Graduate programs
The Department offers the degrees of Master of Arts and Master of Science in Physics and Ph.D. in Applied Physics. The M.A. and M.S. programs are designed to further the development of the student as a professional physicist. Specific programs designed to meet the needs of the individual student are planned in consultation with the graduate advisers.
The department offers graduate courses in classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, statistical mechanics, physics of condensed matter, atmospheric physics, and biophysics. Current research areas in theoretical and experimental physics include: statistical physics, surface and materials physics (scanning tunneling microscopy, near-field optical microscopy, AFM, electron microscopy), molecular biophysics and membrane biophysics (detection of life in extreme environments and transport in biological and artificial membranes), physics educational research, and global change science (climate change and atmospheric physics and chemistry).
The department also participates in the Earth, Environment, and Society PhD Degree Program in areas of climate change and policy.
Semiconductor Technology M.S.
The coursework (following one of two tracks: Device Processing or Materials and Device Characterization) is 5 core courses (18-20 credits) + 3 electives (16-18 credits) + 9 credits for internship for a minimum total of 45 credits.
Track 1: Device Processing
Core Required (18 credits)
| Ph 545 | Microelectronic Devise Fabrication I | 4 |
| Ph 546 | Microelectronic Device Fabrication II | 4 |
| Ph 547 | Microelectronic Device Fabrication III | 4 |
| Ch 545 | Physical Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| Stat 551 | Applied Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I | 4 |
3-month internship in the local semiconductor industry (9 credits)
| Ph 504 | Cooperative Education/Internship | 1-9 |
Electives (18 credits)
| Ch 552 | Technology of Photoresist | 4 |
| ME 510 | TOP: THIN FILMS PROCESS TECHNO | 4 |
| ME 513 | Engineering Material Science | 4 |
| ME 528 | Scanning Electron Microscopy for Materials and Device Characterization | 4 |
| ME 577 | Introduction to Semiconductor Manufacturing | 4 |
| Ph 540 | Physics of Solid State Devices | 4 |
| Ph 551 | Electron Microscopy | 4 |
| Ph 581 | Introduction to Nano(materials)-Science and –Engineering | 4 |
| Ph 585 | Experimental Methods in Applied Physics | 4 |
| | | |
| Ch 507 | Seminar | 1-4 |
| | or | |
| Ph 507 | Seminar | 1-4 |
Track 2: Materials and Device Characterization (Metrology)
Core Required (20 credits)
| Ph 545 | Microelectronic Devise Fabrication I | 4 |
| Ph 546 | Microelectronic Device Fabrication II | 4 |
| Ph 547 | Microelectronic Device Fabrication III | 4 |
| Stat 551 | Applied Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I | 4 |
| | | |
| Ph 551 | Electron Microscopy | 4 |
| | or | |
| ME 528 | Scanning Electron Microscopy for Materials and Device Characterization | 4 |
3-month internship in the local semiconductor industry (9 credits)
| Ph 504 | Cooperative Education/Internship | 1-9 |
Electives (16 credits)
| Ch 510 | TOP: ELECTRONIC MATERIALS | 4 |
| Ch 553 | Surface Chemistry | 4 |
| ME 510 | TOP: MATERIAL SURFACE ANALYSIS | 4 |
| ME 512 | Advanced Vibrations | 4 |
| ME 529 | Transmission Electron Microscopy and Chemical Analysis of Materials | 4 |
| Ph 540 | Physics of Solid State Devices | 4 |
| Ph 548 | Electronic materials and device characterization | 4 |
| Ph 552 | Electron Microscopy | 4 |
| Ph 581 | Introduction to Nano(materials)-Science and –Engineering | 4 |
| Ph 585 | Experimental Methods in Applied Physics | 4 |
| Ph 595 | Materials Physics: Structure and Physical Properties of Ordered and Disordered Condensed Matter | 4 |
| | | |
| Ph 507 | Seminar | 1 |
| | or | |
| Ch 507 | Seminar | 1 |
Total Credit Hours: 45