Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry offers bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees with majors in chemistry or biochemistry. The department enjoys a strong national reputation.

The curriculum in chemistry provides broad knowledge of the field as a part of the liberal education offered by the College of Arts and Sciences. Chemistry course work is a sound foundation for students interested in advanced work in chemistry or related sciences, particularly such fields as biochemistry, geochemistry, materials science, and molecular biology.

One strength of the program is the opportunity undergraduates have to participate in the activities of a dynamic research group that considers problems extending well beyond textbook instruction. Major and nonmajor students alike can enjoy this experience of scientific inquiry. One to two years of preparatory course work typically precede the research experience. The department enrolls twenty to thirty undergraduate students each term in Research (CH 401).

Preparation. The high school preparation of a prospective chemistry major should include chemistry, physics, and a minimum of three years of mathematics. Those interested in biochemistry would also profit from biology courses in high school.

Two-year college students planning to transfer to the university to major in chemistry should prepare by taking courses equivalent to those outlined for the freshman and sophomore years.

The department offers two general-chemistry sequences—General Chemistry (CH 221, 222, 223), and Honors General Chemistry (CH 224H, 225H, 226H)—both of which lead to organic chemistry, the second-year sequence in chemistry. Each sequence covers the fundamentals of chemistry but uses a different approach and a textbook tailored to suit a student’s background in high school chemistry and mathematics.

Careers. Career opportunities for chemists are available in education, government, and industry (see the annual October issue of Chemical and Engineering News). A bachelor’s degree in chemistry provides a good background for advanced study in such fields as atmospheric science, biochemistry, biology, environmental sciences, forensic science, geochemistry, geological sciences, pharmacy, pharmacology, physiology, materials science, medicine, medicinal chemistry, metallurgy, molecular biology, neuroscience, and oceanography. Chemists also find jobs in science writing, public relations, personnel, plant production, sales, management, safety management, market research, patent law, and financial analysis. The alumni newsletter, Chemistry News, has examples of careers UO majors have chosen. Follow the links on the department’s website.

Chemistry Major

The program described below is the recommended curriculum for chemistry majors. It includes courses in chemistry and related fields. Courses taken to satisfy major requirements must be passed with grades of C– or better. Variations in courses and order may be worked out in consultation with an advisor. Advisors can also provide lists of substitute courses and courses that are recommended but not required.

Students are encouraged to participate in Research (CH 401).

Requirements

Sample Program for Chemistry Majors

Biochemistry Major

Many undergraduate students who are interested in advanced study using molecular approaches to biological problems (e.g., biochemistry, molecular biology, neurochemistry, physical biochemistry, or perhaps medical research) may want to include courses in biologically based subjects. For these students, the Department of Chemistry offers a biochemistry major.

Courses taken to satisfy major requirements must be passed with grades of C– or better. Variations in courses and order may be worked out in consultation with an advisor.

Students who plan to attend graduate school should include research in their advanced work. If chemical research is included as part of the advanced work, at least 6 credits of Research (CH 401) must be completed. Students who plan to apply to medical schools should investigate the need for a physics laboratory course that is not included in this curriculum.

Requirements

Sample Program for Biochemistry Majors

Honors Program

The criteria used for the selection of students who graduate with departmental honors in chemistry or biochemistry are as follows:

1. Grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.50 in all graded courses

2. Suitable accomplishment in undergraduate chemical or related research. Specifically, the student must pursue a research problem for one academic year or longer and be recommended as worthy of honors by the faculty supervisor. Positive accomplishment and publishable results are expected but not required

3. Endorsement for a major with honors by a member of the university faculty

4. Completion of all course requirements for the BS degree in chemistry. Waivers or substitutions allowed with the chemistry faculty’s approval

Chemistry Minor

A minor in chemistry may be designed from course work in general chemistry, including the laboratory sequence, and at least four additional upper-division courses. University requirements for the minor include a total of 24 credits in chemistry, 15 of which must be in upper-division courses and 12 of which must be completed at the University of Oregon. All courses for the minor must be completed with grades of C– or better. Credits earned in Seminar (CH 407), Reading and Conference (CH 405), and Special Laboratory Problems (CH 409) may not be applied as required course work for the minor.

