Chair   Gwo Ching Wang
Associate Chair   Philip A. Casabella
Department Home Page   http://www.rpi.edu/dept/phys/physics.html

Physics is the source of new concepts about the nature of the universe and is a driving force for new technologies. The fundamental physics research of one generation frequently leads to the applied physics and technology of the next.

The Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy programs prepare undergraduate students to contribute to these new concepts and technologies through innovative teaching methods that combine student-faculty interactions, computer-based education, and “hands-on” experience in modern laboratories. The curricula are flexible so that students can prepare for either technical employment upon graduation or for graduate study in physics, applied physics, or engineering. Physics also provides an excellent foundation for a nontechnical career. Another important aspect of the physics program is student-faculty research projects involving collaboration between physics undergraduates and faculty on a variety of research topics at the forefront of the field.

The Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy’s graduate programs lead to the M.S. and the Ph.D. in physics. These degrees are available in several research areas that are summarized below. For graduate students specializing in Astronomy and Astrophysics, the M.S. degree is available either in astronomy or physics with specialization in physics.

Rensselaer’s graduate study in physics prepares students for a variety of careers including industrial research and development, government laboratory research, and university research and teaching. The department conducts both fundamental and applied research, often in collaboration with researchers from other Rensselaer departments, industry, or the National Laboratories. Characterizing the Physics Department’s intellectual climate are lively interactions between theorists and experimentalists with common research interests. Colloquia and several weekly department seminars supplement course work. As an important part of their graduate education, students collaborate with faculty members to make original research contributions in their area of specialization.

Research Innovations and Initiatives

Astronomy and Astrophysics   Research in the astrophysics group includes astrobiology, the chemistry of the interstellar medium, and many areas of galactic and extragalactic astronomy. Research in astrobiology and interstellar chemistry describes how interstellar clouds evolve into new solar systems. Current interest focuses on spectroscopic detection of organic molecules in interstellar dust and gas and their contribution to the organic inventory of protoplanetary disks. Theoretical projects include simulations of protostellar collapse, multifluid magnetohydrodynamic shock waves, and shock chemistry. Research in galactic and extragalactic astronomy includes the structure and formation of the galactic halo, metallicity gradients in the galactic thick disk, properties of stars with strong Balmer absorption, optical properties of quasars, and astronomical data mining. The astrophysics group makes use of ground-based telescopes located at world class observing sites in Hawaii, Australia, Chile, and South Africa. Rensselaer also has access to data from major satellite facilities including the Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra, and the Infrared Space Observatory; and large ground-based astronomy projects, including the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS).

Biophysics   Current work focuses on cells in tissue culture. When mammalian cells are cultured on small gold electrodes, changes in the cells’ morphology and motion can be inferred from the measured impedance of the electrodes. This method, in addition to the study of cell behavior in vitro, can be used effectively as a biosensor. Now under investigation are cell migration, toxicology, and metastatic potential of cancer cells.

Condensed Matter Physics   This research program concentrates on three areas: surfaces, interfaces, and nanostructures; optical and electronic materials; and electronic transport. New research concepts, materials, and techniques are developed for high technology applications. Many research projects are interdisciplinary.

Experimental and theoretical work on surfaces, interfaces, and nanostructures involves the deposition, growth, and characterization of metals, semiconductors, and insulators from monolayers to multilayers. The phenomena that are studied include homo- and hetero-epitaxy, initial stages of epitaxy, nucleation of thin films, surface phase transitions, and interface (solid-solid and solid-liquid) structure and bonding. Techniques include Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high resolution low-energy electron diffraction, reflection high-energy electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, ballistic-electron-emission microscopy, X-ray absorptions spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and ellipsometry. The department’s major facilities include ultrahigh vacuum evaporation, III–V group IV molecular beam epitaxy, and the extensive facilities of the Microelectronics Clean Room.

The optical and electronic materials under study include wide bandgap semiconductors, polymers, semiconductor nanoparticle composites, dielectrics, and magnetic thin films. Optical characterization facilities include Raman, Brillouin, and Rayleigh scattering, photomodulation spectroscopy, photothermal deflection spectroscopy, magneto-optic Kerr effect, and Faraday rotation.

