measurement

3 AU

Principles of Semiconductor Wafer Test and Measurement is an important complementary course if you are learning semiconductor physics and intend to pursue a semiconductor career. The introduction to on-wafer electrical measurements allows you to learn and understand how semiconductor passive and active devices are tested to support technology process development, yield enhancement, device reliability studies as well as device SPICE model extraction and development. This course also shed insights on challenges to accurately characterize silicon devices’ DC, analogue, RF and optical characteristics and how final tests are conducted for complex RF, optical transceivers and AI accelerating computing systems manufactured with Advanced Packaging processes.

Quantum Communication Technology

PH6651
Quantum Information and Quantum Computation

3 AU
This course focuses on one most important application of quantum technologies: quantum computation. This course covers the theoretical concepts of quantum qubits, quantum gates, and quantum circuits to the full implementation of quantum algorithms. In addition, the course will describe how quantum circuits can be used to solve problems faster than “classical” quantum computers and their real-world implementations.
PH6652
Quantum Devices for Quantum Communication and Sensing

3 AU
This course aims to introduce the rapidly developing field of quantum communication, quantum sensing, and metrology from theoretical and practical aspects. Basic theoretical concepts of quantum mechanics will be developed and applied to these topics. Advances and challenges in state-of-the-art practical technologies will be discussed.
PH6653
Quantum Mysteries and Quantum Mechanics

3 AU
This course imparts fundamental knowledge, theory, and quantum mechanics concepts. It uses quantum paradoxes to unveil the mysteries of quantum mechanics and gain a deeper understanding of the theory by developing a better physical intuition. This course is designed for students embarking on quantum engineering, and it provides foundational knowledge for more advanced topics like quantum information theory, quantum communication, quantum metrology and quantum tomography.
PH6654
Quantum Optics

3 AU
Early 80’s, Aspect's experiment demonstrated the violation of Bell’s inequalities which ended a long quest initiated by the EPR paradox in 1935. This is a keystone for what is called nowadays the second quantum revolution. This revolution is characterised firstly by the emergence of new technologies that allowed for a constantly improved control of simple quantum systems (single and twin photon sources, for example). Besides, it is based on the recognition that the irreducibly non-classical behaviour of quantum systems offers new ways to tackle old problems such as cryptography and algorithmic. The course aims to introduce the basic concepts behind this revolution and illustrate them with applications related to quantum information and quantum sensing processing.

 

Unrestricted Elective Courses

PH6403
Physics of Surfaces and Interfaces

3 AU
The course will discuss fundamental and applied research within surface and interface physics and related fields, such as material science, material chemistry and nanoscience. Techniques and instrumentation of surface characterisation will also be a focus of the discussion.
PH6404
Physics of Low Dimensional Structures

3 AU
This course introduces how quantum mechanical behaviour emerges in condensed matter systems at the nanometre scale and how quantum mechanical laws govern their properties. It will provide an overview of physical phenomena observed experimentally, introduce their underlying physical principles, and aim to build the analytical skills to describe these phenomena mathematically. This course will equip students with the relevant concepts of modern nanoscience and technology that will prepare the students to follow or initiate research in the field or to work in industry jobs related to applied nanoscience and technology. 
PH6711
Applied Solid State Physics

3 AU
This course aims to teach students the understanding the origins of the wide variety of solid state properties. Contents include crystal structure, lattice, structure determination by diffraction methods; phonons and their properties; interband transitions, excitons, and plasmons; electrons in a periodic potential, semiconductor, magnetism and superconductivity.
PH6717
Experimental Methodology in Solid State Physics

3 AU
This course seeks to illustrate and explain key experimental methods available to contemporary solid-state physicists. Examples will predominantly be drawn from the field of quantum condensed matter physics, followed by a phenomenological review of several important theoretical concepts to interpret typical experimental findings. These include classical and quantum phase transitions, low-dimensional magnetism, electronic glasses and superconductivity. 
PH6718
Graduate Professional Internship

3 AU
This is a 10-week internship training in the local industry with project scopes relevant to physics and engineering.
PH6720
Industry Immersion Internship

6 AU
The 6-AU internship is designed to provide students with the opportunity to integrate academic knowledge with practical, real-world experience. Through direct involvement in industry projects, students will enhance their technical competencies while developing critical problem-solving and analytical skills. This internship fosters professional growth by allowing students to engage with industry professionals, build valuable networks, and gain insights into the operational aspects of their field.
PH6721
Deep Learning with Python