Biochemistry Minor

A total of 38 credits are required for a minor in biochemistry, distributed as follows:

Other courses may be submitted for consideration and approval by the department. At least 12 credits for the biochemistry minor must be completed at the University of Oregon. All courses applied to the minor must be completed with grades of C– or better. Credits earned in Seminar (CH 407), Reading and Conference (CH 405), and Special Laboratory Problems (CH 409) may not be applied to required course work for the biochemistry minor.

Academic Minors for Chemistry Majors

A carefully chosen minor can complement and enhance undergraduate study in chemistry. Following is a selection of academic minors that chemistry majors might want to consider: biology, business administration, computer and information science, economics, environmental studies, geological sciences, human physiology, mathematics, or physics.

Kindergarten through Secondary Teaching Careers

Students who complete the BA or BS degree with a major in chemistry or biochemistry are eligible to apply for the College of Education’s fifth-year licensure program in middle-secondary teaching or the fifth-year licensure program to become an elementary teacher. More information is available from the department’s K–12 education advisors, Catherine Page and Julie Haack; see also the College of Education section of this catalog.

Graduate work in chemistry is a research-oriented PhD program with options in biochemistry and molecular biology, biophysics, bioorganic and medicinal chemistry, environmental chemistry, inorganic and organometallic chemistry, materials chemistry, optics and spectroscopy, organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, physical chemistry, solid-state chemistry, statistical mechanics of liquids and complex fluids, surfaces and interfaces, and theoretical chemical physics. Master of science (MS) and master of arts (MA) degrees are also offered.

A strength of the University of Oregon program is its interdisciplinary approach to research and teaching. Many important advances in chemistry occur at the junctions of classically defined divisions of science. Collaborative interaction between these divisions is fostered through interdisciplinary research institutes. Chemical scientists may be interested in the Institute of Molecular Biology, the Institute of Theoretical Science, the Materials Science Institute, the Oregon Center for Optics, and the programs in cell biology and in molecular synthesis, structure, and dynamics.

First-year students are offered financial assistance through graduate teaching fellowships (GTFs). Research assistantships are typically available for students with advanced standing. These research appointments are funded through grants to the university by federal agencies and private (industrial) sources for support of the basic research programs in the department. Students are selected for these positions based on their interest in a particular research area and by mutual agreement of the student and the faculty member directing the work.

An illustrated publication, University of Oregon Doctoral Program in Chemistry, may be requested from the department. The booklet presents information about the program, facilities, financial support, faculty members and their individual research interests, housing, and the local environment. People who request the booklet also receive information about admission and application forms for admission and graduate teaching fellowships.

Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology

One of the most active areas of research is the study of the molecular bases of cell function, including synthesis of macromolecules, regulation of gene expression, development, cell movement, and the structure and function of biological membranes. Research in these areas has been fostered by close collaboration among biologists, chemists, and physicists. The interdisciplinary nature of these programs has been greatly strengthened by the Institute of Molecular Biology and the program in cell biology. Eight members of the chemistry department are affiliated with these programs. Entering graduate students are in an excellent position to take advantage of the molecular-oriented avenues to study biological problems.

Biophysical Chemistry

Biophysical chemistry provides close collaboration and educational interaction among faculty members and students. Research groups that are developing and applying physical methods work closely with molecular and cellular biologists, neurobiologists, biochemists, and synthetic organic chemists. Most of the research programs in biophysical chemistry are interdisciplinary.

Another area of general interest is the nature of the excited electronic states of biopolymer components. This includes the use of the optical properties of biopolymers, such as their circular dichroism, as a probe of their conformational state; the relationship of excited state conformation changes to their resonance Raman spectra; and a fundamental interest in the nature of excited states.

Materials Science

The discipline of materials science seeks to understand the structures, properties, and structure-property relationships of condensed phase materials. It is by nature interdisciplinary, combining expertise from the fields of chemistry, physics, geology, and molecular biology. Most areas of chemistry can make an important contribution to materials science in the synthesis and characterization of various materials. Here the word materials generally means bulk crystalline solids but also includes low-dimensional materials such as thin solid films or nanoscopic "wires" as well as amorphous solids and some aspects of liquids. Much of the excitement of the research in this area derives from the discovery and the improved understanding of new materials that have potential technological applications.