Electron transport in semiconductor and metallic materials are under way. This research is expected to enhance understanding of transport in nanostructures. The experimental work includes studies of ballistic electron transport in ultrathin epitaxial multilayers, electrical resistance of metallic films, and plasma wave electronics in high electron mobility transistors.

Other experimental facilities used in these programs include those at the Center for Integrated Electronics, the Focus Center for Interconnects, the Center for Advanced Interconnect System and Technology, the electron microprobe and electron microscope facilities, accelerators at the University at Albany, the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory.

Educational Research and Development in Physics   Rensselaer’s physics education group pioneered the “studio” approach to physics instruction. The defining characteristics of studio physics classes are integrated lecture/laboratory form, a reduction in lecture time, a technology-enhanced learning environment, collaborative group work, and a high level of faculty-student interaction. The studio physics environment employs activities, computer tools, and multimedia materials that allow students to participate in their own learning and to construct their own scientific knowledge. Allowing students to learn directly from their interactions with the physical world through “hands-on” activities is a high priority. Students may participate in programs of the educational development group to fulfill thesis requirements for the M.S. degree.

Particle Physics   The structure of matter smaller than the nucleus remains one of nature’s research frontiers. Rensselaer faculty are engaged in experimental and theoretical studies of fundamental hadrons and their interactions and thermodynamic descriptions of strongly interacting systems.

Experimental work is under way at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). These experiments examine the properties of the proton and its excited states, and searches for states of gluonic matter. The instruments for this work are designed and constructed at Rensselaer and other collaborating institutions. A new detector is under design for the Hall D project at JLab.

Use of the Standard Model in the elucidation of hadron structure, in particular the role of quantum chromodynamics, is theoretically investigated. Models that approximate quantum chromodynamics are tested against the data for electroweak transition rates.

Optical Physics   Research in optical physics is directed toward developing new optical materials and devices. A wide range of experimental techniques is used to achieve optical characterization of materials such as nanocrystalline metal and semiconductor particles in glass or in organic materials. Among them are optical absorption, luminescence, Brillouin scattering, Raman scattering, and photomodulation spectroscopies. Experimental measurements use high pressure, low temperature, and high magnetic fields to gain further understanding of the optical properties of novel materials.

Research in optical interconnects focuses on developing and testing polymer and inorganic optical waveguides to address interconnect problems that will arise as computer chips get faster.

Ultrafast photonics and optoelectronics involve the generation and detection of picosecond and femtosecond electromagnetic pulses. Of particular interest are time-resolved experiments on THz pulses. THz spectroscopy opens up novel opportunities in material characterization and information technology. A current project applies THz pulses for biophotonic imaging. Other projects deal with switching semiconductor devices at THz frequencies.

Faculty

Departmental faculty listings are accurate as of the date generated for inclusion in this catalog. For the most up-to-date listing of faculty positions, including end-of-year promotions, please refer to the Faculty Roster section of this catalog, which is current as of the May 2002 Board of Trustees meeting.

Professors
Adams, G.S.—Ph.D. (Indiana University); experimental particle physics; photo reactions, hadron structure, exotic hadrons.
Casabella, P.A.—Ph.D. (Brown University); physics education.
Hayes, T.M.—Ph.D. (Harvard University); condensed matter physics.
Jackson, S.A.—Ph.D. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); theoretical physics (Joint appointment with Engineering).
Lu, T.-M.—Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin); thin films and interfaces.
Napolitano, J.J.—Ph.D. (Stanford University); experimental nuclear and particle physics; scientific computation.
Persans, P.D.—Ph.D. (University of Chicago); spectroscopy of semiconductors; thin films; optical materials.
Roberge, W.G.—Ph.D. (Harvard University); theoretical astrophysics.
Schowalter, L.J.—Ph.D. (University of Illinois); material physics.
Schroeder, J.—Ph.D. (Catholic University of America); optical properties of solids at high pressure.
Shur, M.S.—Dr.Sc. (Ioffe Institute); semiconductor physics, ballistic transmission, terahertz radiation (Joint appointment with ECSE).
Sperber, D.—Ph.D. (Princeton University); theoretical nuclear physics.
Stoler, P.—Ph.D. (Rutgers University); particle and nuclear physics; structure of hadrons.
Wang, G.C.—Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin); physics of surfaces, interfaces, and nanostructures.
Whittet, D.C.B.—Ph.D. (St. Andrews University); astrophysics; observational astronomy; interstellar dust; origins of life.
Zhang, X.-C.—Ph.D. (Brown University); ultrafast optics, photonic, optoelectronic and terahertz science and technology (Joint appointment with ECSE).

