Physics Seminar

قسم تخصصات البكالوريوس
1

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Special Seminar

Speaker: Dr. Riazuddin

              Director, National Center for Physics

Qaid-I-Azam University

Islamabad, Pakistan

Title: Neutrinos

Abstract: Certainly one of the most exciting areas of research at present is neutrino physics. Neutrinos are fantastically numerous in the universe and so to understand the universe we must understand neutrinos. It is fair to say that the results of the last decade on neutrinos from the sun, from the atmospheric interaction of cosmic rays, and from reactors provide compelling evidence that neutrinos have non-zero masses and mix.

Date & Time: Tuesday, 21 September 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

2

مشكور

3

On-Line Course – Physics 101

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar

Speaker: Dr. M.S. Kariapper

Physics Department
KFUPM

Title: On-Line Course – Physics 101

Abstract: A general introduction to online course and how it differs from traditional classroom.

Without the usual time constraint present in the traditional classroom setting, online students can greatly benefit from the multimedia rich contents, interactivity, communication tools, and learn at their own pace; moreover online instruction can be better designed to conform to the standards of Good Teaching Practice as outlined by Chickering and Gamson (1987). After the introduction, the audience will be taken on a tour of the phy101 online course that was very recently completed by the presenter and his project team. The features of our online course will be shown and discussed in the light of what is presented.

Date & Time: Sunday, 26 September 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

4

Why Basic Research Is Necessary

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics

Speaker: Dr. Riazuddin

             Director, National Center for Physics

Qaid-I-Azam University

Islamabad, Pakistan

Title: Why Basic Research Is Necessary

         For Industrial Development

Abstract:

C.P. Snow in his book "Two Cultures” divides the industrial revolution in three phases. The first phase began at the end of the eighteenth century with the invention of the steam engine. It was mainly created by handy men and academic science played a very little role in this phase. In fact this phase preceded the science of thermodynamics which was developed in the nineteenth century. Also in this century “some claim” two great conceptual revolutions associated with Darwin (theory of evolution) and Maxwell (unification of electricity and magnetism) took place. In the second phase of industrial revolution, Chemistry played a major role. Giant Chemical companies were established in Europe and USA. In the third phase of industrial revolution atomic particles like electrons, neutrons, nuclei and atoms played a crucial role. There is not a single industry today that does not make use of atomic physics or modern chemistry. This revolution is based on physics of the 20th Century. Note the qualitative change: The first phase preceded some great discoveries in basic sciences while the third phase followed new discoveries in basic sciences, in particular two conceptual revolutions created by relativity and quantum mechanics and the birth of atomic and sub-atomic world.

By discussing various examples in the third phase, the role of basic science in technological and economic development will be highlighted. A linear model of research where knowledge moves in one direction from basic research to applied science to industry no longer holds. In reality multiple feed backs are needed. Thus we may add a fourth phase to industrial revolution which took place after the Second World War. In this phase interaction between basic science and technology become close. Several examples will be discussed to illustrate this relationship and that modern technology cannot be sustained without an indigenous scientific base.

Date & Time: Tuesday, 28 September 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

5

Radiation Sources in Oil Industry (Utilization & Protection)

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Falah Abu Jarad

Radiation Protection Unit
Saudi Aramco-Dhahran

Title: Radiation Sources in Oil Industry (Utilization & Protection)

Abstract: For well over half a century, radiation technologies have been contributing to a better quality of life in a wide variety of fields such as industry, medicine, agriculture, and research. Utilization of radiation sources in oil industrial fields has significantly increased in the past 30 years due to advances in technologies that take advantage of the unique properties of ionizing radiation. Radiation technologies are based on utilizing some of radiation’s physical properties to yield a useful result. For example, the high ability of gamma and x-rays to penetrate matter is applied in medical imaging processes (radiology), as well as the inspection of structures for weakness and flaws in industrial radiography and nuclear level gauges in refineries. In exploration, the moisture content measurements are based on the interaction of neutron radiation emitted by the neutron source with the hydrogen atoms in the materials to be tested. Radiation technologies are used daily and intensively in various applications in the oil industry. These applications are associated with exploring and producing hydrocarbons, refining and related processes, protecting the Industry infrastructure (inspection), keeping a healthy workforce (medical applications), providing analytical support (laboratories), and maintaining industrial security.

