xMinor in Materials for Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Devices

Offered By: Massachusetts Institute of Technology via edX

Course Description

Overview

Are you interested in learning more about the science and engineering behind the electronic, optical, and magnetic materials that make up our modern world? Are you an undergraduate studying chemistry, physics, or engineering, or are you a graduate of one of these fields looking to grow your knowledge base? Would you like to explore a new field while building upon your knowledge in your primary field of specialization?

The MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering would like to invite you to pursue an Materials for Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Devices xMinor on edX. This program includes intermediate and advanced level undergraduate coursework that, together with your undergraduate science or engineering degree, will prepare you for employment or graduate study in fields relating to electronic, optical and magnetic materials science and engineering.

The first course in this series, 3.012Sx: Structure of Materials, will provide you with an introduction some of the most fundamental concepts in materials science. You will learn to describe the underlying structure of materials, develop a basic understanding of crystallography, and learn how structure influences the properties of materials. You will explore the structure of various types of materials-- crystalline, non-crystalline, and liquid crystalline, and this knowledge will lay the groundwork for more advanced coursework. In the second course, 3.024x: Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Materials, you will learn to use the principles of quantum mechanics, solid state physics, and electricity & magnetism to describe the origins of the electronic, optical, and magnetic properties of materials. In the final course, 3.15x: Electrical, Optical, and Magnetic Materials and Devices, you will take the fundamentals that you learned in previous courses and learn how these principles are applied in the design of electronic, optical and magnetic devices. Finally, you will demonstrate your learning by completing a comprehensive, proctored final program examination.

What is an xMinor? An MITx xMinor is a sequence of intermediate and advanced undergraduate courses, plus at least one proctored exam. xMinors are valuable additions to an undergraduate education; they may open additional career options for you or may strengthen your preparation for a Masters program. The courses are drawn from MIT curricula; some universities may incorporate them into their own curricula, offering them to their students as ways to enhance their undergraduate experience.

Recommended prerequisites: one year of introductory college-level calculus, chemistry and physics; differential equations.

Syllabus

Courses under this program:
Course 1: Structure of Materials

Discover the structure of the materials that make up our modern world and learn how this underlying structure influences the properties and performance of these materials.

Course 2: Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Materials

Discover the physical principles behind diodes, light-emitting devices, and memories.

Course 3: Electrical, Optical & Magnetic Materials and Devices

In 3.15x we will explore the electrical, optical, and magnetic properties of materials and learn how electronic devices are designed to exploit these properties.

Course 4: Capstone Exam – Materials for Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Devices

Take the Comprehensive Exam in Materials for Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Devices to earn the MITx xMinor credential.

Courses

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15 weeks, 11-13 hours a week, 11-13 hours a week
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This course from MIT’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering introduces the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, solid state physics, and electricity and magnetism. We use these principles to describe the origins of the electronic, optical, and magnetic properties of materials, and we discuss how these properties can be engineered to suit particular applications, including diodes, optical fibers, LEDs, and solar cells.

In this course, you will find out how the speed of sound is connected to the electronic band gap, what the difference is between a metal and a semiconductor, and how many magnetic domains fit in a nanoparticle. You will explore a wide range of topics in the domains of materials engineering, quantum mechanics, solid state physics that are essential for any engineer or scientist who wants to gain a fuller understanding of the principles underlying modern electronics.
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16 weeks, 6-8 hours a week, 6-8 hours a week
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Structure determines so much about a material: its properties, its potential applications, and its performance within those applications. This course from MIT’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering explores the structure of a wide variety of materials with current-day engineering applications.

The course begins with an introduction to amorphous materials. We explore glasses and polymers, learn about the factors that influence their structure, and learn how materials scientists measure and describe the structure of these materials.

Then we begin a discussion of the crystalline state, exploring what it means for a material to be crystalline, how we describe directions in a crystal, and how we can determine the structure of crystal through x-ray diffraction. We explore the underlying crystalline structures that underpin so many of the materials that surround us. Finally, we look at how tensors can be used to represent the properties of three-dimensional materials, and we consider how symmetry places constraints on the properties of materials.

We move on to an exploration of quasi-, plastic, and liquid crystals. Then, we learn about the point defects that are present in all crystals, and we will learn how the presence of these defects lead to diffusion in materials. Next, we will explore dislocations in materials. We will introduce the descriptors that we use to describe dislocations, we will learn about dislocation motion, and will consider how dislocations dramatically affect the strength of materials. Finally, we will explore how defects can be used to strengthen materials, and we will learn about the properties of higher-order defects such as stacking faults and grain boundaries.
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1 week, 3-5 hours a week, 3-5 hours a week
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The MITx xMinor in Materials for Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Devices is a certification program offered by MITx that is designed and administered by MIT’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering. This xMinor credential consists of three college-level undergraduate courses and a comprehensive, proctored final examination.

Only people who have earned certificates of completion in 3.012x, 3.024x, and 3.15x are qualified to take this exam.
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16 weeks, 8-12 hours a week, 8-12 hours a week
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This course will explain the basis of the electrical, optical, and magnetic properties of materials including semiconductors, metals, organics and insulators, and will show how devices are built to take advantage of those properties. It is illustrated with a wide range of devices, placing a strong emphasis on new and emerging technologies. Applications presented include diodes, transistors, photodetectors, solar cells (photovoltaics), displays, light emitting diodes, lasers, optical fibers and optical communications, photonic devices, magnetic data storage, motors, transformers and spintronics.

Image attribution: Disk drive: KEURT Datenrettung, Lasers: US Navy Surface Warfare Center, Computer Chip: Jon Sullivan

Taught by

Jessica Sandland, Polina Anikeeva, Caroline Ross and Silvija Gradečak