Course title

Classical Electrodynamics

Course code

ΕΕΝ101

Type of course

Compulsory

Level of course

Graduate

Year of study

1rd

Semester

1th

ECTS credits

9

Name of lecturer(s)

A. Terzis, Associate Professor

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course the student should be able to

  1. Solves classical electrodynamics problems for time independent and time dependent problems.  He/she solves electrostatics and magnetostatics problems (i.e solves Laplace or Poisson type equations for various boundary conditions). Uses Maxwell equations in order to study electrodynamics problems (e/m waves, wave phenomena, waveguides, cavities and e/m radiation).
  2. Apply the principles of classical electrodynamics to realistic systems as (a)insulators-dielectrics (b) metals, (c) semiconductors and (d) low-dimensional quantum systems (semi-classical approximation).
  3. Have the required knowledge for attending the graduate courses of the next semester related to the interaction of radiation with matter.

Competences

At the end of the course the student will have further developed the following skills/competences

  1. Apply the classical electrodynamics methodologies in several other fields of Physics.
    • Ability to apply such knowledge and understanding to the solution of qualitative and quantitative problems of an unfamiliar nature.
      • Ability to adopt and apply methodology to the solution of unfamiliar problems.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisite courses.

Course contents

First part deals with treatment of boundary-value problems in electrostatics and magnetostatics by method of images, orthogonal function expansions, Green's functions, and conformal mapping; multipoles, dielectrics, and magnetic materials. Second part concentrates on Maxwell's equations, propagation of plane waves in various media, radiating systems, radiation by moving charges, radiation damping, and scattering and absorption of radiation by a bound system.

Recommended reading

[1] Classical Electrodynamics, J.D. Jackson, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY, Second Edition, 1975.

[2] Classical Electrodynamics, J.D. Jackson, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY, Third Edition, 1998.

Use both, so the students learn cgs and SI systems of units

Teaching and learning methods

Weekly lectures.

Assessment ang grading methods

1)             Biweekly homeworks (10% of the final mark)

2)             Midterm exam (20% of the final mark).

3)             Final Exam (70% of the final mark)

            Greek grading scale: 1 to 10. Minimum passing grade: 5.

            Grades £3 correspond to ECTS grade F.

            Grade 4 corresponds to ECTS grade FX.

            For the passing grades the following correspondence normally holds:

            5 « E, 6 « D, 7 « C, 8 « B and ³9 « A

Language of instruction

Greek. Instruction may be given in English if foreign students attend the course.