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.

Our B.S. degree in Applied 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 disciplines, such as chemistry, life science, engineering, or environmental science. Those who choose to further their physics education are accepted into graduate program, 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 overloads during the later semesters to ensure a complete undergraduate curriculum:

• PEP 503 Introduction to Solid State Physics (3-0-3)
• PEP 507 Introduction to Microelectrionics and Photonics (3-0-3)
• PEP 509 Intermediate Waves and Optics (3-0-3)
• PEP 520 Computational Physics (3-0-3)
• PEP 527 Mathematical Methods for Science and Engineering
• PEP 541 The Physics of Gas Discharges (3-0-3)
• PEP 555 Statistical Physics and Kinetic Theory (3-0-3)
• PEP 556 Introduction to Quantum Control (3-0-3)

You may qualify for a minor in physics by taking the required courses indicated below. Completion of a minor indicates a proficiency beyond that provided by the Stevens curriculum in the basic material of the selected area. If you are enrolled in a minor program, you must meet the Institute requirements. In addition, the grade in any course credited for a minor must be "C" or better.

Requirements for a Minor in Physics

• PEP 209 Modern Optics
• PEP 242 Modern Physics
• PEP 527 Mathematical Methods of Science and Engineering
• PEP 538 Introduction to Mechanics
• PEP 542 Electromagnetism
• PEP 553 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

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 four 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 four high-tech areas of concentration: Applied Optics, Microelectronics and Photonics, Atmospheric and Environmental Science, or Plasma and Surface Physics. These concentrations represent high-tech areas of significant current local and global technological and economic interest. The PEP department has both research strength 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.

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.

B.S. degree in physics or equivalent including the following coursework: calculus-based three- or four-semester introductory physics sequence, 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.

Graduate Record Examination including the Physics Subject Exam.

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.

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 include include the following required courses:

• PEP 642 Mechanics
• PEP 643/644 Electricity and Magnetism I and II
• PEP 554 Quantum Mechanics I

One 600-level advanced quantum mechanics course

• 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)

and two additional elective courses, chosen in consultation with an academic advisor. These courses may also 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.

The Master of Engineering - Engineering Physics degree program has two 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 – which may even be interdisciplinary. 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.

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 Kinetic and Theory
    PEP 691 Physics and Applications of Semiconductor Nanostructures

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

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.

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

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
    EE/MT/PEP 507 Introduction to Microelectronics and Photonics
    EE/MT/PEP 561 Solid State Electronics I
    EE/MT/PEP 562 Solid State Electronics II
    CPE/MT/PEP 690 Introduction to VLSI Design

Photonics
    EE/MT/PEP 507 Introduction to Microelectronics and Photonics
    EE/MT/PEP 515 Photonics I
    EE/MT/PEP 516 Photonics II
    EE/MT/PEP 626 Optical Communication Systems

Plasma and Surface Physics
    PEP 503 Introduction to Solid State Physics
    PEP 524 Introduction to Surface Science
    and two out of the following four courses:
    PEP 525 Techniques of Surface Analysis
    PEP 540 Physical Electronics
    PEP 541 The Physic of Gas Discharges
    PEP 545 Plasma Processing

Satellite Communications Engineering
    (Interdisciplinary with Electrical and Computer Engineering)
    EE 587 Microwave Engineering I or
        EE 787 Applied Antenna Theory
    EE 611 Digital Communications Engineering
    EE 620 Reliability Engineering
    EE 674 Satellite Communications
    EE 740 Selected Topics in Communication Theory

EE course descriptions can be found in the Electrical and Computer Engineering section of the catalog.

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. The student has 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.

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
Three 700-level courses chosen in consultation with an academic advisor

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 total of 90 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree is required for the Ph.D. degree. Required coursework represents 45 credits. At least 30 of the remaining 45 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 60 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.

Interdisciplinary Physics

Solutions of many doctoral-level research problems involve cross-cutting approaches that bring together two or more of the more traditional scientific disciplines. To address this need, the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics offers interdisciplinary research opportunities jointly with other departments at the Institute. Fruitful dissertations combining physics with materials science, electrical engineering, and environmental engineering have been pursued, and other combinations are also possible. This program may also be helpful to students who may have obtained a Master’s degree that is significantly different from the Stevens Master of Science in physics degree. Any student who wishes to enter an interdisciplinary program needs to obtain the consent of the two departments and the subsequent approval of the Dean of Graduate Academics.