The seminar will give a general overview about radiation sources (natural and man-made), applications of radiation sources in the oil industry and protection of workers, the public and environment from these sources.

Date & Time: Sunday, 03 October 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

6

On Perturbation and Beyond

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar
Speaker: Dr. F. Zaman

Mathematical Sciences Department
KFUPM - Dhahran

Title: On Perturbation and Beyond

Abstract: The perturbation method has provided to be a powerful tool in solving problems arising in mathematical physics, direct and inverse scattering, solid and fluid dynamics and various engineering disciplines. After a brief introduction to the method and some interesting applications, some new alternates will be discussed. In particular a brief account of the decomposition method introduced by Adomian and the method of homotopy analysis recently proposed by Shijun Liao will be provided.

Date & Time: Sunday, 10 October 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

7

Remote Ultrasonic Detector Using He-Ne Laser and Confocal Fabry-Perot Interferometer

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics

Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Abdulaziz Aljalal

Physics Department
KFUPM - Dhahran

Title: Remote Ultrasonic Detector Using He-Ne Laser and Confocal Fabry-Perot Interferometer

Abstract:Recently we have built, at KFUPM, a remote ultrasonic detector using a 0.5-mW He-Ne laser and a 50-cm confocal Fabry-Perotinterferometer. The importance of this type of detector as well as the physical principles behind it will be highlighted. A good portion of the seminar will be devoted to discussing major technical difficulties faced during the construction of this detector. The performance of this detector on polished aluminum samples will be presented and will be compared with the performance of a conventional PZT ultrasonic detector on the same samples.

Date & Time: Sunday, 24 October 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

All are cordially invited

8

Data Mining and Medical Informatics

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar
Speaker: Dr. R. E. Abdel-Aal

Physics Department
KFUPM - Dhahran

Title: Data Mining and Medical Informatics

Abstract:

The increase in the amount of medical data available is making it necessary to provide physicians and public health authorities with intelligent assistance with decision making. Conventional statistical methods have long been used in medicine, but modern data mining and machine learning techniques handle larger numbers of input variables, require less user intervention, and are better at dealing with nonlinearity and uncertainty in the data. Applications include disease classification, diagnosis, prognosis, selection of optimum treatment methods, and automated biochemical analysis. Benefits to health care include better understanding of epidemiological factors, easier and more accurate screening for diseases, and improved utilization of health care resources.

This presentation introduces data mining, its main techniques, and its applications to medicine. It highlights the abductive networks machine learning approach used at KFUPM and compares it with neural networks. The presentation then briefly describes a number of medical applications carried out in collaboration with researchers at the Medical Colleges of King Faisal and King Saud Universities.

Date & Time: Sunday, 31 October 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

All are cordially invited

9

What A Medical Physicist Can Do To Improve The Chances Of Early Detection Of Breast

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Nabil Maalej

Physics Department
KFUPM - Dhahran

Title: What A Medical Physicist Can Do To Improve The Chances Of Early Detection Of Breast Cancer

Abstract:

The leading cases of cancer in Saudi females are breast cancer. Early detection and treatment of the tumor is very critical to improve the chances of cure. Women above the age of 40 are encouraged to have a mammography screening. However, the usefulness of mammography examinations depends strongly on the diagnostic image quality. The fraction of false negatives in reading the mammograms is estimated to be in the range of 15% to 25%. In this talk, we will speak about what the medical physicist can do to improve the chances of early detection of cancer while maintaining the radiation exposure at acceptable levels.