The Materials Science Institute was created to foster collaboration among the materials-oriented research groups at the University of Oregon. Members of the institute are active in the study of the structure, reactivity, and thermodynamics of materials in addition to the characterization of their electronic, magnetic, and optical properties. The chemistry and physics departments, dominant members of the institute, offer courses and seminars on the chemistry and physics of materials to foster the educational and research aspects of materials science. The list of active research topics includes the application of novel synthetic strategies toward the preparation of metastable phases (including the use of thin-film superlattice composites, sol-gel synthesis, self-assembly, and electron beam lithography), ultra-high vacuum surface science, laser-induced dynamics at surfaces, nonlinear optics of interfaces, characterization of electronic materials and devices, studies on the properties of amorphous and glassy materials, quantum size effects and fundamental limits of microelectronic devices, scanning force and scanning tunneling microscopy of modified surfaces and biological molecules, and electron transport across protein assemblies and biotechnological materials. Sharing of facilities and expertise among the various research groups is an important and valued aspect of the Materials Science Institute. Collaboration between institute members and industrial and national research laboratories is also an important dimension of the program. See also Materials Science Institute in the Research Institutes and Centers section of this catalog.

Organic, Bioorganic, Inorganic, Organometallic, and Materials Chemistry

The synthesis of new chemical substances and the study of their fundamental chemical and physical properties is at the heart of organic, bioorganic, organometallic, inorganic, and materials chemistry. Research and teaching in these traditionally distinct subareas is unified through a single, cohesive organic-inorganic area in the chemistry department.

Undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers in organic-inorganic chemistry enjoy an especially broad education emphasizing the fundamental aspects of chemical synthesis, structural characterization, and mechanisms of chemical reactions and processes. Formal course work is organized around these interdisciplinary themes. Many research projects are interdisciplinary.

Weekly organic-inorganic seminars cover recent advances in organic, organometallic, inorganic, and materials research. Of foremost importance is the contiguous location of research laboratories. This proximity results in an open and active atmosphere that encourages spontaneous discussions of day-to-day research activities and problems, providing a chemical education unsurpassed by any textbook or formal course.

Organic-inorganic researchers have direct access to state-of-the-art instrumentation in the shared organic-inorganic instrumentation facility adjoining the research laboratories. Most faculty members in this area have varied research interests and expertise. Collaboration with researchers working in physics, materials science, biochemistry, and medicinal chemistry enhances the program.

Physical Chemistry

Physical chemistry focuses on understanding the physical basis of chemical phenomena. This goal is pursued through the concerted efforts of experimentalists and theorists. While experimentalists design and carry out laboratory investigations of chemical systems, theorists conceive and develop theoretical tools to explain and predict system properties. Ultimately, physical chemistry is about understanding the mysteries of chemical phenomena at a deep, fundamental level. The discipline draws from and contributes to many areas of chemistry, physics, biology, materials science, engineering, and mathematics.

At the University of Oregon, research in physical chemistry focuses on a variety of topics.

Experimental spectroscopy includes pulsed laser techniques to probe the molecular structure at wet interfaces; the development of new optical techniques to study the motions of intracellular species and macromolecules in liquids; and novel ultrafast, nonlinear spectroscopic methods to study the dynamics of excited states in molecules.

On the theoretical front, topics of interest include dynamics of highly excited molecules using quantum and semiclassical techniques, the development of a formal description of wave-packet interferometry, elucidation of molecular structure through theoretical studies of electronic potential energy surfaces, and theoretical statistical mechanics and simulation.

Much work at Oregon combines frontier experimental and theoretical approaches in tandem on particular topics. Theoretical and experimental studies in statistical mechanics concentrate on soft condensed matter and complex fluids. Another focus is quantum control using coherent and ultrafast laser pulses, pursued along both experimental and theoretical lines.

The physics of chemical systems at interfaces includes spectroscopic studies of organic, inorganic, and biomolecules at surfaces and interfaces as well as electrochemical and electrical investigations of charge transfer at molecular or nanoparticle-based semiconducting interfaces.

The research on semiconductor interfaces aims at identifying and controlling novel systems that enhance or mimic the behavior of conventional semiconductor interfaces.

Industrial Internships for Master’s Degrees in Chemistry

These internships, sponsored by the Materials Science Institute, are described in the Research Institutes and Centers section of this catalog. Information and application materials are available through the institute.

