Photonics Program

QC Optics and Photonics Technologies MS: What is it?

Successful completion of the Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Degree in Optics and Photonics Technologies provides its graduates with:

• State-of-the-art knowledge and technical hands-on skills that are in high demand with numerous technical industries
• Improved oral and writing communication skills as well as team-building skills, which are commonly cited as lacking in college graduates
• Training and knowledge of the business and economic aspects of high-tech companies
• “Learning agility” – a skill recently identified by such companies as Verizon as “essential” in their hiring strategy

To accommodate the schedule of working students most of our classes are offered in the evening

According to the National Photonic Initiative the following industries depend heavily on workers with training in Photonics:

• Advanced Manufacturing (Laser tooling, 3-D printing, etc.)
• Communication and Information Technology (fiber optics, on-processor optical interconnects, etc.)
• Defense and National Security (high-resolution imaging, remote sensing, photonic integrated circuit and advanced lasers manufacturing, etc.)
• Energy and Environment (solar energy, efficient solid state light sources, photonic sensing, optical pollution sensing etc.)
• Health and Medicine (real-time optical testing, optical endoscopy, optical bio-imaging, laser surgery )

Demands for qualified workers in the field of Optics Technologies and adjacent disciplines are expected to remain strong for a long period of time. At the same time, multiple employer’s surveys point to a wide gap between the set of skills possessed by college graduates and those sought by employers. The professional training appropriate for industrial employers is not provided by the current academic curricula of traditional science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs. The Master of Science in Optics and Photonics Technologies  degree offered by QC Physics department is a  fully accredited innovative program developed to fill this gap. In a two-year program — which includes extensive lab work, additional business courses, industrial internships, and team projects — students receive rigorous academic training with an emphasis in optics technologies and gain additional skills in preparation for future employers.

Developed in close collaboration with program’s Industrial Advisory Board that includes representatives of companies of different sizes – from small start-ups to multinational corporations, it has been certified by the Council of Graduate Schools as a Professional Science Master’s (PSM) program.The Professional Science Master’s is a new type of graduate degrees designed to compliment advanced training of students in science or mathematics by developing additional workplace skills that are highly valued by employers. QC Photonics MS is the first physics PSM program offered by the City University of New York and one of the only few such programs in the Tristate area.

M.S. in Optics and Photonics Technologies  is a competitive program designed to attract the best students with diverse educational and cultural backgrounds. However, in order to be successful in completing the program in two years, potential students are expected to have completed coursework corresponding to, at least, a minor in Physics (20 credits beyond introductory physics courses, which include Classical Mechanics, Modern Physics, Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics, and Mathematical Methods for Physicists). Students, who do not have the required background in physics still might be considered for the program, but should expect longer path toward its completion.  Such applicants will be required to remedy deficiencies in their educational background before they can start their graduate level coursework.

QC does not accept paper applications any longer: all applications must be submitted online following this link.

GRE scores are not required for admission, but applicants educated abroad are required to take TOEFL or equivalent language exam. In the case of an inadequate TOEFL score, we can accept an applicant conditionally with a requirement of taking at least one semester on English Language classes at Queens College’s ESL Institute. All applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation attesting to applicants academic abilities and personal qualities.

Enrollment decisions are made on the basis of applicants’ undergraduate GPA, work experience and demonstrated commitment to the study of physics regardless of applicants’ race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and country of origin. QC Physics Department is committed to increasing diversity among high-tech workforce and we encourage applications from all individuals who are interested in the study and advancement of physics.

PSM Curriculum

The MS in Optics and Photonics Technologies is designed to satisfy all requirements for PSM affiliation. Our curriculum comprises physics courses, technology courses, business courses, and internships. Through this multidisciplinary program, students develop the fundamental knowledge and specialized skills required for jobs in high-tech industries.

The total number of credits required to complete the program is 43.

The following courses are required of all candidates for the MS in Optics and Photonics Technologies

Theoretical courses (20 credits)

Topics will include: electrostatic properties of conductors and dielectrics, multipole expansion, plasmons and plasmonic resonance, magnetostatics and magnetic polarization, Maxwell’s equations, theory of ac circuits, electromagnetic waves, radiation, antennas and antenna arrays.

Electromagnetic wave propagation in vacuum and in linear media including Fresnel’s equations for reflection and transmission at interfaces, absorption and dispersion, guided waves in waveguides, transmission lines and optical fibers, geometric optics and imaging, matrix methods for complex optical systems, interference, diffraction, coherence, principles of laser operation, Gaussian beams, nonlinear optics, quantum theory of emission and absorption of radiation.