3 AU
Deep learning (DL) technology runs an increasing part of everyday life, often without you knowing it. Modern DL applications include advanced web search engines, speech and image recognition, recommendation, large language models, protein folding, and many more. In this course, we will cover foundational concepts in DL such as neural net architectures (e.g., multilayer perceptrons, convolutional neutral networks, recurrent neural networks, transformers), representation learning, reinforcement learning, transfer learning generative models, and their applications to computer vision, natural language processing, and drug design. The course will provide you with essential concepts and skills in deep learning that will enable you to understand how to apply deep learning to solve real-world problems, particularly in science and research. You will be encouraged to work closely with data using python, and motivate you to explore related cutting-edge applications. Given the rapid development of DL, the course will focus on providing you with the skills necessary to independently learn techniques not covered by the course, in order to address the more complex problems that you may encounter in the future. Students are required to work on a final project to gain experience in research and critical thinking.
PH6733
Silicon Photonic Chip Technology

3 AU
This course aims to equip students with the application of silicon photonics in the real world. The students will be introduced to the industry practice on the technology, design, layout, and testing of Silicon Photonics Integrated Circuits.  The concept and knowledge of the importance of layout for wafer testing will also be taught. The students will also be imparted with the knowledge of characterisation and testing methods of key components of silicon photonics products. Specific topics on silicon photonics manufacturing, like wafer manufacturing and post-fabrication flow, will also be covered in this course.
PH6740
VLSI Design and Design for Testability

3 AU
Modern digital integrated circuits typically include millions to billions of digital logic gates. The objective of this course is to provide advanced knowledge of VLSI design and design for testability. Fundamental knowledge about VLSI design such as power, leakage, and performance will be covered so that the students can understand key requirements in modern VLSI systems. Complex VLSI systems make testing extremely challenging. Thie course will also discuss well-known device wear mechanisms and their impacts on VLSI systems. Basic testing techniques for VLSI testability such as fault simulation and test vector generation will be introduced. Basic hardware-friendly error detection and correction coding schemes will also be discussed. Finally, the students will learn various bult-in-self-test design techniques for advanced VLSI systems. This course serves as an introductory course at the postgraduate level.
PH6742
Analog Electronics

3 AU
This course equips you with basic practical and theoretical skills in analog electronic circuit design. It covers key components such as current mirrors, differential pairs, and operational amplifiers, while emphasizing feedback, stability, noise, and real-world performance. It also covers mixed-signal circuits such as ADCs and DACs. Designed for students with backgrounds in Physics or Engineering, it bridges the gap between theoretical concepts and hands-on circuit design using modern tools and simulation techniques. The course is ideal for those seeking careers in electronics, semiconductor design, instrumentation, or communication systems. It also provides a solid foundation for further study in analog and mixed-signal IC design.
PH6750
Emerging Non-Volatile Memory Technologies

3 AU
This course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of emerging non-volatile memory (NVM) technologies, focusing on Resistive Memories (valence change, electrochemical metallization, and phase-change memory), ferroelectric memories, field-driven magnetic RAM, Spin Transfer Torque MRAM, and Spin Orbit Torque MRAM Devices. Students will explore and learn the underlying physical mechanisms, material systems, device architectures, and integration challenges in the field. Through discussions on contemporary research and industry trends, the course prepares students to contribute to innovations in memory technology and its applications in computing and storage.
PH6760
Scientific Communication

3 AU
This course has been specially designed to develop graduate students' ability to communicate their research in writing and orally in academic and professional settings upon graduation. Students will learn the principles that underlie effective scientific communication. They will learn to evaluate scientific claims and arguments critically and to present logical arguments in their writing and oral presentations. The course will also provide opportunities for students to acquire the skills required to participate effectively and confidently in scientific discussions and seminars. This is a practice-intensive course where students will be provided with opportunities to practise their communication skills individually, in pairs and in groups and receive feedback to help them perfect their skills. 
PH6780
Supervised Research

3 AU
Research project supervised by a faculty advisor, with weekly consultations. The research projects will focus on training the students on necessary concepts and skills related to advanced scientific instrumentation. The project can be carried out at a university laboratory or local research institutes or an approved industrial site in the case of a supervised industrial project.