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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.

Graduate courses in Materials Science and Engineering

Primarily for graduate students; undergraduates may enroll with consent of instructor.

MATSCI 171. Nanocharacterization Laboratory

(Same as MATSCI 161.) 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.

3 units, Win (Han, S)

MATSCI 172. X-Ray Diffraction Laboratory

(Same as MATSCI 162.) 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.

3 units, Win (Vailionis, A)

MATSCI 173. Mechanical Behavior Laboratory

(Same as MATSCI 163.) 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.

3 units, Aut (Han, S)

MATSCI 200. Master's Research

Participation in a research project.

1-15 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

MATSCI 202. Materials Chemistry

(Same as MATSCI 192.) Chemical principles of materials: atomic and molecular bonding; acid and base chemistry; redox and electrochemistry; colloidal and surface chemistry; materials synthesis; and nanoscale chemistry.

3 units, Aut (Cui, Y)

MATSCI 203. Atomic Arrangements in Solids

(Same as MATSCI 193.) 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.

3 units, Aut (Sinclair, R)

MATSCI 204. Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria

(Same as MATSCI 194.) 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.

3 units, Win (Salleo, A)

MATSCI 205. Waves and Diffraction in Solids

(Same as MATSCI 195.) 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.

3 units, Win (Clemens, B)

MATSCI 206. Imperfections in Crystalline Solids

(Same as MATSCI 196.) 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.

3 units, Win (Staff)

MATSCI 207. Rate Processes in Materials

(Same as MATSCI 197.) 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.

3 units, Spr (McIntyre, P)

MATSCI 208. Mechanical Properties of Materials

(Same as MATSCI 198.) 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.

3 units, Win (Dauskardt, R)

MATSCI 209. Electronic and Optical Properties of Solids

(Same as MATSCI 199.) 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.

3 units, Spr (Brongersma, M)

MATSCI 210. Organic and Biological Materials

(Same as MATSCI 190.) 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.

3 units, Spr (Heilshorn, S)

MATSCI 230. Materials Science Colloquium

May be repeated for credit.

1 unit, Aut (McGehee, M; Salleo, A), Win (Brongersma, M; Lindenberg, A), Spr (Cui, Y; Heilshorn, S)

MATSCI 251. Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

(Same as MATSCI 151.) 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.

3 units, Aut (Dauskardt, R)

MATSCI 299. Practical Training

Educational opportunities in high-technology research and development labs in industry. Qualified graduate students engage in internship work and integrate that work into their academic program. Following the internship, students complete a research report outlining their work activity, problems investigated, key results, and any follow-on projects they expect to perform. Student is responsible for arranging own employment. See department student services manager before enrolling.

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

MATSCI 300. Ph.D. Research

Participation in a research project.

1-15 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

MATSCI 302. Solar Cells

Theory of conventional p-n junction and excitonic solar cells. Design, fabrication, and characterization of crystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, CdTe, CIGS, and tandem and organic solar cells. Emerging solar cell concepts such as intermediate band gap and bioinspired solar cells. Emphasis is on the materials science aspects of solar cells research. Module design and economic hurdles that must be overcome for solar cell technology to generate a significant fraction of the world's electricity. Group project to explore one solar cell approach in depth. SITN/SCPD televised.

3 units, Spr (McGehee, M)

MATSCI 311. Lasers in Materials Processing

Principles of laser operation. Optically and electrically pumped lasers. Materials for solid-state lasers. Fundamentals of laser/materials interactions. Applications in thin film technology and microfabrication; laser annealing of defects and crystallization of amorphous films. Laser-induced shock waves. Extreme non-equilibrium laser processing; ultra-fast (femtosecond) lasers and their novel uses; micro- and nanofabrication of fluidic and photonic devices; intracellular nano-surgery.

