skip to content

Bulletin Archive

This archived information is dated to the 2008-09 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Undergraduate courses in Materials Science and Engineering

MATSCI 70N. Building the Future: Invention and Innovation with Engineering Materials

(F,Sem) Stanford Introductory Seminar. Preference to freshmen. The technological importance of materials in human civilization is captured in historical names such as the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages. The present Information Age could rightly be called the Silicon Age. The pivotal roles of materials in the development of new technologies. Quantitative problem sets, field trips, and formal presentations of small-group projects. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

5 units, Spr (Bravman, J)

MATSCI 81N. Bioengineering Materials to Heal the Body

(F,Sem) Stanford Introductory Seminar. Preference to freshmen. How scientists and engineers are designing new materials for surgeon to use in replacing body parts such as heart tissue or the spinal cord. How cells, in the body and transplanted stem cells, communicate with implanted materials. Real-world examples of materials developed for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine therapies. Students identify a clinically important disease or injury that requires a better material, research approaches to the problem, and debate possible engineering solutions. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

3 units, Win (Heilshorn, S)

MATSCI 100. Undergraduate Independent Study

Independent study in materials science under supervision of a faculty member.

1-3 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

MATSCI 150. Undergraduate Research

Participation in a research project.

3-6 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

MATSCI 151. Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

(Same as MATSCI 251.) Primarily for students without a materials background. Mechanical properties and their dependence on microstructure in a range of engineering materials. Elementary deformation and fracture concepts, strengthening and toughening strategies in metals and ceramics. Topics: dislocation theory, mechanisms of hardening and toughening, fracture, fatigue, and high-temperature creep. Prerequisite: ENGR 50 or equivalent. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Aut (Dauskardt, R)

MATSCI 152. Electronic Materials Engineering

Materials science and engineering for electronic device applications. Kinetic molecular theory and thermally activated processes; band structure and electrical conductivity of metals and semiconductors; intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors; diffusion; elementary p-n junction theory; operating principles of metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors. Semiconductor processing including crystal growth, oxidation kinetics, ion implantation, thin film deposition, etching, and photolithography. Prerequisite: ENGR 50 or equivalent. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Spr (Han, S)

MATSCI 153. Nanostructure and Characterization

The structure of materials at the nanoscale is in most cases the same crystalline form as the natural phase. Structures of materials such as semiconductors, ceramics, metals, and nanotubes; classification of these materials according to the principles of crystallography. Primary methods of structural characterization, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy; their applications to study such nanostructures. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Win (Sinclair, R)

MATSCI 154. Solid State Thermodynamics

The principles of thermodynamics and relationships between thermodynamic variables. Equilibrium in thermodynamic systems. Thermodynamics of multicomponent systems. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Aut (Barnett, D)

MATSCI 155. Nanomaterials Synthesis

The science of synthesis of nanometer scale materials. Examples including solution phase synthesis of nanoparticles, the vapor-liquid-solid approach to growing nanowires, formation of mesoporous materials from block-copolymer solutions, and formation of photonic crystals. Relationship of the synthesis phenomena to the materials science driving forces and kinetic mechanisms. Materials science concepts including capillarity, Gibbs free energy, phase diagrams, and driving forces. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Spr (Clemens, B)

MATSCI 156. Solar Cells, Fuel Cells, and Batteries: Materials for the Energy Solution

Operating principles and applications of emerging technological solutions to the energy demands of the world. The scale of global energy usage and requirements for possible solutions. Basic physics and chemistry of solar cells, fuel cells, and batteries. Performance issues, including economics, from the ideal device to the installed system. The promise of materials research for providing next generation solutions. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Aut (Clemens, B)

MATSCI 157. Quantum Mechanics of Nanoscale Materials

Introduction to quantum mechanics and its application to the properties of materials. The Schrödinger equation, uncertainty principle, bound states and periodic potentials, angular momentum, quantum statistics, and perturbation theory. Applications to electronic band structure in semiconductors, metals, and nanostructures; vibrational properties of solids; light/matter interaction and lasers; bonding; magnetic materials; nanotechnology. Prerequisites: working knowledge of calculus and high school physics. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Win (Lindenberg, A)

MATSCI 159Q. Japanese Companies and Japanese Society

(S,Sem) (Same as ENGR 159Q.) Stanford Introductory Seminar. Preference to sophomores. The structure of a Japanese company from the point of view of Japanese society. Visiting researchers from Japanese companies give presentations on their research enterprise. The Japanese research ethic. The home campus equivalent of a Kyoto SCTI course. GER:DB-SocSci

3 units, Spr (Sinclair, R)

MATSCI 160. Nanomaterials Laboratory

Preference to sophomores and juniors. Hands-on approach to synthesis and characterization of nanoscale materials. How to make, pattern, and analyze the latest nanotech materials, including nanoparticles, nanowires, and self-assembled monolayers. Techniques such as soft lithography, self-assembly, and surface functionalization. The VLS mechanism of nanowire growth, nanoparticle size control, self-assembly mechanisms, and surface energy considerations. Laboratory projects. Enrollment limited to 24. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Spr (Melosh, N)

MATSCI 161. Nanocharacterization Laboratory

(Same as MATSCI 171.) The development of standard lab procedures for materials scientists emphasizing microscopy, metallography, and technical writing. Techniques: optical, scanning-electron, atomic-force microscopy; and metallographic specimen preparation. The relationships among microscopic observation, material properties, and processing. Prerequisite: ENGR 50 or equivalent. GER:DB-EngrAppSci, WIM