Date & Time: Sunday, 21 November 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

10

Semiconductors History- Evolution, Rise and Demise

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Zeini Al Saati

Electrical Engineering Department
KFUPM - Dhahran
Title: Semiconductors History- Evolution, Rise and Demise

Abstract:
The history of semiconductors is closely associated with modern Electronics which started with the invention of the transistor and in 1947 raised to eminence by the invention of the integrated circuit (IC). In 1958 the scale of integration has gone since unabated from small scale (SSI), to medium scale (MSI), to large scale (LSI), to very large scale (VLSI) and to ultra scale integration (ULSI). Moore’s law predicating that amazing evolution stood valid for almost four decades until now. However, there are unmistakable signs that the dominance of semiconductors in Electronics may be ending. As the transistor’s invention put an end to the Electronics based on the vacuum tubes technology, emerging new technologies. Such as photonics, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), and lately Nanotechnology may give the Semiconductor’s electronics, a similar fate. In this seminar, timeline and major milestones in Electronics shall be given as well as names of pioneers covering the period from 1900 to 2004. I will reflect mainly on fundamental concepts, areas of applications, economics and social effects. Major world players in Electronics are the US, Japan, Western Europe, and East and Asian nations including fast growing China. The rest of the world is being on the consumer side, not benefiting from the huge financial, economical, political and military advantages gained from Electronics. I will reflect on the Electronic situation in the Gulf States and briefly discuss a UN based Report on what should be done.

Date & Time: Sunday, 28 November 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

11

The Qadir-Wheeler Suture Model and its Implications

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar
Speaker: Asghar Qadir

               Centre for Advanced Mathematics and Physics

                  National University of Sciences and Technology

                  Rawalpindi, Pakistan & Adjunct Prof. KFUPM

Title: The Qadir-Wheeler Suture Model and its Implications

Abstract:

Black holes were regarded as a serious problem in the theory of general relativity when it was realized that they were implicit in it. They were regarded as an exciting possibility when people got used to the idea and the possibility of trying to observe them arose. They became fashionable when Wheeler gave them this catchy name. They came into the forefront of astrophysical discussions when Ruffini identified the first black hole in Cygnus X-1. Some serious conceptual problems remained and needed to be understood. In this talk I explain how Wheeler and I tried to find answers to those problems and the further investigations that they led to. General Relativity has the feature that it has to deal with all that there is and cannot look at parts piecemeal. As such, fundamental questions must be addressed by constructing models of the entire Universe. For most purposes it is not necessary for the models to be realistic descriptions of the actual Universe. The methods adopted to deal with the problems were to construct “cut-and-paste” toy cosmological models and to look at the spacetime in terms of time slices that are geometrically prescribed.

Date & Time: Sunday, 5 December 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

12

Optical Properties of Thin Films

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar
Speaker: Dr. M.F. Al-Kuhaili

Physics Department
KFUPM - Dhahran

Title: Optical Properties of Thin Films

Abstract:

Thin films are instrumental in various modern technologies, such as sensors, semiconductors and optoelectronics. Knowledge of their optical properties gives insight into their fundamental material properties, as well as their functional behavior. The purpose of this seminar is to give a general overview of the optical properties of thin films and the experimental techniques used to determine them. Among these methods, the spectrophotometric method will be considered in more detail to show how it can be used to determine the optical constants of various types of thin films. The theoretical models used to extract the optical constants from experimental measurements will be discussed.

Date & Time: Tuesday, 7 December 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

13

Analytic Solution for Bose Einstein Condensates Using Dynamical Renormalization Group

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Saeed Al-Amoudi

Physics Department
KFUPM - Dhahran

Title: Analytic Solution for Bose Einstein Condensates Using Dynamical Renormalization Group Approach

Abstract:

Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) around zero temperature are well described by the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. Theoretical investigations of BEC using numerical solutions of that equation give remarkable results when compared with experiments. However, the Gross-Pitaevskii equation is non-integrable and no exact analytical solutions are known. In this proposed work, we propose a procedure to find an analytic solution to the Gross-Pitaevskii equation using a perturbative scheme along with a renormalization scheme which is known as the dynamical renormalization group (DRG) approach. In this scheme, the perturbative solution of the equation of motion features secular terms, namely terms that grow and invalidate the perturbative expansion. The DRG provides a consistent framework to resum these secular terms and yields a uniform asymptotic expansion. We will present this approach using a simplified model and then apply this approach to the Bose-Einstein condensates.

