2015-2016
Academic Catalog

Physics and Engineering Physics

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

The laws of physics govern the universe from the formation of stars and galaxies, to the processes in the Earth's atmosphere that determine our climate, to the elementary particles and their interactions that hold together atomic nuclei. Physics also drives many rapidly-advancing technologies, such as information technology, telecommunication, nanoelectronics, and medical technology, including MRI imaging and laser surgery.

The physics program at Stevens combines classroom instruction with hands-on research experience in one of several state-of-the-art research laboratories (Photonics Science and Technology, Optical Communication and Nanodevices, Quantum Electron Science and Technology, NanoPhotonics, Light and Life, or Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Communication). Perhaps the most differentiating feature of the Stevens physics curriculum is SKIL (Science Knowledge Integration Ladder), a six-semester sequence of project-centered courses. This course sequence lets students work on projects that foster independent learning, innovative problem solving, collaboration and team work, and knowledge integration under the guidance of a faculty advisor. The SKIL sequence starts in the sophomore year with projects that integrate basic scientific knowledge and simple concepts. In the junior and senior years, the projects become more challenging and the level of independence increases.

B. S. Degree in Physics

Our B.S. degree in Physics is accredited by the Middle States Accreditation Board. Our graduates have a wide range of career opportunities beyond the pursuit of a traditional graduate degree in physics, including employment in a variety of other industries, such as telecommunications, optics, finance, medical technology, or military. Those who choose to further their physics education are accepted into graduate programs at some of the best schools.

Other physics courses, needed in order to complete a concentration, may be substituted with the consent of your advisor.

Qualified students may participate in faculty-supervised projects.

Possible technical electives during the later semesters to ensure a complete undergraduate curriculum:

PEP 501 Fundamentals of Atomic Physics (3-0-3)
PEP 503 Introduction to Solid State Physics (3-0-3)
PEP 507 Introduction to Microelectronics and Photonics (3-0-3)
PEP 509 Intermediate Waves and Optics (3-0-3)
PEP 510 Modern Optics Lab
PEP 520 Computational Physics (3-0-3)
PEP 527 Mathematical Methods for Science and Engineering (3-0-3)
PEP 555 Statistical Physics and Kinetic Theory (3-0-3)
PEP 552 Theory of Relativity (3-0-3)
PEP 556 Introduction to Quantum Control (3-0-3)

Other physics courses, needed in order to complete a concentration, may be substituted with the consent of your advisor

B.S. Degree in Engineering Physics (EP)

The Department of Physics and Engineering Physics also offers an undergraduate Engineering Physics (EP) Program, which leads to a B.S. degree in Engineering Physics in three concentrations (see below). The program aims to attract students who are intrigued by the possibility of combining a mastery of basic physics concepts with exposure to state-of-the-art engineering technology in selected high-tech areas. The EP Program is a special program that was developed jointly by the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics and the School of Engineering and Science. Students in the EP Program follow a special core curriculum that provides the basic concepts of engineering together with a basic understanding of physical phenomena at a microscopic level and lets them explore the relation of the physics concepts to practical problems of engineering in one of three high-tech areas of concentration: Applied Optics, Microelectronics and Photonics, or Atmospheric and Environmental Science. These concentrations represent high-tech areas of significant current local and global technological and economic interest. The PEP department has both research strengths and educational expertise in these areas where there is significant growth potential. For all concentrations, required and/or elective courses offered by other departments (EE, EN, and MT) can be used to complement departmental course offerings, which provide the students in the program with the necessary diversity, breadth, and depth of educational offerings and research opportunities. The following curriculum shows the common two years and then the final two years separately for each concentration.

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Graduate Requirements

Physical Education (P.E.) Requirements

All students must complete a minimum of four semester credits of Physical Education (P.E.). A large number of activities are offered in lifetime, team, and wellness areas.
All PE courses must be completed by the end of the sixth semester. Students can enroll in more than the minimum required P.E. for graduation and are encouraged to do so.
Participation in varsity sports can be used to satisfy up to three credits of the P.E. requirement.
Participation in supervised, competitive club sports can be used to satisfy up to two credits of the P.E. requirement, with approval from the P.E. Coordinator.

