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Applied Physics
Teaching and research related to Applied Physics (including Materials Science)
The frontier
of high-energy physics is "the even smaller" and that of
astrophysics is "the ever larger."
Applied physics, of which the study of condensed matter is a large part, has its own frontier, "the ever more complex," covering the interfaces of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering.
"The biggest challenge and the biggest excitement comes from the thought that somehow these phenomena, the behavior of a nanometer-sized tube inside of a cell and the behavior of cells in a tissue, are connected."
- Clifford Brangwynne, graduate student in Applied Physics
The recently completed Laboratory for Integrated Science and Engineering (LISE) provides one of the world's most advance research facilities to boost collaboration in the areas of nanoscale and mesoscale science.
Laboratories are housed in the one-third of LISE that is aboveground and in the three-level basement is a shared cleanroom, facilities for materials synthesis, and a microscopy suite.
SEAS, with its open, interdisciplinary structure is uniquely suited for innovative research in this area.
Applied physics at Harvard is strong in:
- nanoscience research (facilitated by
the Nanoscale Science and Engineering
Center);
- small-scale and nanoscale "systems" fabrication and construction (facilitated by the Center for Nanoscale Systems);
- condensed matter/materials
science (facilitated by the Materials
Research Science and Engineering Center); and
- bio-nano technologies (facilitated by the Kavli Institute for Bionanoscience and Technology and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering).
Research
Research in applied physics (including materials science) covers the interfaces of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. A large portion of research involves condensed matter physics.
- Biophysics
- Electronic and Magnetic Systems and Devices
- Materials Science
- Oceans, Atmospheres, and Geophysics
- Optics, Electromagnetics, and Light-Matter Interactions
- Soft Condensed Matter
- Surface and Interface Science
- Theory and Simulation