4 units, Win (Han, S)

MATSCI 162. X-Ray Diffraction Laboratory

(Same as MATSCI 172.) Experimental x-ray diffraction techniques for microstructural analysis of materials, emphasizing powder and single-crystal techniques. Diffraction from epitaxial and polycrystalline thin films, multilayers, and amorphorous materials using medium and high resolution configurations. Determination of phase purity, crystallinity, relaxation, stress, and texture in the materials. Advanced experimental x-ray diffraction techniques: reciprocal lattice mapping, reflectivity, and grazing incidence diffraction. Enrollment limited to 20. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Win (Vailionis, A)

MATSCI 163. Mechanical Behavior Laboratory

(Same as MATSCI 173.) Experimental techniques for the study of the mechanical behavior of engineering materials in bulk and thin film form, including tension testing, nanoindentation, and wafer curvature stress analysis. Metallic and polymeric systems. Prerequisite: ENGR 50. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Aut (Han, S)

MATSCI 164. Electronic and Photonic Materials and Devices Laboratory

Lab course. Current electronic and photonic materials and devices. Device physics and micro-fabrication techniques. Students design, fabricate, and perform physical characterization on the devices they have fabricated. Established techniques and materials such as photolithography, metal evaporation, and Si technology; and novel ones such as soft lithography and organic semiconductors. Prerequisite: 152 or 199 or consent of instructor. GER:DB-EngrAppSci, WIM

4 units, Aut (Salleo, A)

MATSCI 190. Organic and Biological Materials

(Same as MATSCI 210.) Unique physical and chemical properties of organic materials and their uses.The relationship between structure and physical properties, and techniques to determine chemical structure and molecular ordering. Examples include liquid crystals, dendrimers, carbon nanotubes, hydrogels, and biopolymers such as lipids, protein, and DNA. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Spr (Heilshorn, S)

MATSCI 192. Materials Chemistry

(Same as MATSCI 202.) Chemical principles of materials: atomic and molecular bonding; acid and base chemistry; redox and electrochemistry; colloidal and surface chemistry; materials synthesis; and nanoscale chemistry. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Aut (Cui, Y)

MATSCI 193. Atomic Arrangements in Solids

(Same as MATSCI 203.) Atomic arrangements in perfect and imperfect solids, especially important metals, ceramics, and semiconductors. Elements of formal crystallography, including development of point groups and space groups. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Aut (Sinclair, R)

MATSCI 194. Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria

(Same as MATSCI 204.) The principles of heterogeneous equilibria and their application to phase diagrams. Thermodynamics of solutions; chemical reactions; non-stoichiometry in compounds; first order phase transitions and metastability; thermodynamics of surfaces, elastic solids, dielectrics, and magnetic solids. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Win (Salleo, A)

MATSCI 195. Waves and Diffraction in Solids

(Same as MATSCI 205.) The elementary principals of x-ray, vibrational, and electron waves in solids. Basic wave behavior including Fourier analysis, interference, diffraction, and polarization. Examples of wave systems, including electromagnetic waves from Maxwell's equations. Diffracted intensity in reciprocal space and experimental techniques such as electron and x-ray diffraction. Lattice vibrations in solids, including vibrational modes, dispersion relationship, density of states, and thermal properties. Free electron model. Basic quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics including Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein statistics. Prerequisite: 193/203 or consent of instructor. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Win (Clemens, B)

MATSCI 196. Imperfections in Crystalline Solids

(Same as MATSCI 206.) The relation of lattice defects to the physical and mechanical properties of crystalline solids. Introduction to point imperfections and their relationship to transport properties in metallic, covalent, and ionic crystals. Geometric, crystallographic, elastic, and energetic properties of dislocations. Relations between dislocations and the mechanical properties of crystals. The structure and properties of interfaces in solids. Prerequisite: 193/203. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Win (Staff)

MATSCI 197. Rate Processes in Materials

(Same as MATSCI 207.) Diffusion and phase transformations in solids. Diffusion topics: Fick's laws, atomic theory of diffusion, and diffusion in alloys. Phase transformation topics: nucleation, growth, diffusional transformations, spinodal decomposition, and interface phenomena. Material builds on the mathematical, thermodynamic, and statistical mechanical foundations in the prerequisites. Prerequisites: 194/204. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Spr (McIntyre, P)

MATSCI 198. Mechanical Properties of Materials

(Same as MATSCI 208.) Introduction to the mechanical behavior of solids, emphasizing the relationships between microstructure and mechanical properties. Elastic, anelastic, and plastic properties of materials. The relations between stress, strain, strain rate, and temperature for plastically deformable solids. Application of dislocation theory to strengthening mechanisms in crystalline solids. The phenomena of creep, fracture, and fatigue and their controlling mechanisms. Prerequisites: 193/203. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Win (Dauskardt, R)

MATSCI 199. Electronic and Optical Properties of Solids

(Same as MATSCI 209.) The concepts of electronic energy bands and transports applied to metals, semiconductors, and insulators. The behavior of electronic and optical devices including p-n junctions, MOS-capacitors, MOSFETs, optical waveguides, quantum-well lasers, light amplifiers, and metallo-dielectric light guides. Emphasis is on relationships between structure and physical properties. Elementary quantum and statistical mechanics concepts are used. Prerequisite: 195/205 or equivalent. GER:DB-EngrAppSci

4 units, Spr (Brongersma, M)

© Stanford University - Office of the Registrar. Archive of the Stanford Bulletin 2008-09. Terms of Use | Copyright Complaints