Minor in Physics

A minor represents a coherent program of study in a discipline other than the student's major degree program. Successful completion of a minor program is recognized on the transcript and with a Minor Certificate at graduation. Recognition is thus provided for a significant educational experience in another discipline.

General requirements for minor programs in engineering or science:

Entry to a minor program requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
A student wishing to pursue a minor program must complete a Minor Program Study Plan signed by a Minor Advisor from the relevant discipline. Each minor requires a separate study plan and a student can earn no more than two minors in engineering and science.
The minor program must be in a discipline other than that of a student's major program of study. As such, minors are distinguished from options within the major discipline or concentrations within the chosen major program.
The minor program will consist of a coherent sequence of at least six courses. A minimum of two courses (minimum six credits) must be in addition to those courses required to complete a student's major degree program (which includes general education courses).
In order for a course to count towards a minor, a grade of C or above must be achieved. At the discretion of the Minor Advisor, transfer credits may be applied to a minor, but these must constitute fewer than half of those applied to the minor program.
To receive the minor at graduation, the student must complete a Minor Candidacy Form signed by the Minor Advisor after all minor requirements are fulfilled.

Required courses for a Minor in Physics:

PEP 242 Modern Physics OR PEP 201 Physics III for Engineers
PEP 538 Introduction to Mechanics
PEP 542 Electromagnetism
PEP 553 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

Two of the following courses:
- PEP 209 Modern Optics
- PEP 330 Introduction to Thermal and Statistical Physics
- PEP 332 Mathematical Methods for Physics
- PEP 336 Introduction to Astrophysics and Cosmology
- PEP 501 Fundamentals of Atomic Physics
- PEP 503 Introduction to Solid State Physics
- PEP 509 Intermediate Waves and Optics
- PEP 510 Modern Optics Lab
- PEP 520 Computational Physics
- PEP 527 Mathematical Methods of Science and Engineering I
- PEP 552 Theory of Relativity
- PEP 554 Quantum Mechanics
- PEP 555 Statistical Physics and Kinetic Theory

The following are prerequisites needed to undertake the minor program:

PEP 111 Mechanics
PEP 112 Electricity and Magnetism

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Interdisciplinary Program in Computational Science

For students interested in interdisciplinary science and engineering, Stevens offers an undergraduate computational science program. Computational science is a new field in which techniques from mathematics and computer science are used to solve scientific and engineering problems. See the description of the Program in Computational Science in the Interdisciplinary Programs section.

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GRADUATE PROGRAMS

The graduate program in physics is designed for the student who desires to master fundamental concepts and techniques, who is interested in studying applications in various areas of technology and science, and who wishes to keep abreast of the latest experimental and theoretical innovations in these areas. We offer a varied curriculum consisting of either highly specialized courses or broad training in diverse areas.

When you seek an advanced degree, you can gain both breadth and specialization. The required degree courses provide broad skills in basic physics; the elective choices give highly specialized training in a variety of different areas. The Department of Physics and Engineering Physics is large enough to offer rich and varied programs in pure and applied physics, yet it is small enough to sustain the sense of a coherent community in search of knowledge.

Admissions Requirements

For all graduate programs in physics a B.S. degree is required, which includes the following course work: calculus-based three- or four-semester introductory physics sequence in thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, mechanics, quantum mechanics, and mathematical methods.
Ph. D, applicants lacking the above courses are required to take the indicated courses for no graduate credit.

