B.6. Facilities
Describe classrooms, laboratory facilities, equipment, and infrastructure and discuss the adequacy
of these facilities to accomplish program objectives, as required by Criterion 6.
B.6.1 Core Facilities
Discuss the adequacy of facilities and draw conclusions in that regard. In support of these
conclusions, provide information concerning facilities such as classrooms, laboratories, and
computing and information infrastructures that engineering students and faculty are expected to use
in meeting the requirements of the program.
In addition to centrally scheduled classrooms, the core curriculum is supported by
a range of specialized facilities pertinent to each content area, as summarized
below
Chemistry Laboratories. The Chemistry Department operates a number of modern
and recently renovated undergraduate teaching and graduate research laboratories.
For the two laboratory courses in the core curriculum, this includes a quadruple
arrangement of benches, fume hoods, wet-laboratory services, safety equipment,
glassware and instrumentation for four simultaneous sections of 24 students (or 96
total) covering nearly 8,000 square feet in Coolbaugh Hall. These typically
operate for at least 21 hours per week. The technical infrastructure of these
laboratories has been modernized in recent years through the introduction of
laptop computers interfaced to analytical devices. These replace traditional pH
meters and spectrophotometers for use in quantitative analysis of samples.
Equipment is replaced on a periodic basis on account of wear, aging failure, or
damage. Some of the laboratory exercises, and hence facilities, are conducted in a
microscale mode to minimize the generation of hazardous wastes. All hazardous
wastes from the laboratories are handled according to code through our
Environmental Health and Safety unit.
Physics Laboratories. Laboratories associated with the two core physics courses
are currently hosted in the Department of Physics located in Meyer Hall and in the
Center for Technology and Learning Media (CTLM). These are delivered in two
modes: the "practicum" mode operates within Meyer Hall space (Physics II), and
the "learning studio" mode (Physics I) in the CTLM, which is more computer
technology intensive. In the practicum mode, students alternate between lectures,
traditional laboratory exercises, and coached "problem-solving" interactive
learning sessions with professors and teaching assistants. In the learning studio
mode, students attend two 2-hour sessions per week and focus on a major learning
unit that is laced with experiential activities. An extensive set of web materials
facilitates the studio activities, which include not only computer instrumented
physical devices, but also video overlays of complex motions in a movie
sequence, virtual experiments in mechanics in more than one dimension, and an
array of internet links to informative sites. The overall facility integrates physical
phenomena, instrumentation and data acquisition, graphics and mathematical
analysis software.
Earth and Environmental Systems Laboratory. The delivery of the laboratory
component of SYGN101 Earth and Environmental Systems is organized into a
maximum of four simultaneous sections of up to 25 students per section, with
each section occupying about 1,000 square feet of laboratory space in Berthoud
Hall. The laboratory sections meet for three hours per week. The experimental and
observational facilities for this lab are various, ranging from rock specimens to
geological, topographic and ecological data, airborne photography, field
measurement equipment (water quality, for example) and surveys and
observations on natural processes in the vicinity of the campus.
Design – EPICS. The EPIC 151 and 251 Design components of the core
curriculum are currently accommodated in distributed facilities across campus.
These include 1,350 square feet of program reception, office, conference and
classroom space in Chauvenet Hall, 1,000 square feet of studio / freshman design
team space in the Hall of Justice, and a similar amount of space for the sophomore
design teams in the Military Science building. EPICS is organized around a
mentored approach to learning, with 25 students per section. The computing
components of EPICS are hosted in two of the Computing Center's teaching
laboratories, providing 800 and 1000 square feet and with 25 and 30 seats
respectively. It is anticipated that the computing components of EPICS will be
relocated to the Center for Technology and Learning Media upon its opening in
the fall of 2001. It is also anticipated that space consolidation plans at the
institutional level will enable EPICS to become more centralized in its office,
studio and classroom spaces, thus promoting higher visibility and cohesiveness of
the EPICS program. With respect to computing, EPICS students are instructed in
the use of communication and presentation software, spreadsheets, and AutoCad
graphics.
