MSE 498 Modern Methods in Materials Characterization
Spring 2024, Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 am to 10:50 am — Room 190 ESB — Updated 02/21/2024
| Dates: | Topics: | |
| 1 | January 16 | Comparative overview of analytical methods. Fundamental aspects of materials interactions with photons, electrons and ion probing species. General measurement strategies and concepts of resolution, energy, detection limits, accuracy, precision, noise, and data fitting. |
| 2 | January 18 | Thermal analysis methods: thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) |
| 3 | January 23 | Particle size analysis, including dynamical light scattering and comparison with SAXS |
| 4 | January 25 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern particle zeta sizer and DSC at the MRL |
| 5 | January 30 | X-ray scattering, powder x-ray diffraction and structure determination |
| 6 | February 1 | X-ray quantitative analysis, preferred orientation, texture, residual stress |
| 7 | February 6 | X-ray diffraction: thin films, rocking curves, high resolution XRD and reciprocal space mapping |
| 8 | February 8 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern x-ray diffractometer at the MRL |
| 9 | February 13 | Optical profilometry and general imaging processing methods |
| 10 | February 15 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern optical profiler at the MRL |
| 11 | February 20 | Atomic force microscopy: topography and basic imaging analysis strategies |
| 12 | February 22 | Atomic force microscopy: advanced measurement methods |
| 13 | February 27 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern atomic force microscope at the MRL |
| 14 | February 29 |
Data analysis discussion and case studies |
| 15 | March 5 | X-ray scattering techniques: X-ray reflectometry, x-ray fluorescence and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) |
| 16 | March 7 | Ion beam analysis (SIMS, RBS, APT) |
| March 12 | No Class — Spring Break | |
| March 14 | No Class — Spring Break | |
| 17 | March 19 | Ellipsometry |
| 18 | March 21 | Raman spectroscopy including tip-enhanced methods |
| 19 | March 26 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern confocal Raman spectrometer at the MRL |
| 20 | March 28 | Electron microscopy: general concepts, instrumentation. Scanning electron microscopy |
| 21 | April 2 | Advanced analytical methods using scanning electron microscopy: energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), electron backscatter diffraction, cathode luminescence, etc |
| 22 | April 4 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern scanning electron microscope at the MRL |
| 23 | April 9 | Transmission electron microscopy (TEM): imaging and aberration-corrected high-resolution mode |
| 24 | April 11 | Advanced analytical spectroscopy applied to TEM including EDS, energy electron loss spectroscopy and in-situ thermo and nanomechanical analysis methods |
| 25 | April 16 | Cryo-electron microscopy including overall sample preparation of biological materials |
| 26 | April 18 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern transmission electron microscope at the MRL with examples on biomaterials |
| 27 | April 23 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern high-resolution aberration-corrected analytical transmission electron microscope at the MRL |
| 28 | April 25 | Course closing with comparison of the various techniques with applications |
| 29 | April 30 | General Q&A and discussion– final class |
| May 3-10 | Finals week |