Master of Science - Physics

The Master of Science degree prepares you optimally for further continuation to a Ph.D. program in physics. It is awarded after completion of 30 credits of graduate coursework which include the following required courses:

PEP 642 Mechanics
PEP 643/644 Electricity and Magnetism I and II
PEP 554 Quantum Mechanics I
PEP 528 Mathematical Methods of Science and Engineering II
PEP 555 Statistical Physics and Kinetic Theory
PEP 510 Modern Optics Lab (or another lab equivalent)
One 600-level advanced quantum mechanics course

and two additional elective courses, chosen in consultation with an academic advisor. These courses may be used to conduct research to graduate with an MS Thesis (PEP 900.) Courses with material already covered in undergraduate preparation must be replaced in consultation with an academic advisor.

Doctoral Program - Physics

Doctoral students conduct exciting and cutting-edge research with faculty who are leaders in the field. Ph.D. students must pass a qualifying examination, which consists of two oral examinations. The first oral examination tests mastery of a set of core physics topics, while the second oral examination tests the student's ability to discuss physics problems and current research topics with an examining committee of three faculty members. Candidates have two opportunities to pass each examination. The first attempt must be made within the first two years of study at Stevens. Upon successful completion of both examinations, the student becomes a qualified Ph.D. candidate.

Within six weeks after passing the qualification examination a Ph.D. advisory committee shall be formed for each Ph.D. student, consisting of a major advisor on the physics department faculty, an additional physics department faculty member, and a third Stevens faculty member from any department other than Physics. Additional committee members from Stevens or elsewhere may also be included.

Ph.D. candidates are required to have competency in using computer-based methods of calculation and analysis. Students lacking this competency are encouraged to take PEP 520 Computational Physics, or equivalent.

In addition to the core courses required in the 30-credit Master of Science in physics degree (PEP 642, PEP 643, PEP 644, PEP 554, PEP 528, PEP 555, and PEP 510 and one 600-level advanced quantum mechanics course), completion of the following coursework will be required for the Ph. D.

PEP 667 Statistical Mechanics
One 600-level quantum mechanics application course
Two 700-level courses chosen in consultation with an academic advisor
Three Ph.D. signature credits (can be in one or multiple approved courses)

The student will carry out an original research program under the supervision of the major advisor and advisory committee. The results of the research will be presented in a written dissertation. Upon approval of the advisory committee, the written dissertation will be defended by the student in an oral defense. A minimum of 84 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree is required for the Ph.D. degree. Required coursework represents at least 18 credits. At least 12 of the remaining 66 credits must be for the Ph.D. research (PEP 960).

Applications are welcome from students who have already earned a master's degree elsewhere. Applicants with the equivalent of the Stevens Master of Science in physics degree are eligible to take the qualifying exam immediately and become candidates without additional course requirements. Nevertheless, they have to fulfill all described requirements including doctoral coursework, research, any core courses of the Stevens Master of Science in physics which they have not taken in the course of their previous Masters degree, and a total of 54 credits beyond the master's degree.

Applicants with a non-physics master's degree may be required to complete sufficient coursework to meet the requirements for a physics degree in addition to the remaining doctoral requirements outlined above. The details of the makeup work are determined by the department's Graduate Academic Standards and Curriculum committee.

Doctoral Program -- Interdisciplinary

In addition to the Ph.D. program in Physics the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics offers an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in cooperation with other departments in Stevens Institute of Technology. This program aims to address the increasingly cross-cutting nature of doctoral research. The interdisciplinary Ph.D. program aims to take advantage of the complementary educational offerings and research opportunities in multiple areas. Any student who wishes to enter a interdisciplinary program needs to obtain the consent of the participating departments and the subsequent approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies. The student will follow a study plan designed by his/her faculty advisor. In particular, the student must declare which department will be the home department (i.e. the department where the majority of courses is being taken), and arrange for written consent of advisors in both departments involved.

The student will be granted official candidacy in the program upon successful completion of a qualifying exam that will be administered according to the applicable guidelines of the Office of Graduate Studies. For all interdisciplinary programs involving the physics department as either home or secondary department the student is required to pass the first part of the regular Ph.D. qualifying exam of the Physics Department (general physics, based on core courses PEP 538, 542, 553, 555) as well as the corresponding qualifying exam of the other participating department.

