Electrical & Computer Engineering

• ENG EC 733: Discrete Event and Hybrid Systems
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG EK 500; or equivalent; consent of instructor
  Review of system theory fundamentals distinguishing between time-driven and event-driven dynamics. Modeling of Discrete Event and Hybrid Systems: Automata, Hybrid Automata, Petri Nets, basic queueing models, and stochastic flow models. Monte Carlo computer simulation: basic structure and output analysis. Analysis, control and optimization techniques based on Markov Decision Process theory with applications to scheduling, resource allocation and games of chance. Perturbation Analysis and Rapid Learning methods with applications to communication networks, manufacturing systems, and command-control. Same as ENG ME 733 and ENG SE 733. Students may not receive credits for both.
• ENG EC 734: Hybrid Systems
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG SE 501 or ENG EC 501 or ENG ME 501; or consent of instructor.
  The course offers a detailed introduction to hybrid systems, which are dynamical systems combining continuous dynamics (modeled by differential equations) with discrete dynamics (modeled by automata). The covered topics include modeling, simulation, stability analysis, verification, and control of such systems. The course contains several applications from both natural and manmade environments, ranging from gene networks in biology, to networked embedded systems in avionics and automotive controls, and to motion planning and control in robotics. Same as ENG ME 734 and ENG SE 734. Students may not receive credits for both.
• ENG EC 745: Nanomedicine: Principles and Applications
  The use of nanoscience and technology for biomedical problems has spawned a field of applications ranging from nanoparticles for imaging and therapeutics, to biosensors for disease diagnostics. Nanomedicine is a rapidly growing field that exploits the novel properties of nanoscale materials and techniques to rapidly advance our understanding of human biology and the practice of medicine. This course focuses on the fundamental properties, synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials, coupled with their applications in nanomedicine, including: micro- and nano-particles for drug delivery and imaging, microfluidics for in vitro diagnostics, nanomaterials and platforms for biological applications. The biomedical applications include cancer, cardiovascular disease, and infectious diseases. Same as ENG BE 745. Students may not receive credit for both.
• ENG EC 754: Computer-Aided Verification and Synthesis
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG EC 330; Familiarities of propositional logic, basic probability theory and basic graphic graph algorithms, and experience with one programming language (e.g., C++, Python) are assumed. An undergraduate course
  This course will introduce the fundamental theory in computer-aided verification and synthesis for building provably dependable computer systems. The topics covered include logic specifications, modeling formalisms, verification techniques, and inductive synthesis strategies. A special focus of the course is on interplay between deductive reasoning (logical inference and constraint solving) and inductive inference (learning from data). We will also survey applications of these techniques to a wide range of problems in hardware, software, cyber-physical systems, robotics, and biology.
• ENG EC 762: Quantum Optics
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG EC 560; or equivalent, or consent of instructor.
  Review of the postulates of quantum mechanics. Quantization of the electromagnetic field. Coherent, thermal, squeezed, and entangled states, and their associated photon statistics. Interaction of light with matter. Spontaneous and stimulated transitions. Theory of optical detection. Quantum theory of the laser. Interaction of light with two-level atoms, including photon echo and self-induced transparency. Quantum theory of parametric interactions.
• ENG EC 763: Nonlinear and Ultrafast Optics
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG EC 560.
  Tensor theory of linear anisotropic optical media. Second- and third-order nonlinear optics. Three-wave mixing and parametric interaction devices, including second-harmonic generation and parametric amplifiers and oscillators. Four-wave mixing and phase conjugation optics. Electro-optics and photo-refractive optics. Generation, compression, and detection of ultra short optical pulses. Femtosecond optics. Pulse propagation in dispersive linear media. Optical solitons.
• ENG EC 765: Biomedical Optics and Biophotonics
  This course surveys the applications of optical science and engineering to a variety of biomedical problems, with emphasis on optical and photonics technologies that enable real, minimally-invasive clinical applications. The course teaches only those aspects of biology itself that are necessary to understand the purpose of the application. The first weeks introduce the optical properties of tissue, and following lectures cover a range of topics in three general areas: 1) Optical spectroscopy applied to diagnosis of cancer and other tissue diseases; 2) Photon migration and optical imaging of subsurface structures in tissue; and 3) Laser-tissue interactions and other applications of light for therapeutic purposes. In addition to formal lectures, recent publications from the literature will be selected as illustrative of various topical areas, and for each publication one student will be assigned to prepare an informal presentation (with overhead slides or PowerPoint) reviewing for the class the underlying principles of that paper and outlining the research results. Same as ENGBE765; students may not receive credit for both.
• ENG EC 770: Guided-wave Optoelectronics
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG EC 560 or ENG EC 568.
  Discussion of physics and engineering aspects of integrated optics and optoelectronic devices. Semiconductor waveguides, lasers, and photodetectors. Layered semiconductor structures, quantum wells, and superlattices. QW detectors, emitters, and modulators. OEICs. Photonic switching.
• ENG EC 771: Physics of Compound Semiconductor Devices
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG EC 574 or ENG EC 575 or CAS PY 543.
  Physics of present-day compound devices, and emerging devices based on quantum mechanical phenomena. MESFETs, Transferred Electron Devices, avalanche diodes, photodetectors, and light emitters. Quantum mechanical devices based on low dimensionality confinement through the formation of heterojunctions, quantum wells, and superlattices. High electron mobility transistors, resonant tunneling diodes, quantum detectors, and lasers. Materials growth and characterization are integral to the course.