111 Introduction to Chemical Principles (4) Chemical concepts for students in health care, biological applications, and environmental studies. Topics include atomic structure, solutions, acids, bases, stoichiometry, equilibrium, biomolecules, and organic functional groups. Lecture, demonstration. Prereq: MATH 95.

113 The Chemistry of Sustainability (4) Illustrates how chemistry provides innovative materials, processes, and consumer products that support sustainable solutions to problems of energy utilization, global warming, and pollution prevention. Prereq: MATH 95; high school chemistry.

114 Green Product Design (4) Illustrates how green chemistry, product design, advertising, and sustainable business practices are used to design greener consumer products and accelerate their adoption in the market. Prereq: MATH 95 or higher.

157 (M) Information, Quantum Mechanics and DNA (4) A nonscience major’s introduction to the physical and chemical concepts explaining how information is stored in and transmitted by physical objects and molecules, including DNA. Multilisted with PHYS 157M. 

196 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–2R)

198 Workshop: [Topic] (1–2R)

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

221, 222, 223 General Chemistry (4,4,4) First-year university chemistry: atomic and molecular structure, thermodynamics, equilibrium, physical properties, and the chemical reactions of the elements. Lectures. Prereq for 221: high school chemistry; pre- or coreq: MATH 111. Concurrent CH 227 or 237 recommended. Prereq for 222: CH 221 or 224H; pre- or coreq: MATH 112. Concurrent CH 228 or 238 recommended. Prereq for 223: CH 222 or 225H. Concurrent CH 229 or 239 recommended. Students cannot receive credit for both CH 221–223 and 224–226H.

224, 225, 226 (H) Honors General Chemistry (4,4,4) First-year university chemistry for students with excellent backgrounds in high school chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Chemical structure, equilibrium dynamics, thermodynamics, reactions, and an introduction to quantum chemistry. Prereq for 224H: high school chemistry; MATH 112 or equivalent; pre- or coreq: MATH 241 or 251 or 261. Concurrent CH 237 recommended. Prereq for 225H: CH 221 or 224H; pre- or coreq: MATH 242 or 252 or 262. Concurrent CH 238 recommended. Prereq for 226H: CH 222 or 225H; pre- or coreq: MATH 243 or 253 or 263. Concurrent CH 239 recommended. Limited to selected students; primarily for prospective chemistry and other science majors and for Clark Honors College students. Students cannot receive credit for both CH 221–223 and 224–226H.

227, 228, 229 General Chemistry Laboratory (2,2,2) Teaches laboratory skills through chemical reactions and writing equations, phase diagrams, equilibrium constants, acid-base titrations, volumetric analyses, voltaic cells, exercises in kinetics and inorganic chemistry. Pre- or coreq for 227: CH 221 or 224H; MATH 111. Prereq for 228: CH 227 or 237; pre- or coreq: CH 222 or 225H; MATH 112. Prereq for 229: CH 228 or 238; pre- or coreq: CH 223 or 226H.

237 Advanced General Chemistry Laboratory (2) Experiments in chemistry emphasize gravimetric techniques, periodic relationships, chemical equations, phase diagrams, volumetric and spectrophotometric techniques. Prereq: MATH 112; Pre- or coreq: CH 221 or 224H.

238, 239 Advanced General Chemistry Laboratory (2,2) Experiments in chemistry use spectrophotometric, titrimetric, and electrochemical techniques and culminate in a laboratory research project. Prereq for 238: CH 227 or 237; pre- or coreq: CH 222 or 225H. Prereq for 239: CH 228 or 238; pre- or coreq: CH 223 or 226H.

331 Organic Chemistry I (4) Structure, properties, and bonding of organic molecules. Prereq: CH 223 or 226H. Concurrent CH 337 recommended.

335 Organic Chemistry II (4) Reactions and mechanisms of organic chemistry. Prereq: CH 331. Concurrent CH 338 recommended.

336 Organic Chemistry III (4) Organic chemistry of biomolecules with a focus on chemical aspects. Prereq: CH 335. Concurrent CH 339 recommended.

337, 338 Organic Chemistry Laboratory (3,3) Principles and techniques of laboratory practice in organic chemistry. Prereq for 337: CH 229 or 239; pre- or coreq: CH 331. Prereq for 338: CH 331, 337; pre- or coreq: CH 335.

339 Organic Analysis (4) Qualitative analysis and structure determination of unknowns. Prereq: CH 337, 338 with grades of C– or better; pre- or coreq: CH 336 or equivalent.