Date & Time: Sunday, 19 December 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

14

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Abul Hasan Siddiqi,

            Department of Mathematical Sciences

KFUPM

Title: Emerging Areas of Inter-Disciplinary Research

Abstract:

In different parts of the world, educationists and administrators have been increasingly emphasizing inter-disciplinary studies. Mathematics occupies a unique position in inter-disciplinary studies. It provides the foundation for all technological development and has helped to resolve problems of archeology and fraud – determination, the date of furniture in Egyptian tombs, the Van Meegeren art forgeries and more recently it has been applied to understand DNA sequences, protein structures, functioning of the heart and kidneys, the location of tumors in the brain, modeling and simulation of superconductor, semi-conductor, Bose-Einstein condensation, understanding climatic changes and the fluctuation of prices in stock markets. But, unfortunately, in spite of the application of mathematics in numerous fields which have a direct impact on our day-to-day living, it is considered as an austere and recondite field.

In the first part of this talk, reasons for this situation are analyzed and remedial measures are discussed. Furthermore, mathematical methods for certain current areas of inter-disciplinary studies such as fluctuation of stock markets, structure of DNA, location of breast-cancer and numerical simulation of Bose-Einstein condensation are also elaborated.

Date & Time: Sunday, 26 December 2004, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:30-10:55 am in Room 6-125

All are cordially invited

15

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Khalil Ziq

  Physics Department

KFUPM

Title: Magnetic properties of ZnO-TM Semiconductor

Abstract: We propose to study the nature of magnetic state in ZnO doped with Cu and transition metal magnetic impurity. The aim is to characterize the nature of the magnetic state and the appropriate conditions for obtaining ferromagnetic state and its relation with p- and n-type semiconductor.

Date & Time: Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:40-10:55 am in Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

All are cordially invited

16

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Department of Physics
Seminar

Speaker: Dr. Jihad Al-Sadah

            Physics Department,

            KFUPM

Title: “Ultrasound Methods for Assessing Sound Speed and Angular Scattering of Tissue”.

Abstracts:

Conventional pulse-echo ultrasound imaging systems construct gray scale images by assuming a global value for the sound speed and a single angular direction for the reflected energy. The speed of sound (SOS) in tissue assumed by most machines is 1540m/s. Although this is a reasonable average value for soft tissues, close inspection shows that the sound speed varies with tissue type and sometimes with pathology. These variations have a negative impact on image quality, particularly with array transducers. Moreover, some researchers believe that SOS can provide valuable diagnostic information, so methods to measure sound speed and apply corrections are important.

For most organs of interest, direct measurements of SOS, for example via through transmission, are not clinically practical. However, the flexibility of modern beam formers on systems that use array transducers will enable sound speed determinations for most scanning sites. For example, in one method, a series of test images of a region of interest are obtained under different beam former SOS assumptions and the quality of reconstructed image patches is used to establish the best choice of speed. Metrics of image quality that were developed and tested include mean brightness, image sharpness as measured by correlation, and edge dulling of discrete wires. They will be demonstrated in this talk.

A second novel technique for measuring sound speed acquires pre-beam-formed, single channel data for one or more transmitted ultrasound beams and then optimizes SOS dependent metrics derived from these data. The method measures the texture orientation corresponding to these pre-beam-formed data, which varies with assumed sound speed. The method is based on the Radon transform of the raw data after some enhancement to the input signals.

The practiced way of forming pulse-echo images assumes angularly uniform backward scattering of ultrasound waves. There is evidence that backscattering may not be the prime source of echo data in many cases. In particular, the imaging data pertaining to different backward scatter angles are currently mixed, although we think that they could be filtered into separate images. Such angular scattering images promise to provide additional information about pathology, for example in tendon and muscle. The physical and computational aspects of this idea will be presented, along with some early results.

