Materials Science

Academic Year: 
2021-22
Affiliated Departments: 
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Chemistry
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Geosciences
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Address: 
Bowen Hall
Phone: 
609-258-6704
Website: 
Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials
Program offerings: 
Joint Degree
Director of Graduate Studies
Alejandro W. Rodriguez
Graduate Program Administrator
Sandra Lam

Overview

The Princeton Institute of Materials strives to give students a deep understanding of fundamental science and a great appreciation for technology development through our courses and research opportunities. Both undergraduate and graduate students alike are well-prepared for a wide variety of future career opportunities.

Students must apply to and be admitted to a specific academic department (not the Princeton Institute of Materials). They must fulfill all departmental and joint degree requirements, including a doctoral thesis related to materials. They may apply to the program at any time after matriculating in their home department but are encouraged to do so in their first year; those wishing to pursue the joint degree should speak to their graduate administrator.

Joint Degree

Joint Degree Requirements: 
Courses:

The plan of study for students pursuing the joint degree is coordinated with input from their graduate administrator.  All students must take a minimum of three courses approved by the Princeton Institute of Materials.

Please see the Princeton Institute of Material's website for a complete list of courses that fulfill the materials science course requirements.

Dissertation and FPO:

The dissertation must have a clear materials focus and be approved by the Princeton Institute of Material’s program director.  A member of the dissertation committee (either reader or examiner) must also be a Princeton Institute of Materials affiliated faculty member.

Faculty

Director

  • Alejandro W. Rodriguez

Executive Committee

  • Sigrid M. Adriaenssens, Civil and Environmental Eng
  • Craig B. Arnold, Mechanical & Aerospace Eng
  • Robert H. Austin, Physics
  • Andrew B. Bocarsly, Chemistry
  • Sujit S. Datta, Chemical and Biological Eng
  • Andrej Kosmrlj, Mechanical & Aerospace Eng
  • Satish C. Myneni, Geosciences
  • Glaucio H. Paulino, Civil and Environmental Eng
  • Alejandro W. Rodriguez, Electrical & Comp Engineering
  • Leslie M. Schoop, Chemistry

Sits with Committee

  • James S. Smith
  • Nan Yao
For a full list of faculty members and fellows please visit the department or program website.

Courses

Permanent Courses

Courses listed below are graduate-level courses that have been approved by the program’s faculty as well as the Curriculum Subcommittee of the Faculty Committee on the Graduate School as permanent course offerings. Permanent courses may be offered by the department or program on an ongoing basis, depending on curricular needs, scheduling requirements, and student interest. Not listed below are undergraduate courses and one-time-only graduate courses, which may be found for a specific term through the Registrar’s website. Also not listed are graduate-level independent reading and research courses, which may be approved by the Graduate School for individual students.