3 units, Spr (Salleo, A)

MATSCI 312. New Methods in Thin Film Synthesis

Materials base for engineering new classes of coatings and devices. Techniques to grow thin films at atomic scale and to fabricate multilayers/superlattices at nanoscale. Vacuum growth techniques including evaporation, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), sputtering, ion beam assisted deposition, laser ablation, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and electroplating. Future direction of material synthesis such as nanocluster deposition and nanoparticles self-assembly. Relationships between deposition parameters and film properties. Applications of thin film synthesis in microelectronics, nanotechnology, and biology. SITN/SCPD televised.

3 units, not given this year

MATSCI 316. Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology

Sample application areas: renewable energy including nanoscaled photovoltaic cells, hydrogen storage, fuel cells, and nanoelectronics. Nanofabrication techniques including: self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules, block copolymers, organic-inorganic mesostructures, colloidal crystals, organic monolayers, proteins, DNA and abalone shells; biologically inspired growth of materials; photolithography, electron beam lithography, and scanning probe lithography; and synthesis of carbon nanotubes, nanowire, and nanocrystals. Other nanotechnology topics may be explored through a group project. SITN/SCPD televised.

3 units, Win (Cui, Y)

MATSCI 320. Nanocharacterization of Materials

Current methods of directly examining the microstructure of materials. Topics: optical microscopy, scanning electron and focused ion beam microscopy, field ion microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, and microanalytical surface science methods. Emphasis is on the electron-optical techniques. Recommended: 193/203.

3 units, alternate years, not given this year

MATSCI 321. Transmission Electron Microscopy

Image formation and interpretation. The contrast phenomena associated with perfect and imperfect crystals from a physical point of view and from a formal treatment of electron diffraction theory. The importance of electron diffraction to systematic analysis and recent imaging developments. Recommended: 193/203, 195/205, or equivalent.

3 units, Win (Sinclair, R), alternate years, not given next year

MATSCI 322. Transmission Electron Microscopy Laboratory

Experimental application of electron microscopy to typical materials science studies. Topics include microscope operation and alignment, diffraction modes and analysis, bright-field/dark-field analysis of defects, high resolution imaging, and analytical techniques for compositional analysis (EDAX). Enrollment limited to 12. Prerequisites: 321, consent of instructor.

3 units, Spr (Marshall, A)

MATSCI 323. Thin Film and Interface Microanalysis

The science and technology of microanalytical techniques, including Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS or ESCA). Generic processes such as sputtering and high-vacuum generation. Prerequisite: some prior exposure to atomic and electronic structure of solids. SITN/SCPD televised.

3 units, not given this year

MATSCI 325. X-Ray Diffraction

Diffraction theory and its relationship to structural determination in solids. Focus is on applications of x-rays; concepts can be applied to neutron and electron diffraction. Topics: Fourier analysis, kinematic theory, Patterson functions, diffraction from layered and amorphous materials, single crystal diffraction, dynamic theory, defect determination, surface diffraction, techniques for data analysis, and determination of particle size and strain. Prerequisites: 193/203, 195/205.

3 units, not given this year

MATSCI 326. X-Ray Science and Techniques

X-ray interaction with matter; diffraction from ordered and disordered materials; x-ray absorption, photoemission, and coherent scattering; x-ray microsocopy. Sources including synchrontrons, high harmonic generation, x-ray lasers. Time-resolved techniques and detector technology.

3 units, not given this year

MATSCI 343. Organic Semiconductors for Electronics and Photonics

The science of organic semiconductors and their use in electronic and photonic devices. Topics: methods for fabricating thin films and devices; relationship between chemical structure and molecular packing on properties such as band gap, charge carrier mobility and luminescence efficiency; doping; field-effect transistors; light-emitting diodes; lasers; biosensors; photodetectors and photovoltaic cells. SITN/SCPD televised.

3 units, Win (McGehee, M; Peumans, P)

MATSCI 346. Nanophotonics

(Same as EE 336.) Recent developments in micro- and nanophotonic materials and devices. Basic concepts of photonic crystals. Integrated photonic circuits. Photonic crystal fibers. Superprism effects. Optical properties of metallic nanostructures. Sub-wavelength phenomena and plasmonic excitations. Meta-materials. Prerequisite: electromagnetic theory at the level of 242.