Date & Time: Sunday, 18 November 2007, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:40-10:55 am in Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

All are cordially invited

17

Department of Physics

Seminar

Speaker: Dr. Faycal Ben Adda

            Faculty of Sciences 
            University of Hail

Title:

THE UNIVERSE; SHAPE and FATE in a New Mathematical Model

Abstracts:

In this presentation, Dr. Faycal Ben Adda unravels some disturbing modern cosmological concepts which challenge deeply rooted ones. Surely, this presentation, and the wealth of new information/concepts it contains, provides the foundation of a new/innovative understanding of the Universe and its ever-changing dynamics including its fate.

Date & Time: Sunday, 2 March 2008, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the

Seminar at 10:40-10:55 am in Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

All are cordially invited

18

Doing Nanotechnology on Campus:What is CENT up to?

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
Department of Physics

Seminar

Speaker: Dr. Zain Yamani
Associate Professor, Physics Dept., KFUPM
Director of the Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT) at KFUPM

Title: “Doing Nanotechnology on Campus:
What is CENT up to?”

Abstracts:
In this presentation we introduce the Center of Research Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT) at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.

After a short (historical) introduction, we explain how CENT functions, what its current research is about, and where it is heading. We conclude with a call for ideas and an invitation affiliation and collaboration.

Date & Time: Sunday, 26 October 2008, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the
Seminar at 10:40-10:55 am in Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

All are cordially invited

19

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
Department of Physics

Seminar

Speaker: Professor Charles M. Falco
UA Chair of Condensed Matter Physics
Professor of Optical Sciences
University of Arizona

Title: The Science of Optics; the History of Art

Abstracts:
Recently, renowned artist David Hockney observed that certain drawings and paintings from as early as the Renaissance seemed almost “photographic” in detail. Following an extensive visual investigation of western art of the past 1000 years, he made the revolutionary claim that artists even of the prominence of van Eyck and Bellini must have used optical aids. However, many art historians insisted there was no supporting evidence for such a remarkable assertion. In this talk I show a wealth of optical evidence for his claim that Hockney and I subsequently discovered during an unusual, and remarkably productive, collaboration between an artist and a scientist. I also discuss the imaging properties of the “mirror lens” (concave mirror), and some of the implications this work has for the history of science as well as the history of art (and the modern fields of machine vision and computerized image analysis). This includes new discoveries about the contributions of the 11th century scholar, Ibn al-Haytham, to broad areas of European culture. These discoveries convincingly demonstrate optical instruments were in use -- by artists, not scientists -- nearly 200 years earlier than commonly thought possible, and account for the remarkable transformation in the reality of portraits that occurred early in the 15th century.

(for more information see http://www.optics.arizona.edu/ssd/FAQ.html )

Date & Time: Sunday, 9 November 2008, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the
Seminar at 10:40-10:55 am in Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

All are cordially invited

20

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
on behalf of
Department of Physics & Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology
Seminar

Speaker: Mr. Ahmad A. Mahayri
Vice President, LMC
Jeddah

Title: From Laboratory to Society: The Economic and Social Consideration in Realizing the Promise of Nanotechnology.

Abstract

Nanotechnology can rebuild the human body from within and effectively abolish death, while its enemies fear that instead, it could do away with life, by turning the surface of the Earth into an uninhabitable grey mess. The truth probably lies somewhere between these extremes. But even here the consequences are certain to be significant, with novel medical technology, faster computers, new energy sources and improved materials. It is the social, political and economic effects of nanotechnology that concern the society in large, thus, the seminar will discuss the challenges facing Nanotechnology, and the time scope to realize its promises.

In addition, the speaker will spot the light on the business point of view on the Nanotechnology; by mentioning some success stories of commercial products that capitalized on the nanotechnology to become a revolutionary consumer product.

Money-wise, the speaker will explain in brief the investment mechanism to fund nanotechnology research (corporate investments, national funding and venture capital investments), and the different priorities to each category.

Date & Time: Sunday, 15 March 2009, 11:00 am
Location: Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

There will be a Get-Together and Coffee before the
Seminar at 10:40-10:55 am in Room 6-125 (Auditorium)

All are cordially invited