Associate Professor
Newberg, H.J.—Ph.D. (University of California, Berkeley); astrophysics.

Assistant Professors
Kersting, R.—Ph.D. (University of Aachen); optical physics and terahertz radiation.
Korniss, G.—Ph.D. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute); theoretical and computational physics.
Nayak, S.—Ph.D. (Jawarharlal Nehru University); theoretical physics and first principle calculations.
Wilke, I.—Ph.D. (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology); ultrafast optics, photonic, optoelectronic and terahertz science and technology.

Institute Professor
Giaever, I.—Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); biological physics.
Clinical Professor
Washington, M.A.—Ph.D. (New York University); photonics.

Clinical Associate Professor
McIntyre, C.R.—Ph.D. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); semiconductor materials.

Clinical Assistant Professor
Schujman, S.—Ph.D. (Instituto Balsiero, Argentina); thin film solar cells.

Visiting Professor
Ohanian, H.—Ph.D. (Princeton University); gravitation and general relativity.

Adjunct Professors
Bedrosian, G.—Ph.D. (California Institute of Technology); electromagnetic analysis.
Haus, J.—Ph.D. (Catholic University); quantum optics, statistical mechanics.
Taiuti, M.—Ph.D. (Dottore di Ricerca in Fisica); nuclear and particle physics.
Weygand, D.—Ph.D. (Syracuse University); nuclear and particle physics.

Research Professors
Lee, S.—Ph.D. (University of Michigan); condensed matter.
Slack, G.—Ph.D. (Cornell University); electronic materials and thermoelectrics.

Research Assistant Professors
Cummings, J.—Ph.D. (Rice University); experimental nuclear and particle physics.
Lu, J.—Ph.D. (Technical University of Munich); electronic materials.

Visiting Scientists
Edelstein, W.—Ph.D. (Harvard University); magnetic resonance imaging basic sciences and applications.
Wagner, D.J.—Ph.D. (Vanderbilt University); educational physics.

Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate students begin with core curriculum courses that teach basic scientific principles and develop skills in problem solving, scientific thinking, and clear oral and written expression. Students also choose from a broad range of advanced courses in the Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy and in other science and engineering departments depending upon their individual career goals.

Baccalaureate Programs

Rensselaer offers two undergraduate programs in physics, one leading to the B.S. in Physics and the other to the B.S. in Applied Physics. Students in the applied physics program must declare a concentration in a specific technological area, in which they take at least four elective courses.

Physics Curriculum

1. A Senior Project is required, which consists of a research course, cooperative assignment, or prior research project approval.
2. CHEM-1500 Chemistry of Materials I may be substituted for CHEM-1100 Chemistry I.
3. A total of 24 credits in H&SS electives is required.
4. Course chosen from Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, or Mathematics.
5. Students with little or no electronics experience are encouraged to take ENGR-1310 Introduction to Engineering Electronics, a one-credit laboratory course, in addition to this four-credit elective.

Optical Physics   A concentration in optical physics might include four courses from the following list:

Microelectronics   A concentration in microelectronics might include courses from the following list:

* Students cannot receive credit for both ECSE-4250 and MTLE-4160.

Electives   Physics or applied physics majors planning to continue on to graduate studies in these areas should take some combination of advanced physics courses to prepare for these studies. These courses should be chosen from the following undergraduate- and graduate-level courses:

Students planning on graduate work in astronomy or astrophysics are urged to choose electives from the above list, as well as include the following:

Dual Majors   A dual major in physics and any other degree program offered by the School of Science is possible. A student in such a program will satisfy the requirements of both degrees. In addition, a dual major in physics and philosophy is available. Students satisfy the physics requirements and take ten courses in philosophy.

