The focus of this advanced undergraduate laboratory is the fabrication and characterization of thin films. It is intended to provide an introduction to modern scientific instrumentation typically used in contemporary experiments. The project makes use of a scanning electron microscope, Van de Graaf accelerator, and an x-ray diffractometer, thin film deposition system, optical ellipsometer, and data acquisition systems. This course is intended to serve as a model for recruiting gifted undergraduates into graduate study in physics and engineering.