Writing Center. The Writing Center supports not only the written communications
part of LIHU100 Nature and Human Values, but also supports the entire writingacrossthe-curriculum (WAC) program. The Center comprises 350 square feet of
office space for the WAC tutors and a 580 square feet computer laboratory that
accommodates 20 seats. The computing facilities are used primarily in a wordprocessor mode for writing instruction and writing critique.
Mathematics Learning Center. While regular classrooms fulfill most of the
facilities needs for regular delivery of the calculus segment of the core curriculum,
it is worth noting that a Mathematics Learning Center is being formed to enhance
the assimilation of abstract mathematical topics and concepts by students. This
new facility is being equipped with 24 personal computers set up in a room of
about 1,000 square feet. The software configuration for this Center is presently
under design, and will include a mix of web tools and a range of modern
mathematical applications packages that are typically encountered elsewhere in
the curriculum, including Mathematica, MathCad and Derive.
B.6.2 Program Facilities
The Engineering Physics program at the Colorado School of Mines
combines aspects of an engineering degree with the rigorous foundation of
traditional physics. One of the distinguishing aspects of the CSM Engineering
Physics degree is the significant component of practical training that comes
through the combination of electronic laboratories, advanced physics laboratories,
summer field session, and the full year of senior design. EP graduates obtain
broad-based hands-on familiarity with the techniques, instrumentation, and
methods of applied science and engineering.
The primary home of the Physics Department is Meyer Hall, a 46,000
square-foot four-floor building used exclusively by the department. Meyer Hall
houses one large lecture hall that seats 100 students, four mid-size classrooms that
each seat 45, and one small classroom that seats 20. In addition the Department
uses the 150-seat theater lecture hall in the CTLM building (Center for Learning
and Technology Medium) for delivering the lecture portions of PHGN100,
PHGN200, and PHGN300. The CTLM also houses the 3,000 square-foot
dedicated Studio Physics facility. These classrooms and facilities are adequate for
teaching the core physics courses, the Engineering Physics program, and our
graduate program classes. Other departments make use the 45-seat classrooms as
well.
There are seven undergraduate teaching laboratories in Meyer Hall, six
with 770 sq. ft. each and one with 940 sq. ft. Four of the 770 sq. ft. labs are used
for the PHGN200 labs and two are used for PHGN315 (Advanced Lab I) and
PHGN326 (Advanced Lab II). The larger laboratory houses the electronics lab for
PHGN215/317. The electronic materials processing and characterization lab is
2200-sq. ft., includes a Class 1000 clean room, and is used partly for
undergraduate instruction associated with PHGN435 (Microelectronics
Processing). There is a 340 sq. ft. room used as a common computer lab for EP
majors.
B.6.2.1. Physics Electronics Laboratories (PHGN215/317)
A recently (Spring 2005) successful technology fee proposal
funded for $46,000 enabled the department to make expand and make several
improvements to the electronic sequence laboratory.
First and foremost, it is a fundamental educational goal of the electronic
sequence that all students in this series receive personal, “hands-on” experience in
the design, construction, and trouble-shooting of electronic instrumentation. As
the class size doubled over the past four years, it was necessary to grow the size of
the laboratory to maintain the hands-on experience for each student. The
laboratory was expanded from eight electronic lab stations to eighteen. This has
enabled the department to keep the number of students per work station at two (an
optimal number) so the facility can accommodate 36 students per session, and
with two sessions per week a total of 72 students per week can be handled.
Each lab station consists of a computer which hosts a GPIB card and a NIDAQ data acquisition system. There is a function generator, DC power supply,
100 MHZ Tektronix oscilliscope, multimeter, wire strippers, screw drivers, and
two electronic breadboards. LabVIEW is available on each computer and is taught
in PHGN384 (Field Session) and as part of PHGN317 (Digital).