The student will follow a study plan designed by his/her faculty advisor(s) and approved by the department’s Graduate Academic Standards and Curriculum committee. The student will be granted official candidacy in the program upon successful completion of a qualifying exam that will be administered by the advisor(s) in consultation with the Dean of Graduate Academics. All other policies that govern the credit and thesis requirements apply to students enrolled in this interdisciplinary program. Interested students should follow the normal graduate application procedures through the Dean of Graduate Academics.

The Physics and Engineering Physics facilities include the following:

• Center for Controlled Quantum Systems
  The Center for Controlled Quantum Systems (CCQS) is a cross-disciplinary research center involving collaborations between multiple research groups focusing on one of the last challenges in research: controlling (and thereby employing for future application) the quantum system. New waves of technologies are normally connected to breakthroughs in research which allowed for greater control of nature and opened up ways to harness the newfound potential. Today's limit of control is mostly based on the quantum mechanical nature, and while physicists have explored quantum mechanical phenomena of quantum systems like atoms, molecules, and the solid state for decades, only a few have tried to control the dynamics of these systems in real time.
  
  One of the main directions of the center is based on optical techniques to control quantum systems. The advent of ultrafast lasers and laser cooling techniques in recent years has finally opened up the possibility of controlling quantum dynamics. This can be achieved using ultrafast femtosecond lasers to either probe the systems on time scales much shorter than the time scale for which quantum mechanical phase coherence is maintained, or by directly manipulating the environmental sources that destroy phase coherence. By contrast, laser cooling and trapping techniques can be used to create systems with temperatures so low and well isolated from their surrounding environment that phase coherence times can be increased by many orders of magnitude. The ability to precisely control the phase and amplitude of laser pulses provides a high degree of customization in their interaction with matter.
  
  The work in this center will contribute to and direct the development of new quantum mechanics-based technologies, such as quantum computers, new types of solid state and interferometric sensors, and light sources with customizable photon statistics and coherence properties. A unique characteristic of this center is the close collaboration between theoretical and experimental groups. This provides the opportunity for students to gain both theoretical and experimental research experience working on the same project.
  
  
• NanoPhotonics Laboratory - Prof. S. Strauf
  Research in the NanoPhotonics Lab focuses on novel functional materials like photonic crystals, semiconductor quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes. They offer both rich opportunities for fundamental research of light-matter interaction at the nanoscale and new routes for semiconductor device applications in optical information processing. Topics include ultra-low threshold nanolasers, non-classical light sources for quantum cryptography, nanoplasmonic converters, and, furthermore, bio-functionalyzed photonic devices like biomolecule sensors and light-harvesting hybrid solar cells.      As a long term goal, we are seeking to combine these devices on a chip in order to create optical circuits which will ultimately replace our existing electronic chips, since they have unprecedented functionality, orders of magnitude higher bandwidth, and yet unforeseen abilities.
  
  
• Ultrafast Dynamics and Control Theory Group - Prof. S. Malinovskaya
  Understanding of ultrafast molecular dynamics induced by intense laser pulses, and development of laser control methods to manipulate with quantum systems; theory of coherent stimulated Raman scattering (CSRS) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy and microscopy in application to noninvasive biological imaging and investigation of ultrafast dynamics of biological systems on real-time scale; and the design of new quantum control methods including ultrafast optical pulse sculpting and coupling it to other advanced techniques, such as adaptive learning algorithms. We investigate (1) the possibility of selective excitation of predetermined vibrations in chemical and biological systems, (2) dissociation of small molecules following core-electron excitation that requires x-ray photon energies, and (3) photoinduced reactions in large molecules, e.g., photoisomerization in the rhodopsin molecule, a key intermediate in the vision process.
  
  
• Theoretical Quantum and Matter Wave Optics - Prof. C. P. Search      Theoretical investigations into the dynamical properties of atomic and molecular Bose-Einstein condensates and quantum degenerate Fermi gases. Particular areas of interest include nonlinear wave-mixing of matter waves, quantum statistics and coherence properties of bosonic and fermionic matter waves, atomic recoil effects in the interaction between light and ultracold atoms, atom-molecule conversion via Feshbach resonances, and photoassociation and phase sensitivity in atom interferometers. Applications include precision interferometers for inertial navigation, gravity gradiometers for geophysical prospecting, and matter wave lithography. Other areas of interest include open quantum systems, control of environmental decoherence, and cavity quantum electrodynamics.
  