3 units, Win (Fan, S; Brongersma, M)

MATSCI 347. Introduction to Magnetism and Magnetic Nanostructures

Atomic origins of magnetic moments, magnetic exchange and ferromagnetism, types of magnetic order, magnetic anisotropy, domains, domain walls, hysteresis loops, hard and soft magnetic materials, demagnetization factors, and applications of magnetic materials, especially magnetic nanostructures and nanotechnology. Tools include finite-element and micromagnetic modeling. Design topics include electromagnet and permanent magnet, electronic article surveillance, magnetic inductors, bio-magnetic sensors, and magnetic drug delivery. Design projects, team work, and computer-aided design. Prerequisites: PHYSICS 29 and 43, or college-level electricity and magnetism.

3 units, Spr (Wang, S; White, R)

MATSCI 352. Stress Analysis in Thin Films and Layered Composite Media

Introduction to methods of stress analysis of layered dissimilar media, including thin films deposited on substrates, composite laminates, and stratified anisotropic elastic materials based on techniques pioneered by Stroh. Stress states generated by thermal and elastic mismatch and local stress concentrations at interfacial cracks or corners, with applications to integrated circuit devices, aircraft materials, and geophysical media. Prerequisites: introductory course on the strength of materials or the theory of elasticity; familiarity with matrix algebra.

3 units, not given this year

MATSCI 353. Mechanical Properties of Thin Films

The mechanical properties of thin films on substrates. The mechanics of thin films and of the atomic processes which cause stresses to develop during thin film growth. Experimental techniques for studying stresses in and mechanical properties of thin films. Elastic, plastic, and diffusional deformation of thin films on substrates as a function of temperature and microstructure. Effects of deformation and fracture on the processing of thin film materials. Prerequisite: 198/208.

3 units, not given this year

MATSCI 358. Fracture and Fatigue of Materials and Thin Film Structures

Linear-elastic and elastic-plastic fracture mechanics from a materials science perspective, emphasizing microstructure and the micromechanisms of fracture. Plane strain fracture toughness and resistance curve behavior. Mechanisms of failure associated with cohesion and adhesion in bulk materials, composites, and thin film structures. Fracture mechanics approaches to toughening and subcritical crack-growth processes, with examples and applications involving cyclic fatigue and environmentally assisted subcritical crack growth. SITN/SCPD televised. Prerequisite: 151/251, 198/208, or equivalent.

3 units, Spr (Dauskardt, R)

MATSCI 359. Crystalline Anisotropy

(Same as ME 336.) Matrix and tensor analysis with applications to the effects of crystal symmetry on elastic deformation, thermal expansion, diffusion, piezoelectricity, magnetism, thermodynamics, and optical properties of solids, on the level of J. F. Nye's Physical Properties of Crystals. Homework sets use Mathematica.

3 units, Win (Barnett, D)

MATSCI 380. Nano-Biotechnology

Literature based. Principles that make nanoscale materials unique, applications to biology, and how biological systems can create nanomaterials. Molecular sensing, drug delivery, bio-inspired synthesis, self-assembling systems, and nanomaterial based therapies. Interactions at the nanoscale. Applications and opportunities for new technology.

3 units, Aut (Melosh, N)

MATSCI 381. Biomaterials in Regenerative Medicine

(Same as BIOE 361.) Materials design and engineering for regenerative medicine. How materials interact with cells through their micro- and nanostructure, mechanical properties, degradation characteristics, surface chemistry, and biochemistry. Examples include novel materials for drug and gene delivery, materials for stem cell proliferation and differentiation, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Prerequisites: undergraduate chemistry, and cell/molecular biology or biochemistry.

3 units, alternate years, not given this year

MATSCI 399. Graduate Independent Study

Under supervision of a faculty member.

1-10 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

MATSCI 400. Participation in Materials Science Teaching

May be repeated for credit.

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

MATSCI 405. Seminar in Applications of Transmission Electron Microscopy

May be repeated for credit.

1 unit, not given this year

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