• ENG EC 772: VLSI Graduate Design Project
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG EC 571; consent of instructor
  EC772 is a project-oriented course that demonstrates the use of high-level design techniques. There are lectures, milestone presentations, and a final presentation. The lectures, interleaved with tutorials showing the utilization of Verilog, the Cadence RTL compiler, and Silicon Encounter, define the general design flow. Additional design issues are also elaborated in the form of classroom lectures, which take up a fraction of the course class time. Student groups of 2-5 define their own projects, which are scrutinized by the entire class as to difficulty and possibility of success. Milestones entail both oral (presented in class times) and written components. Typically, by the time of the final presentation, the milestone documents can be simply, with test results (not necessarily simple), are combined to demonstrate the veracity of the final chip design. Pay special attention to prerequisites. Verilog is at the heart of almost everything. EC311 and EC413 or equivalent courses can provide the minimal Verilog proficiency for LEAP students. These courses do not qualify for grad student credit, so EC551 (Verilog: may be co-req) or equivalent Verilog skill is necessary. EC571 VLSI Design or strong equivalent proficiency in digital circuits at the transistor level is also essential.
• ENG EC 773: Advanced Optical Microscopy and Biological Imaging
  Graduate Prerequisites: ENG EC 401 or ENG BE 401; Preferably a background in optics of photonics (ENG EC560 or equivalent or permission by instructor.
  This course will present a rigorous and detailed overview of the theory of optical microscopy starting from basic notions in light propagation and covering advanced concepts in imaging theory such as Fourier optics and partial coherence. Topics will include basic geometric optics, photometry, diffraction, optical transfer functions, phase contrast microscopy, 3D imaging theory, basic scattering and fluorescence theory, imaging in turbid media, confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), holographic microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET), and nonlinear-optics based techniques such as two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. Biological applications such as calcium and membrane-potential imaging will be discussed. A background in optics is preferable. A background in signals and analysis is indispensable. In particular, the student should be comfortable with Fourier transforms, complex analysis, and transfer functions. Same as ENG BE 773. Students may not receive credit for both.
• ENG EC 774: Semiconductor Quantum Structures and Photonic Devices
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG EC 574; or equivalent
  Optical properties of semiconductors: interband optical transitions; excitons. Low-dimensional structures: quantum wells, superlattices, quantum wires, quantum dots, and their optical properties; intersubband transitions. Lasers: double-heterojunction, quantum-well, quantum-dot, and quantum-cascade lasers; high-speed laser dynamics. Electro-optical properties of bulk and low-dimensional semiconductors; electroabsorption modulators. Detectors: photoconductors and photodiodes; quantum-well infrared photodetectors. Same as ENG MS 774. Students may not receive credit for both.
• ENG EC 777: Nanostructure Optics
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG EC 471 or ENG EC 562 or ENG EC 565 or ENG EC 574.
  Discussion of the fundamental physical aspects and device applications of optical fields confined and generated in nanoscale environments. Review of classical electrodynamics and angular spectrum representation of optical fields, classical and quantum models for light-matter interaction, light emission from semiconductor quantum dots and wires, surface-plasmon polaritons and sub- wavelength light transport/localization in metal nanostructures, slot waveguide structures, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and SERS-based sensors, light scattering in complex photonic structures such as: metal-dielectric photonic crystals, fractal structrures, random lasers.
• ENG EC 782: RF/Analog IC Design - Advanced Applications
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG EC 580 and ENG EC 582; or permission of the instructor.
  Selected topics in advanced RF/Analog integrated circuit design based on high frequency BiCMOS technology. Topics to be covered include oversampling (Sigma Delta) A/D converters, RF phase-locked loops, low voltage RF frequency synthesizers, printed circuit board design for RF applications, antennas and signal propagation, PCB filters, and other mixed-signal topics. The course will utilize selected readings from the technical literature, as well as a number of RF measurement and RF design lab assignments.
• ENG EC 801: Teaching Practicum I
  PhD Requirement. Assist faculty by performing teaching or teaching-related duties, such as preparing and teaching labs and discussion sections, developing teaching materials, assisting with homework preparation and grading, proctoring exams, grading exams or papers.
• ENG EC 802: Teaching Practicum II
  PhD requirement. Assist faculty by performing teaching or teaching-related duties, such as preparing and teaching labs and discussion sections, developing teaching materials, assisting with homework preparation and grading, proctoring exams, grading exams or papers.
• ENG EC 810: PhD Internship in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  Graduate Prerequisites: Permission of advisor and an approved internship offer; at least two complete semesters in the EC PhD program.
  This course is intended for students who want to do an internship in the US as part of their graduate program and would like to have internship credit listed on their transcript. International Students need to use their CPT for this course. Prerequisites: 2 full semesters in ECE
• ENG EC 890: PhD Seminar 1
  ECE PhD First year requirement students will participate in seminars and skill development workshops on current topics in electrical and computer engineering. Students are expected to participate in discussions and read assigned material.
• ENG EC 891: PhD Seminar 2
  ECE PhD First year requirement students will participate in seminars and skill development workshops on current topics in electrical and computer engineering. Students are expected to participate in discussions and read assigned material.
• ENG EC 892: Seminar: Electro-Physics
  A weekly two-hour seminar on recent research topics in the area of electro-physics, including solid state materials and devices, photonics, electromagnetics, computers in physics, and other related areas. Speakers include faculty and graduate students in the area.