COURSES OFFERED BY PROFESSOR ALEXANDER BALANDIN
MAT SCI 226 Si-CMOS Technology: Selected Topics in Materials Science
Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour; outside study, eight hours. Recommended preparation: Electrical Engineering 221B. Requisites: courses 130, 131, 200, 221, 222. Selected topics in materials science from modern the Si complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The course objective is to provide in-depth knowledge on selected challenges of materials-science nature in the Si CMOS technology. It is intended to bridge the knowledge gap existing between the graduate students from the material science and electrical engineering departments. The course is structured to illustrate the principles of operation of the Si CMOS technology and how the fundamental materials science knowledge is used to improve the performance of CMOS devices and circuits. The course addresses challenges in modern Si CMOS technology, including downscaling, high–k metal gate stacks, strain engineering, SOI and 3-D field-effect transistors, interconnect materials, thermal management, electronic noise, and reliability. It is designed for students with a background in electronic materials, solid-state physics, thermodynamics, and semiconductor processing.
This course is offered every Spring quarter. The link to the course description is HERE.
MAT SCI 194 Research Group Seminars: Materials Science and Engineering
Seminar, four hours; outside study, eight hours. Designed for undergraduate students who are part of the research group. Discussion of research methods and current literature in the field or of research of faculty members or students. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading.
This course is offered as needed, each quarter.
MAT SCI 199 Directed Research in Materials Science and Engineering
Tutorial, to be arranged. Limited to juniors/seniors. Supervised individual research or investigation under guidance of faculty mentor. Culminating paper or project required. Occasional field trips may be arranged. May be repeated for credit with school approval. Individual contract required; enrollment petitions available in Office of Academic and Student Affairs. Letter grading.
This course is offered as needed, each quarter.
MAT SCI 296 Seminar: Advanced Topics in Materials Science and Engineering
Seminar, two hours; outside study, four hours. Advanced study and analysis of current topics in materials science and engineering. Discussion of current research and literature in the research specialty of faculty members teaching the course. May be repeated for credit. S/U grading.
This course is offered each quarter. It is designed for the research group members.
MAT SCI 596 Directed Individual or Tutorial Studies
Tutorial, to be arranged with the instructor. Supervised individual reading and study on a project approved by a faculty member. Supervised investigation of advanced technical problems. May be repeated for credit, but only two 596 courses may be applied toward the degree unless departmental consent is obtained. S/U or letter grading. Limited to graduate materials science and engineering students. Petition forms to request enrollment may be obtained from SAO. S/U grading.
Specific topics offered by Professor Balandin in Mat Sci 596:
• Low-frequency electronic noise in materials and devices;
• Excess noise in ultra-wide-band-gap semiconductors;
• Electronic device reliability issues;
• Thermal conductivity of materials;
• Phonon transport in low-dimensional materials;
• Phonon engineering approaches and techniques;
• Thermoelectric materials and energy conversion;
• Thermal interface materials and thermal management;
• Inelastic light scattering spectroscopy of materials;
• Fundamentals of Brillouin – Mandelstam spectroscopy;
• Charge-density-wave materials and devices;
• 2D and 1D van der Waals materials and their applications;
• Quantum and topological materials;
• Composites with graphene and their applications;
• Materials issues in downscaled Si CMOS;
• Advanced materials for interconnects;
• Physics-based information processing.
MAT SCI 597A Preparation for MS Comprehensive Examination
Limited to graduate materials science and engineering students. Reading and preparation for MS comprehensive examination. S/U grading.
This course is offered as needed, each quarter.
MAT SCI 597B Preparation for PhD Preliminary Examinations
Limited to graduate materials science and engineering students. S/U grading.
This course is offered as needed, each quarter.
MAT SCI 598 Research for and Preparation of MS Thesis
Limited to graduate materials science and engineering students. Supervised independent research for MS candidates, including thesis prospectus. S/U grading.
This course is offered as needed, each quarter.