341 Majors Track Organic Chemistry I (4) Structure, properties, and bonding of organic molecules. Provides a rigorous foundation appropriate for chemistry and biochemistry majors as they become chemical practitioners. Sequence with CH 342, 343. Prereq: CH 223 or CH 226H. Concurrent CH 337 recommended.

342 Majors Track Organic Chemistry II (4) Focuses on mechanisms and reactions of common organic functional groups. Sequence with CH 341, 343. Prereq: CH 331 (with grade of B– or better) or CH 341. Concurrent CH 338 recommended.

343 Majors Track Organic Chemistry III (4) Incorporates topics from the recent chemistry literature. Sequence with CH 341, 342. Prereq: CH 335 (with grade of B– or better) or CH 342. Concurrent CH 339 recommended. 

360 Physiological Biochemistry (4) For preprofessional health science students. Topics include protein structure and function, enzyme mechanisms, central metabolism and bioenergetics, integration and regulation of metabolism by hormone action. Prereq: CH 336; BI 214 or 252. Students cannot receive credit for both CH 360 and 462.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1–21R) Introduction to methods of chemical investigation. For advanced undergraduates by arrangement with individual faculty members.

403 Thesis (1–12R) Open to students eligible to work for a bachelor’s degree with honors in chemistry or biochemistry.

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–21R)

406 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–21R)

407/507 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R) Biochemistry seminar for undergraduates who have completed or are enrolled in CH 461, 462, 463. No graduate credit.

408/508 Workshop: [Topic] (1–21R)

409 Special Laboratory Problems (1–21R) Nonresearch-oriented laboratory instruction and off-campus research and laboratory experience.

410/510 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R)

411/511, 412/512, 413 Physical Chemistry (4,4,4) Methods of physics applied to chemical problems, including inorganic, organic, and biochemistry. Introduction to chemical thermodynamics, rate processes, and quantum chemistry. Prereq: two years of college chemistry (except for physics majors), PHYS 201, 202, 203; MATH 253. MATH 256, 281, 282 strongly recommended.

417/517, 418/518, 419/519 Physical Chemistry Laboratory (4,4,4) Experiments in thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, and molecular spectroscopy to illustrate theoretical principles. Pre- or coreq for 417: CH 411; Pre- or coreq for 418: CH 412; Pre- or coreq for 419: CH 413.

429 Instrumental Analysis (5) Use of instrumental methods for quantitative determinations of unknown chemical samples. Prereq: CH 417.

431/531, 432/532, 433/533 Inorganic Chemistry (4,4,4) 431/531: introduction to group theory for molecular symmetry; syntheses, structures, reactions, and reaction mechanisms of coordination complexes and organometallic complexes. 432/532: bioinorganic chemistry: metals in biological systems; coordination chemistry, reactions, spectroscopy, metalloclusters, and synthetic modeling. 433/533: solid-state inorganic chemistry: solid-state structure and its determination; the electrical, magnetic, and mechanical properties of materials and their physical description.

437/537 Inorganic Chemistry Lab (4) Introduction to conceptual and practical inorganic chemistry; laboratories focus on syntheses and characterization of inorganic compounds, including catalysts, superconductors, and semiconductor nanoparticles. Prereq: CH 339.

441/541 Quantum Chemistry (4) The principles of time-independent quantum mechanics and their application to model atomic and molecular systems. Prereq: CH 413/513 or equivalent.

442/542, 443/543 Quantum Chemistry and Spectroscopy (4,4) 442/542: molecular structure theory, perturbation theory, time-dependent quantum mechanics, theory of spectra, selection rules. 443/543: experimental spectra of atomic and molecular systems and surfaces. Prereq: CH 441/541 or equivalent.

444/544 Chemical Thermodynamics (4) The laws of thermodynamics and their applications, including those to nonideal chemical systems. Prereq: CH 413/513 or equivalent.

445/545 Statistical Mechanics (4) Molecular basis of thermodynamics. Applications to the calculations of the properties of noninteracting and weakly interacting systems. Prereq: CH 413/513 or equivalent.

446/546 Chemical Kinetics: [Topic] (4R) Description and interpretation of the time evolution of chemical systems. Prereq: CH 413/513 or equivalent.