A course in numerical methods of analysis and modeling of physical phenomena with focus on problems arising in electromagnetism, optics, and semiconductor physics. The topics include solving Maxwell equations using finite difference and the finite element methods, stochastic (Monte-Carlo) methods, the matrix eigenvalue problems. Students will be introduced to scientific and engineering computing based on Matlab and/or other similar platforms.

This course will cover the physics of optoelectronic devices addressing both theoretical and experimental aspects. Topics to be covered include: historical survey of optical communication, electromagnetic waves, waveguides, photonic crystals, microcavities, mechanism of light emission and absorption in semiconductors, lasers, photodetectors, solar cells, and nonlinear optics.

Topics will include: crystal structures; thermal and electric properties of crystals; semiconductors and semiconductor devices; low-dimensional systems; excitons in semiconductors and semiconductor nanostructures

Technology and laboratory courses (17 credits)

In this lab students will design and carry out experiments related to the fields of optics and photonics. They will learn basic experimental skills required to work with various optical instruments and components (lasers, optical fibers, filters, spectrometers, etc). Students will compare the results of experiments with theoretical predictions and learn how to write scientific and technical reports. Special attention will be paid to proper ways of collecting and analyzing experimental data and to safety procedures.
(Pending Approval)

This hands-on course will introduce the students to the basic techniques and concepts related to nano and microfabrication.
The course will discuss topics such as lithography, chemical vapor deposition, dry and wet etching of semiconductors, growth of semiconductor nanostructures and structural and optical characterization. The students will gain in-depth understanding of the techniques and obtain hands-on training on the various tools needed for nano and microfabrication.

The course will cover fundamental concepts in analog and digital communication systems, with application to radio, television, telephony, and computer networks.

Experiments selected from among the areas of atomic, nuclear, solid state, and molecular, physics. Student will learn basic experimental techniques used in modern university and industrial research laboratories, including how to use computers to interface with and control modern scientific instruments. Special attention will be paid to proper ways of collecting and analyzing experimental data. Students will compare the results of experiments with theoretical predictions and learn how to write scientific and technical reports.
(Pending Approval)

Advanced experimental work in one or more fields of physics, including the planning of experiments, the design and construction of apparatus, and the evaluation of experimental results in the fields of optics, X-rays, electronics, and atomic and nuclear physics. A student may obtain from 2 to 6 credits starting with PHYS 771. Two courses of the group may be taken concurrently.

Experiential learning courses (6 credits)

Phys. 680 Internship, 2 credits
Internship requirements

• Candidates for MS in Optics and Photonics Technologies who do not have a prior or current experience in relevant industries must take at least one industrial internship course for a minimum of 2 credits.
• Candidates who do have relevant industrial experience might substitute industrial internship for a different elective laboratory course.
• The relevance of the work experience is determined by the department.

Minimum number of internship credits 2

Phys. 798 Thesis, 4 credits

• Candidates for MS in Optics and Photonics Technologies must complete and defend a final project.

The suggested sequence of courses, which would take a student toward successful graduation in two years can be found here.

Industrial Advisory Board

The Industrial Advisory Board, which includes representatives of companies of different sizes – from small start-ups to multinational corporations, is an integral part of Queens College Master’s in Photonics Program. Its role is to provide guidance in curriculum development and assist the Department with development educationally valuable internship program. All board members are enthusiastic supporters of our efforts in preparing new generation of industry professionals.

“Soon, chip-to-chip interconnect via light will become commonplace. It is essential that we train a workforce that can drive this photonics revolution. Queens College is playing a major role in this revolution with its Professional Science Masters Degree program in Photonics.”

– Dr. James Wynne, the receipent of 2013 National Medal of Technology, the board member representing IBM

Presently, the Industrial Advisory Board includes representative of following companies (in the alphabetical order)

• Amplification Technologies (Dr. Ben-Michael, Chief technology Officer)
• Brookhaven Instruments (Dr. V. Kuzminsky, R&D supervisor)
• Center for Advanced Technology of CUNY (Dr. Wayne Seemungal, Director of Business Development)
• Chiral Photonics (V. Kopp, Chief Scientist)
• DDC Technology (Dr. D. Donskoy, President)
• IBM Watson Research Center (Dr. J. J. Wynne, Program Manager)
• Infra-Otica (Mr. F. Erisman, Sales manager)
• Lockheed Martin (Mr. V. Benishcek, Senior Engineer)
• New York Hall of Science (Dr. Uzzo, Vice President for Science and Technology)
• Photonics Industries (Dr. J. Kilmer, Director of Marketing)
• Spectrum Thin Films (Dr. Pirera, President)
• Veeco Instruments (Dr. Devasahayam, Sr. Director of Technology)
• Verizon (Dr. G. Wellbrock, Director – Optical Technology)
• US Navy,  Program Management Office, Strategic Systems Programs Shipboard Systems Detachment (Dr. M. Tai, Technical Director)

