MSE 498 Modern Methods in Materials Characterization
Fall 2025, Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 am to 10:50 am — Room 190 ESB — Updated 07/02/2025
| Dates: | Topics: | |
| 1 | Aug 26 | 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 | Aug 28 | Thermal analysis methods: thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) |
| 3 | Sept 2 | Particle size analysis, including dynamical light scattering and comparison with SAXS |
| 4 | Sept 4 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern particle zeta sizer and DSC at the MRL |
| 5 | Sept 9 | Optical profilometry and general imaging processing methods |
| 6 | Sept 11 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern optical profiler at the MRL |
| 7 | Sept 16 | Atomic force microscopy: topography and basic imaging analysis strategies |
| 8 | Sept 18 | Atomic force microscopy: advanced measurement methods |
| 9 | Sept 23 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern atomic force microscope at the MRL |
| 10 | Sept 25 | X-ray scattering, powder x-ray diffraction and structure determination |
| 11 | Sept 30 | X-ray quantitative analysis, preferred orientation, texture, residual stress |
| 12 | Oct 2 | X-ray diffraction: thin films, rocking curves, high resolution XRD and reciprocal space mapping |
| 13 | Oct 7 | X-ray scattering techniques: X-ray reflectometry, x-ray fluorescence and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) |
| 14 | Oct 9 |
Live demo and data acquisition using a modern x-ray diffractometer at the MRL |
| 15 | Oct 14 | Data analysis discussion (all techniques) and case studies |
| 16 | Oct 16 | Ellipsometry |
| 17 | Oct 21 | Raman spectroscopy including tip-enhanced methods |
| 18 | Oct 23 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern confocal Raman spectrometer at the MRL |
| 19 | Oct 28 | Electron microscopy: general concepts, instrumentation. Scanning electron microscopy |
| 20 | Oct 30 | Advanced analytical methods using scanning electron microscopy: energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), electron backscatter diffraction, cathode luminescence, etc. |
| 21 | Nov 4 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern scanning electron microscope at the MRL |
| 22 | Nov 6 | Transmission electron microscopy (TEM): imaging and aberration-corrected high-resolution mode |
| 23 | Nov 11 | Advanced analytical spectroscopy applied to TEM including EDS, energy electron loss spectroscopy and in-situ thermo and nanomechanical analysis methods |
| 24 | Nov 13 | Cryo-electron microscopy including overall sample preparation of biological materials |
| 25 | Nov 18 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern transmission electron microscope at the MRL with examples on biomaterials |
| 26 | Nov 20 | Live demo and data acquisition using a modern high-resolution aberration-corrected analytical transmission electron microscope at the MRL |
| Nov 25 | No Class — Fall Break | |
| Nov 27 | No Class — Fall Break |
|
| 27 | Dec 2 | Ion beam analysis (SIMS, APT, RBS) |
| 28 | Dec 4 | Course closing with comparison of the various techniques with applications |
| 29 | Dec 9 | General Q&A and discussion– final class |
| Dec 12-18 | Finals week |