451/551 Advanced Organic-Inorganic Chemistry (4) Principles of organic-inorganic reaction dynamics; kinetics and mechanisms, linear free-energy relationships, isotope effects, substitution reactions, dynamic behavior of reactive intermediates, electron transfer chemistry. Prereq: CH 336 or equivalent.

452/552 Advanced Organic Chemistry—Stereochemistry and Reactions (4) Principles and applications of stereochemistry; reagents and reactions, with mechanisms, used in contemporary organic synthesis; examples taken from the current literature.

453/553 Advanced Organic Chemistry— Synthesis (4) Strategies and tactics for the synthesis of complex organic molecules. Prereq: CH 452/552.

461/561, 462/562, 463/563 Biochemistry (4,4,4) 461/561: Structure and function of macromolecules. Prereq: CH 336. Exposure to calculus and physical chemistry recommended. 462/562: Metabolism and metabolic control processes; energy and sensory transduction mechanisms. Prereq: CH 461/561. Students cannot receive credit for both CH 360 and 462. 463/563: Mechanisms and regulation of nucleic acid and protein biosynthesis; other current topics in biochemical genetics. Prereq: CH 461/561 or 462/562.

464/564 RNA Biochemistry (4) Introduction to the diverse field of RNA biochemistry. Prereq: CH 463 or BI 320.

465/565 Physical Biochemistry (4) Physical chemical properties of biological macromolecules; forces and interactions to establish and maintain macromolecular conformations; physical bases of spectroscopic, hydrodynamic, and rapid-reaction investigative techniques. Prereq: MATH 253, CH 461. Offered alternate years.

467/567 Biochemistry Laboratory (4) Methods of modern molecular biology and protein purification.

503 Thesis (1–16R)

601 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)

602 Supervised College Teaching (1–5R)

603 Dissertation (1–16R)

605 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–16R)

606 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–16R)

607 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R) Seminars offered in biochemistry, chemical physics, materials science, molecular biology, neuroscience, organic-inorganic chemistry, and physical chemistry.

608 Workshop: [Topic] (1–16R)

609 Terminal Project (1–16R)

610 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R)

613 Organic Chemistry: [Topic] (1–4R) Topics include bioorganic and bioinorganic chemistry, computational chemistry, green chemistry, medicinal chemistry, natural products, organometallic chemistry, polymers, catalysis, molecular motors, and spectroscopic methods for structure determination. R when topic changes.

623 Organic-Inorganic Chemistry Journal Club (1R) Preparation and delivery of colloquium-style lectures in organic-inorganic chemistry based on papers from the literature. R for maximum of 12 credits.

624 Physical Chemistry Journal Club (1R) Preparation and delivery of colloquium-style lectures in physical chemistry based on papers from the literature. R for maximum of 12 credits.

657 Organometallics in Organic Synthesis (4) Fundamental concepts in organometallic structure, bonding, and reaction mechanisms. Organometallic reactions in organic synthesis.

658 Synthetic Organic Reactions (4) Structured laboratory exercises to perform examples of the various reactions discussed in lectures.

659 Advanced Synthesis Laboratory (4) Multistep syntheses of diverse target molecules.

662, 663 Advanced Biochemistry (4,4) Detailed consideration of enzyme mechanisms, macromolecular structure, protein-nucleic acid interactions, and selected aspects of biological synthesis.

667 Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization, Processing (4) Methods of polymer synthesis and characterization; kinetics and mechanisms of the principal polymerization reactions. Introduction to mechanical properties and fabrication techniques.

668 Physical Chemistry of Polymers and Coatings (4) Statistical and thermodynamic models for the equilibrium configuration, conformation, structure, mechanical properties, and phase transitions of polymer solutions, dense melts, liquid crystals.

669 Polymer Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory (4) Preparation and physical characterization of polymers; emphasis on polymers of commercial interest.

677 Semiconductor Device Physics (4) Elementary theory of inorganic solids; electronic structures and transport properties of semiconductors. Basic theory of semiconductor devices including diodes, transistors, MOSFETs, and optoelectronic devices.

678 Semiconductor Processing and Characterization Techniques (4) Solid-state and surface chemistry of inorganic semiconductors as it pertains to microelectronic devices.

679 Device Processing and Characterization Laboratory (4) Design, fabrication, and testing of semiconductor devices with an emphasis on wafer processing and device realization.