Faculty and students work with state-of-the-art, research-grade equipment, which includes the following:

• Class 1000 cleanroom for nano/micro-fabrication
• Scanning electron microscope with electron beam lithography capability (FEI Quanta, Nabity systems)
• Reactive ion etcher (RIE)
• Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system (PECVD)
• Time-correlated single photon counting system (TCSPC)
• Near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM)
• Multi-line 5 W coherent FreD INNOVA-90 Ar-ion laser
• Femtosecond amplified fiber laser 1064/532 nm with variable rep rate
• Time-resolved spectroscopy tools.
• Microwave lab
• Near infra-red, photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectroscopic systems
• NdYAG lasers with second and third harmonic
• Triple (UV, Vis, NIR) grating monocromator for PL and Raman-scattering spectroscopy
• Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer
• Princeton X-ray analysis system
• ATOMICA 3000 SIMS/XPS system
• Superconducting magnet system, equipped for optical and transport measurements
• Solar simulator
• Plasma cleaner
• Spin coater
• Liquid crystal spatial light modulator

WE ARE PROUD OF OUR GRADUATES.

Featuring Joseph Buscarello, class 2016

Joseph originally from Huntington, Long Island and grew up with a passion for Mathematics. While an undergraduate student at Fordham University, he decided his heart lies more with Physics. After receiving his BS in Engineering Physics, he began a career with Photonics Industries International as a Laser Engineer. After a short period of time, he was promoted to the Quality Control Manager where he oversaw the quality and reliability of every Laser the company produced.  At the peak of his time with Photonics Industries, he was producing a large volume of Lasers for Apple to use in the Watch manufacturing facilities. After about a year of working in the field, he decided to continue academic pursuits by obtaining the MS in Photonics from Queens College. He now works for DDC Technologies that produces Hair and Tattoo Removal Lasers for customers worldwide.  Here is what he says about his time at the Photonics program:

Featuring Steven Vallone, class 2015

Steven Vallone is currently a doctoral candidate at the City University of New York working with Dr. Karl Sandeman at Brooklyn College studying phase transitions in magnetic materials.  His work is motivated by environmentally friendly, energy-efficient applications of magnetocalorics and other materials.  He obtained his Masters in Photonics from Queens College and his Bachelors in Physics from Johns Hopkins University.

Steve says:

Here is the list of recent alumni with their current (January 2017) places of employment:

• Christopher Chinhong (class of  2015) – Corning, Inc (optical engineer)
• Steven Vallone (class of 2015) – a Ph.D. student at CUNY Graduate Center
• Jonathan Ocasio (class 2016) Synergy Optronics (optics technician)
• Joseph Buscarello (class 2016) DDC Technologies (senior laser engineer)
• Karat Srinath (class 2016) LIGO Project (laser engineer)
• Heriberto Vasquez (class 2016) Light Age, Inc. (laser engineer)
• Thomas Gil (class 2018) Lockheed Marttin, Inc (laser engineer)
• Shao Qin (Class 2018) University of Nebraska (laser engnieer)
• Shree R Thapa (Class 2019) Spectrum Thin Film, Inc (coating engineer).
• Mohammed Cisse (class 2019) NASA

Scholarships and Assistanships

Scholarships
Queens College Foundation Master’s Scholarships

Available to: Full- and part-time matriculated students demonstrating exceptional scholastic ability who begin their Master’s program in the Fall 2020 semester. Full-time students awarded the scholarship must take a minimum of 9 credits per fall and spring semester of their first year. Part-time students must take a minimum of 6 credits per fall and spring semester to be considered eligible. International students must take a minimum of 9 credits per fall and spring semester for eligibility.

Award Amount: Full-time scholarships are $9,000; part-time scholarships are $6,000.

Deadline to apply: April 1, 2020. Successful applicants will be notified by the Dean of Graduate Studies by May 1.

Application Process: Please follow this link to apply 

­­­­­NOTE: You must also have submitted a complete application for admission to the Queens College Graduate Admissions Office by March 15 in order to be considered for these scholarships.

Teaching and Research Assistantships
Qualified students can be offered teaching assistantships, which will involve teaching introductory physics lab classes. In some situations, research assistantships might be available for exceptional students involving working in one of the research lab maintained on campus by our faculty. The availability of these assistantships depends on the needs of the department and the availability of funding. Interested students must contact the Chair of the Physics department, Prof. Schwarz for TA positions, and individual faculty members for RA positions.