All policies of the Office of Graduate Studies that govern the credit and thesis requirements apply to students enrolled in this interdisciplinary program. Identical to the Physics Ph.D. program the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program requires 84 credits. For student with the Physics Department as the home department the following additional guidelines apply:

A master's degree comparable to the Stevens' Master of Engineering Physics will be recognized and be accounted for with up to 30 credits, whereby the following courses (or equivalent) must be part of the Masters PEP 542, PEP 554.
Required core courses of a interdisciplinary Ph.D. if PEP is the home department:
- PEP 538 Introduction to Mechanics
- NANO / PEP 555 Statistical Physics and Kinetic Theory
- PEP 643 Electricity and Magnetism I
- PEP 644 Electricity and Magnetism II
- And Two 600-level courses (in the PEP or secondary department)
- One 700-level course (in the PEP or secondary department)

These requirements allow a student to obtain an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. degree with a designated concentration in nanotechnology and the PEP Department as home department following the requirement of the Nanotechnology Graduate Program (NGP). To qualify for the nanotechnology concentration, the student has to satisfy all the above requirements for an interdisciplinary PhD and must additionally complete the NGP common core courses (NANO 600 and NANO525/625), a minimum of five elective NANO courses, as well as regularly attend the seminar series in the Nanotechnology Curriculum (NANO 700). Note that the requirement for five elective NANO courses are allowed to overlap with the requirements for an interdisciplinary PhD involving the PEP department, in particular, courses NANO/PEP553, NANO/PEP554, NANO/PEP555 are cross-listed with the NPG program. In addition, a Ph.D. candidate must successfully execute a doctoral dissertation in the realm of nanotechnology. Interested students should follow the normal graduate application procedures through the Dean of Graduate Studies.

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Master of Engineering - Engineering Physics

The Master of Engineering - Engineering Physics degree program has three options. Students enrolled in a particular option develop a course of study in conjunction with their academic advisor. In contrast to the Master of Science in Physics, the Master of Engineering option is intended to provide the student with deeper insight into the specific area of their choice. Students wanting to continue their education towards a doctoral degree will be optimally prepared for interdisciplinary physics research yet may have to take several additional courses to fulfill the requirements for a Ph.D. in Physics.

The Engineering option in Applied Optics seeks to extend and broaden training in areas pertinent to the field of optics and optical engineering. A bachelor's degree in either science or engineering from an accredited institution is required.

Core Courses in Engineering Physics (Applied Optics)

PEP 509 Intermediate Waves and Optics
PEP 510 Modern Optics Lab
PEP 515-516 Photonics I-II
PEP 527 Mathematical Methods of Science and Engineering I
PEP 542 Electromagnetism
PEP 553 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
PEP 554 Quantum Mechanics I
PEP 577 Laser Theory and Design
PEP 578 Laser Applications and Advanced Optics
or PEP 678 Physics of Optical Communications Systems

The Engineering Physics option in Solid State Physics seeks to extend and broaden training in those areas pertinent to the field of solid state device engineering. A bachelor's degree in either science or engineering from an accredited institution is required.

Core Courses in Engineering Physics (Solid State Physics)

EE 619 Solid State Devices
PEP 503 Introduction to Solid State Physics
PEP 510 Modern Optics Lab
PEP 527 Mathematical Methods of Science and Engineering I
PEP 538 Introduction to Mechanics
PEP 542 Electromagnetism
PEP 553 Intro. to Quantum Mechanics
PEP 554 Quantum Mechanics I
PEP 555 Statistical Physics and Kinetic Theory
PEP 680 Quantum Optics

Courses with material already covered in undergraduate preparation must be replaced in consultation with an academic advisor.