CBE 503 Advanced Thermodynamics (also
MSE 521
) A systematic treatment of chemical thermodynamics from an advanced point of view. It explores the equilibrium properties of chemical systems under a wide range of conditions and applications to problems of a chemical engineering nature, with an emphasis on multicomponent mixtures and reactive systems.
CBE 526 Surface Science: Processes and Probes (also
CHM 527
/
MSE 526
) An introduction to processes at surfaces and interfaces. Experimental methods of surface science. Electron spectroscopy, ion scattering, and scanning probe microscopy. Atomic structure of surfaces and adsorbed layers. Thermodynamics of surface processes. Adsorption and molecular dynamics of gas-surface reactions. Kinetics of adsorption, desorption, diffusion, and reactions. Liquid interfaces. Heterogeneous catalysts. Etching. Film growth and epitaxy. Applications to energy and environmental science and technology.
CBE 541 Polymer Synthesis (also
MSE 534
) Fundamentals and practice of polymer synthesis, both at the laboratory and industrial scales. Mechanism, kinetics, and range of application of important polymerization methods: condensation, free-radical, anionic, cationic, coordination; polymerization thermodynamics; chemical reactions on polymers; selected industrial processes (e.g., polyesterification, emulsion polymerization, high- and low-pressure routes to polyethylene).
CBE 542 Polymer Viscoelasticity (also
MSE 524
) An examination of equilibrium and dynamic properties from dilute solutions to the melt state. Explores scaling concepts; Flory-Huggins theory; polymer blends; network structure and elasticity; diffusion and viscoelasticity; influence of chain architecture and temperature; and molecular theory.
CBE 544 Solid-State Properties of Polymers (also
MSE 522
) Amorphous polymers, including modulus-temperature behavior, mechanical and dielectric measurements, the glass transition, and yielding and fracture in glassy polymers; semicrystalline polymers, including crystal structure by X-ray diffraction; rheo-optical techniques and birefringence, dichroism, and fluorescence; small-angle scattering techniques, including light, X-ray, and neutron; and other multiphase and multicomponent polymers, including block and segmented copolymers, blends, ionomers, and interpenetrating networks.
CEE 530 Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics (also
MSE 530
/
MAE 560
) The course covers the fundamentals of the mechanics and thermodynamics of continua. It reviews concepts of tensor analysis on manifolds and tensor calculus. It then proceeds by developing the fundamental concepts of the kinematics of a deforming continuum. The notion of stress is then introduced and measures of stresses are discussed. Conservation of mass, balance of momentum and moment of momentum, conservation of energy in thermodynamic are discussed. Constitutive theories and the restriction of the second law are presented. The Euler-Lagrange equations are re-connected with balance laws.
CHM 503 Introduction to Statistical Mechanics (also
CBE 524
/
MSE 514
) Statistical mechanics provides the basis for understanding the equilibrium and nonequilibrium properties of matter in terms of the microscopic details of molecular interactions and structure. The course aims to provide students with working knowledge of the fundamentals and applications of statistical mechanics.
CHM 522 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (also
MSE 592
) Advanced topics in inorganic chemistry, including solid-state and bioinorganic chemistry, band theory, and reaction mechanisms.
ECE 543 Electronic Materials (also
MSE 551
) The science and technology of materials used in electronics and optoelectronics, with varying emphasis. Subjects include the growth of crystals and of thin films, vacuum technology, phase diagrams, defects and atomic diffusion in semiconductors, techniques for analyzing electronic materials, amorphous silicon, and materials for large-area electronics, displays, and solar cells.
ECE 547B Selected Topics in Solid-State Electronics (also
MSE 557
) One or more advanced topics in solid-state electronics. Content may vary from year to year. Recent topics have included electronic properties of doped semiconductors, physics and technology of nanastructures, and organic materials for optical and electronic device application.
ECE 554 Nonlinear Optics (also
MSE 553
) An introduction to nonlinear optics, second-harmonic generation, parametric amplification and oscillation, electrooptic effects, third-order nonlinearities, phase-conjugate optics, photorefractive materials, and solitons.
ECE 557 Solar Cells: Physics, Materials, and Technology (also
ENE 557
/
MSE 558
) Photovoltaic materials and devices are discussed. Topics covered: solar flux distribution & spectra, photovoltaic parameters, loss mechanisms, Shockley-Queisser detailed balance approach, stability, light management, module design & various solar cell technologies, drawing distinctions between heterojunction & homojunction devices including crystalline Si and III-V, & thin film cells such as CIGS, CdTe, dye sensitized, & organic. In-depth treatment of organic solar cells including lab to fabricate & analyze an organic solar cell. We present methods to go beyond classical limits, such as intermediate band solar cells & multijunction devices.
ENE 506 Synchrotron and Neutron Techniques for Energy Materials (also
MSE 586
/
MAE 536
/
CEE 506
/
CBE 566
) Topics include an introduction to radiation generation at synchrotron and neutron facilities, elastic scattering techniques, inelastic scattering techniques, imaging and spectroscopy. Specific techniques include X-ray and neutron diffraction, small-angle scattering, inelastic neutron scattering, reflectometry, tomography, microscopy, fluorescence and infrared imaging, and photoemission spectroscopy. Emphasis is placed on application of the techniques for uncovering the material structure-property relationship, including energy storage devices, sustainable concrete, CO2 storage, magnetic materials, mesostructured materials and nanoparticles.
GEO 501 Physics and Chemistry of Minerals (also
MSE 541
) Concepts of solid-state physics and inorganic chemistry relevant to the study of minerals and materials. The emphasis is on applications to the study of planetary interiors. Topics include crystal chemistry; crystal structure and phase transitions; equations of state, dynamic, and static compression; elasticity; transport properties; lattice dynamics; lattice defects; and solid-state diffusion and creep.
GEO 507 Topics in Mineralogy and Mineral Physics (also
MSE 547
) Selected topics related to structure, properties, and stability of minerals and melts. Topics include mantle mineralogy, applications of synchrotron radiation to the study of earth materials, physics and chemistry of minerals at high pressure and temperature, and advanced concepts in mineral physics.