B.S.-M.S. Options   A five-year B.S.-M.S. program generally can be planned by qualified students in their junior year. Students may receive a B.S. in Physics and an M.S. In Physics or another science or engineering discipline.

Minor Programs

The Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy offers the following minors:

Physics   Students not majoring in physics may minor in this subject by taking at least 16 credit hours of physics courses (coded PHYS) at the 2000 level or higher.

Astronomy   To complete an astronomy minor, a student should take PHYS-2510, ASTR-2050, and two of the following courses: ASTR-4120, ASTR- 4510, or ASTR-4960.

Astrophysics   This minor is available to students majoring in physics and planning on graduate study in astronomy or astrophysics. To complete this minor, a student should take PHYS-2510, ASTR-4220, at least one four-credit research project in astrophysics, and at least three semesters of the one-credit ASTR-4900.

Astrobiology   This multidisciplinary minor is open to students majoring in physics or in other disciplines. To complete this minor, a student must take a minimum of 16 credits of course work in this field. These courses must include four credits each of ASTR-4510 and ISCI- 4500, and two semesters of the one-credit ISCI-4510. Two additional courses outside the major field of study must also be selected from the following:

The requirement that two selected courses must be outside the major is reduced to one in the case of a double major, provided that both majors are in the primary relevant areas of study (i.e., biology, chemistry, geology, and physics).

Dual Major Programs

Students may form a dual major in physics and any other degree program within the School of Science. In these cases, the program will satisfy the requirements of both degrees. In addition, a dual major in physics and philosophy is available by satisfying the physics requirements and pursuing 10 philosophy courses.

Accelerated Programs

Students may generally select, in their junior year, to follow a five-year B.S.-M.S. program. These students receive the B.S. in physics and the M.S. in either physics or another science or engineering discipline.

Graduate Programs

Graduate students develop flexible individual programs of study and research in one or more of the available research areas. The department offers both the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in physics.

Master’s Programs

Completion of the M.S. requires 30 credits of graduate work, including a minimum of 21 credits in course work. Course work should meet the needs of the individual student, but must include PHYS-6510 and two of the following four courses: PHYS-6520, PHYS-6310, PHYS-6110, and PHYS-6410. The master’s degree also requires some credits of research, which may culminate in a formally presented thesis (six to nine credits) or a research project (three credits). Some teaching experience is required for the degree.

Doctoral Programs

Ninety credits beyond the bachelor’s degree or 60 credits beyond the M.S. are required, including credits for original research culminating in a formally presented thesis. A manuscript on the thesis research should be prepared for publication.

Admission to the Ph.D. program is granted only upon passing a written qualifying examination at the beginning of the third semester of Rensselaer graduate work. The advanced undergraduate-level exam is given in two parts: 1) Mechanics and Electrodynamics and 2) Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics, and Introduction to Statistical Mechanics. The examination is given twice annually in August and January.


Doctoral requirements do not state a minimum number of course credits. However, students must take the basic core of six courses including PHYS-6310, PHYS-6510 and PHYS-6520, PHYS-6590, PHYS-6110, and PHYS-6410. Students are expected to obtain a grade of at least B in each of these courses. In addition to the above sequence of core courses, there are the following doctoral course requirement:. (1) one graduate 6000-level course in the area of research specialization; (2) three courses related to the student’s educational needs as authorized by the student’s research adviser. Note: PHYS-6530 is strongly recommended for all students. (All theory students should take this course). There are special requirements for students specializing in astrophysics and biophysics.

Once students have chosen a Ph.D. project and assembled a committee, they will present a brief written thesis proposal to the committee and orally defend it. In the oral exam, members of the committee question students specifically on the planned research and more generally on the physics related to that research. This candidacy exam is normally taken at the end of the third year.

Some teaching experience is also required for the Ph.D. degree.

Courses

For course descriptions see PHYS and ASTR.