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Master of Engineering Physics - Concentration Nanotechnology

The Engineering Physics option in Nanotechnology seeks to extend and broaden training in a largely interdisciplinary learning environment with a focus on fundamentals and applications of Nanotechnology. A bachelor degree in either science or engineering from an accredited institution is required. The M.E. degree in nanotechnology will be awarded after completion of 30 credits of graduate coursework with the following requirements:

Core courses required:

PEP 538 Introduction to Mechanics
PEP 542 Electromagnetism
NANO/PEP 553 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics or NANO/PEP 554 Quantum Mechanics I*
NANO/PEP 503 Introduction to Solid State Physics
NANO/PEP 555 Statistical Physics and Kinetic Theory
NANO 600 Nanoscale science and technology
NANO 525/625 Techniques of surface and nanostructure characterization
Regular attendance of the seminar series in the Nanotechnology Curriculum (NANO 700).

In addition to the core courses, the student has to complete three additional courses out of the PEP or NANO program (elective courses) selected in consultation with the adviser. As an option, candidates may choose to execute a Master thesis in the realm of nanotechnology in consultation with an academic advisor for up to six credits to be counted towards the degree in replacement of elected courses.

* Students with a background in Quantum Mechanics should take directly PEP/NANO554 after consultation with the adviser.

The Physics and Engineering Physics program offers, jointly with Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and Materials Engineering, a unique interdisciplinary concentration in Microelectronics and Photonics Science and Technology. Intended to meet the needs of students and of industry in the areas of design, fabrication, integration, and applications of microelectronic and photonic devices for communications and information systems, the program covers fundamentals, as well as state-of-the-art industrial practices. Designed for maximum flexibility, the program accommodates the background and interests of students with either a master's degree or graduate certificate.

Interdisciplinary Concentration Microelectronics and Photonics Science and Technology

PEP 507, plus three additional courses from the Optics or Solid State concentration.

Core: PEP 507 Introduction to Microelectronics and Photonics*

Six electives are required from the courses offered below by Materials Engineering, Physics and Engineering Physics, and Electrical Engineering. Three of these courses must be from Physics and Engineering Physics and at least one must be from each of the other two departments. Ten courses are required for the degree.

*Cross-listed with EE 507 and MT 507

Required Concentration Electives

PEP 503 Introduction to Solid State Physics
PEP 515 Photonics I
PEP 516 Photonics II
PEP 561 Solid State Electronics for Engineering I
MT 562 Solid State Electronics for Engineering II
MT 595 Reliability and Failure of Solid State Devices
MT 596 Micro-Fabrication Techniques
EE 585 Physical Design of Wireless Systems
EE 626 Optical Communication Systems
CPE 690 Introduction to VLSI Design

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Graduate Certificate Programs

The Department of Physics and Engineering Physics offers five Graduate Certificate programs to students meeting the regular admission requirements for the master's program. Each Graduate Certificate program is self-contained and highly focused, carrying 12 graduate credits. All of the courses may be used toward the master's degree, as well as for the certificate.

Applied Optics

PEP 577 Laser Theory and Design
PEP 578 Laser Applications and Advanced Optics or PEP 678 Physics of Optical Communications Systems
and two out of the following four courses:
PEP 515-516 Photonics I, II
PEP 570 Guided-Wave Optics
PEP 679 Fourier Optics

Atmospheric and Environmental Science and Engineering
(Interdisciplinary with Civil, Ocean, and Environmental Engineering)

PEP 575 Fundamentals of Atmospheric Radiation and Climate
CE 591 Dynamic Meteorology
ME 532/EN 506 Air Pollution Principles and Control
EN 550 Environmental Chemistry of Atmospheric Processes

This graduate certificate program is offered as a campus-based program, as well as a web-based distance learning program.

Microdevices and Microsystems

EE/MT/PEP 507 Introduction to Microelectronics and Photonics
EE/MT/PEP 595 Reliability and Failure of Solid State Devices
EE/MT/PEP 596 Micro-Fabrication Techniques
EE/MT/PEP 685 Physical Design of Wireless Systems

Any ONE elective in the three certificates above may be replaced with another within the Microelectronics and Photonics (MP) curriculum upon approval from the MP program director.

Microelectronics