  
• Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy and Communication Laboratory - Prof. R. Martini (WWW.FEMTOLAB.US)
   The realization of ultrahigh-speed communication networks at and above Terahertz (THz) bandwidth is one of today's most challenging problems, as the limiting factors are given by fundamental physical properties and laws. To overcome the restrictions, new concepts and materials have to be invented and utilized. In this laboratory, we investigate the high-speed response of new lasers and materials, as well as passive and active optical systems using ultrashort laser pulses (<100fs) to develop towards higher speed networks. In addition to this, the ultrashort laser techniques in this laboratory enable us to apply many different measurement techniques, accessing the world of the "ultrafast." Time-resolved Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy setup, for example, gives us the unique ability to measure optical, as well as electrical, properties in this ultrahigh-speed frequency region and use it for new and fascinating applications in this new "frequency world."
  
  
• Solid State Electronics and Nanodevices - Prof. H. L. Cui
  Theoretical research on quantum electron transport, resonant tunneling devices, and optical devices; modeling and simulation of semiconductor devices and acoustic wave devices and networks; and large-scale, massively-parallel simulations of MM-wave spectroscopes and fiber-optical communication devices.
  
  
• Quantum Electron Physics and Technology - Prof. N. J. M. Horing
  Quantum field theory of many-body systems; nonequilibrium and thermal Green's function methods in solid state and semiconductor physics and response properties; open quantum systems; nonequilibrium fluctuations; surface interactions; quantum plasma; high magnetic field phenomena; low dimensional systems; dynamic, nonlocal dielectric properties, and collective modes in quantum wells, wires, dots, and superlattices; nanostructure electrodynamics and optical properties; nonlinear quantum transport theory; magnetotransport, miniband transport, hot electrons, and hot phonons in submicron devices; mesoscopic systems; spintronics; relaxation and decoherence in semiconductor nanostructures; nanoelectrical mechanical systems (NEMS); and device analysis for quantum computations.
  
  Experimental techniques to address the nanoworld include: Home-Build Scanning Probe Micro-Spectroscopy (SPMS), Atomic-Force Microscopy (AFM), Quantum Optics, Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (HBT), Time-Correlated Photon Counting (TCPC), Interferometry, Cryogenics (4K), Tunable and Short-Pulse Lasers, Novel Nanoprobes (SNOM, piezo-driven tapered fiber tips, and plasmonic near-field tips), Photoluminescence (PL and PLE) and Raman Spectroscopy, Surface Chemistry, Self-assembling of Molecular Layers and Colloidal Quantum Dots, Ellipsometry, Polarimetry, Photon Tomography, and Electrical Testing (Photocurrent and IV-Curves).
  
  
• Light and Life Laboratory - Prof. K. Stamnes
  Atmospheric/Space Research, including satellite remote sensing of the environment; measurements of broadband and spectral radiation, including solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation; inference of cloud and stratospheric ozone effects on UV exposure; numerical modeling of geophysical phenomena and comparison with measurements; and study of radiation transport in turbid media, such as the atmosphere-ocean system and biological tissue.
  
  
• Photonics Science and Technology Lab - Prof. E. A. Whittaker
  The theme of this laboratory is the development and application of laser-based methods for remote sensing, chemical analysis, and optical communications. Techniques used include frequency modulation spectroscopy, laser vibrometry, and free space optical communications. The laboratory is equipped with a wide range of laser sources and detectors, high-frequency electronic test equipment, computer-controlled measurement systems, and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer.
  
  
• Laboratory for the Study of Electron-Driven Processes - Prof. V. Tarnovsky
  Electron collisions with atoms, molecules, and free radicals; experimental and theoretical studies of excitation, dissociation, and ionization processes; measurement of electron attachment and detachment cross-sections and rates; collision-induced emission spectroscopy; laser-induced fluorescence experiments; collision processes in low-temperature plasmas; atomic processes in atmospheric pressure plasmas; application of collisional and spectroscopic data to plasma diagnostic techniques; atomic, molecular, and plasma processes in environmental systems; internal collaborations with the Center for Environmental Systems (CES) and the John Vossen Laboratory for Thin Film and Vacuum Technology; and external collaborations with the Universität Greifswald and the Institut für Niedertemperaturplasmaphysik (Institute for Low-Temperature Plasma Physics), Greifswald, Germany and the Universität Innsbruck, Austria.