MAE 521 Optics and Lasers (also
MSE 561
) An introduction to principles of lasers. Topics include a review of propagation theory, interaction of light and matter, Fourier optics, a survey and description of operational characteristics of lasers, light scattering, and nonlinear optics. Some introductory quantum mechanics will be covered to give students an appreciation of the basic tools for the interaction of light with matter and nonlinear optical phenomena.
MAE 550 Lessons from Biology for Engineering Tiny Devices (also
MSE 560
) In this course we present a survey of problems at the interface of biology, physics and engineering to discuss how nature invented many tiny sensors, machines and structures that are important for functions of cells and organisms. Using this knowledge, we comment how to engineer and self-assemble tiny devices with DNA origami, how to design thin structures that can transform into specific shapes in response to external stimulus, how to make structures with tunable surface properties (drag, adhesion, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity), how to make flexible electronics, how to make metamaterials with unusual properties, etc.
MAE 562 Fracture Mechanics (also
MSE 540
) Fracture involves processes at multiple time and length scales. This course covers the basic topics including energy balance, crack tip fields, toughness, dissipative processes, and subcritical cracking. Fracture processes are then examined as they occur in some modern technologies, such as advanced ceramics, coatings, composites, and integrated circuits. The course also explores fracture at high temperatures and crack nucleation processes.
MAE 564 Structural Materials (also
MSE 564
) Stress/strain behavior of materials; dislocation theory and strengthening mechanisms; yield strength; materials selection. Fundamentals of plasticity, Tresca and Von Mieses yield criteria. Case study on forging: upper and lower bounds. Basic elements of fracture. Fracture mechanics. Mechanisms of fracture. The fracture toughness. Case studies and design. Fatigue mechanisms and life prediction methodologies.
MOL 567 Electron Microscopy in Structural Biology (Half-Term) (also
MSE 542
) This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the theory and application of electron microscopy (EM) in biological research. The history for method development, detailed instructions on sample preparation, image acquisition, and data processing are covered. The emphasis of the course is on the use of the single-particle, cryo-EM by biological researchers. Students of other disciplines are welcome. Instruction consists of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on experience using the electron microscopes in the Imaging and Analysis Center.
MSE 501 Introduction to Materials (also
MAE 561
/
CEE 561
/
CBE 514
) Emphasizes the connection between microstructural features of materials (e.g., grain size, boundary regions between grains, defects) and their properties, and how processing conditions control structure. Topics include thermodynamics and phase equilibria, microstructure, diffusion, kinetics of phase transitions, nucleation and crystal growth, phase separation, spinodal decomposition, glass formation, and the glass transition.
MSE 502 Phase Transformations in Materials Thermodynamics and kinetics applicable to phase changes and processing in materials. Phase equilibrium, nucleation and growth, phase separation, coarsening, and diffusion in solids.
MSE 504 Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics Simulation in Statistical Physics & Materials Science (also
CHM 560
/
PHY 512
/
CBE 520
) This course examines methods for simulating matter at the molecular and electronic scale. Molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo and electronic structure methods will be covered with emphasis on hands-on experience in writing and/or exercising simulation codes for atomistic and electronic structure simulation.
MSE 505 Characterization of Materials A multidisciplinary course offering a practical introduction to techniques of imaging and compositional analysis of advanced materials. Focus on principles and applications of various characterization methods. Covered topics include AFM, SEM, TEM, EDX/WDX, EELS, Confocal Microscopy, sample preparation and image processing, etc. Hands-on experience is emphasized.
MSE 511 Selected Topics in 2D Materials This topical survey course focuses on two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides. Through a combination of lectures and journal club-type discussions of published research papers and review articles, the synthesis, physical, mechanical, and structural properties of these materials are explored. Discussion topics include electronic structure and transport properties, deformation behavior and fracture, defects (e.g., grain boundaries and dislocations), structural transformations, and synthesis of 2D materials.
MSE 512 Phase Transformations in Materials: Theory and Simulation (also
CHM 511
) This special topics course focuses on the theory and simulation of phase transformations in materials. Through a combination of traditional lectures, peer-to-peer instruction and several computational projects, the physics of nucleation, growth and coarsening behavior of both solid-like and liquid-like multicomponent materials are explored. Computational approaches covered in the class include Langevin equations, Monte Carlo, diffuse interface (phase field), and the level set methods.
MSE 515 Random Heterogeneous Materials (also
APC 515
/
CHM 559
) Foams, composites, porous media, and biological media are all examples of random heterogeneous materials. The relationship between the macroscopic (transport, mechanical, electromagnetic and chemical) properties and microstructure of random media is formulated. Topics include correlation functions; percolation theory; fractal concepts; sphere packings; Monte Carlo techniques; and image analysis; homogenization theory; effective-medium theories; cluster and perturbation expansions; variational bounding techniques; topology optimization methods; and cross-property relations. Biological and cosmological applications will be discussed.
PHY 506 Advanced Quantum Mechanics (also
MSE 576
) A one-term course in advanced quantum mechanics, following Physics 505. After a brief review of some fundamental topics (e.g., hydrogen atom, perturbation theory, scattering theory) more advanced topics will be covered, including many-body theory, operator theory, coherent states, stability of matter and other Coulomb systems and the theory of the Bose gas.
PHY 536 Advanced Condensed Matter Physics II (also
MSE 577
) Fermi liquids, Luttinger liquids, the quantum Hall effect, superconductivity, quantum magnetism, Kondo effect and localization.