James D. D. Martin

Associate Professor of Physics, University of Waterloo

Contact information:

Research Interests:

Experimental Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (AMO), especially Rydberg atoms.

For more information, please see our publications.

News:

March 2024: Check out this educational video: Wavicles and the Weakest Bond --- can two helium atoms form a molecule? made by U. Nandivada and myself!
January 2024: Comment on "Matter-wave interferometry with helium atoms in low-l Rydberg states", Published, Physical Review A
November 2023: (Editor's Pick!) Thermal physics in the data age --- students judge the applicability of the equipartition theorem, Am. J. Phys. v. 91, pg 988 (2023).
March 2021: A simple derivation of Floquet's theorem, as normally applied to unitary evolution in quantum mechanics is available here.
March 2020: We have recently identified the precise relationship between Many-Mode Floquet Theory (MMFT) and "regular" Floquet theory (as formulated by Shirley), in the case of commensurate frequencies.

If you are interested in joining our group as a graduate student, you are welcome to contact me to discuss potential research projects.

Teaching:

I have taught a wide variety of courses here at UW, ranging from introductory second year optics to graduate quantum mechanics. I have assembled a small selection of problems from these courses, that may be of interest to others.

I also have a selection of third year thermal physics problems available here

I'm working on a set of notes concerning special relativity and electromagnetic radiation: Accelerate to radiate They are suitable for upper-year and graduate students. They are currently incomplete.

Current:

1. Phys 701, Quantum Mechanics (graduate), Fall 2024. Textbook will be Jackson's, "A course in quantum mechanics", ISBN: 978-1119880387

Future:

1. Phys 267, Probability, Statistics, and Data Analysis in Physics and Astronomy, Winter 2025.
   Required book: A paper copy of Schaum's Outline of Probability and Statistics, 4th Edition, ISBN: 978-0071795579
   Warning: there are many books from Schaum's with similar titles. Only this particular edition and title are acceptable (you will *only* be allowed to bring this book into the midterm and final exam). The UW bookstore will be stocking this book.

Recent Past:

1. Phys 267, Probability, Statistics, and Data Analysis in Physics and Astronomy, Spring 2024.
2. I taught Phys 706, Electromagnetic Theory (graduate), in the Winter 2024 term.
   
3. I taught Phys 701, Quantum Mechanics (graduate), in the Fall 2023 term.
4. I taught Phys 706, Electromagnetic Theory (graduate), in the Winter 2022 term.
   
5. I taught Phys 442, Electricity and Magnetism 3, in the Fall 2021 term.
   
6. I taught Phys 358, Thermal Physics, in the Spring 2020 and Fall 2020 terms.
7. I taught Phys 263, Classical Mechanics and Special Relativity, in the Winter 2019 term.
8. I taught Phys 701, Quantum Mechanics (graduate), in the Fall 2018 term.
9. I taught Phys 706, Electromagnetic theory (graduate), in the Winter 2018 term.