In addition to expanding the number of lab stations, we have added a
computer projector mounted on the ceiling near the front of the room. This
is used intensively with the LabVIEW part of the course. The instructor can
project how a virtual instrument is constructed, and then the students can
attempt to build the VI moments later at their work stations.
B.6.2.1. Physics Field Session (PHGN384 - Apparatus Design)
The Physics Field Session consists of four basic modules - 1) physical
measurements, 2) vacuum systems, 3) application of computer software for data
processing, computation and presentation, and 4) machine shop and component
design. The first segment makes use of the facilities described above for the
electronics laboratories and below for the advanced laboratory. The computational
portion is handled in the facilities developed for the student computer laboratories
in the Physics Department for PHGN200 and the dedicated student computer
room (see Section B.6.2.4). The entire machine shop and its full-time machinist
are dedicated to the summer field session during its 6-week length. The only
segment that is not supported by facilities that exist for other courses is the
vacuum section. Existing equipment for this includes several high vacuum pumps
(diffusion and ion), mechanical pumps, sorption pumps, student electron
microscope, leak detectors and high vacuum evaporators.
B.6.2.2. Advanced Laboratory Facilities
Continuing the effort to enhance the design component of the junior lab
experience, the credit hour designation of the Advanced Lab was increased from
one to two credit hours in each course, PHGN315 (first semester junior) and
PHGN326 (second semester junior). The laboratories are sequenced to coordinate
with the revised modern physics courses, PHGN300 (or PHGN310, the honors
section), Modern Physics I, Introductory Modern Physics (second semester
sophomore or first semester junior) and PHGN320, Modern Physics II: Basics of
Quantum Mechanics (second semester junior).
In the new delivery mode, the lab is extended in contact hours to allow for
more hands-on student involvement in the design of the experiments and in the in
situ data analysis. Both courses are designated “writing intensive course”.
Therefore a written report is required for each laboratory. Ideally, the experiments
are to be carried out in teams of two; however due to the dramatic increase in EP
majors, it was necessary to increase this to three students per team.
The advanced laboratories are outfitted with standard geometrical optics,
physical optics, modern physics lab apparatus, photon and particle counting
equipment, some of which is surplus from the research programs. In recent years
the department was able to modernize and upgrade the equipment with
institutional Tech Fee grants as well as from other institutional sources. Most of
the experiments are now supported by computer-interfaced data acquisition
systems such as multichannel analyzer cards installed in computers. Equipment is
available for all of the experiments listed in the syllabi (Appendix IB). Plans for
improvement of this facility in order to increase the number of stations and reduce
the number of students per team are under way.
B.6.2.3. Interdisciplinary Microelectronics Processing Laboratory
Creation of the this multidisciplinary laboratory course has been a long
term goal supported by several departments at CSM. These departments have a
common interest in providing their students with hands-on experience in the
methods and processes used by the microelectronics industry. The first step in the
creation of this lab involved receipt of an NSF grant in 1994 ($425k from NSF +
$425k matching from CSM) by then department head John Trefny to renovate the
entire west end of the 4th floor of Meyer Hall (now room 425). These
improvements which included state-of-the-art HVAC, closed-cycle cooling,
power upgrade, installation of fume hoods, gas lines, DI water, and integral clean
room served the dual role of creating a common research facility for electronic
materials within the physics building, and a location for the new course.
A second NSF equipment grant awarded in 1996 ($230k) allowed key
characterization tools such as a surface profiler, ellipsometer, and UVspectrophotometer to be purchased. The course itself was made possible by a
final NSF grant from the Division of Undergraduate Education in 1998 entitled,
"A Microelectronic Processing Lab Course Designed to Stimulate
Interdisciplinary Team Learning" written by a professor from Chemical
Engineering, Colin Wolden, and two professors from physics, Reuben Collins and
Mariet Hofstee. This NSF program requires a match so CSM provided half of the
funds to create the course ($98k total was awarded).
The lab was taught for the first time in the fall of 1999 in the physics
facility by Professor Wolden. As a multidisplinary course, one goal of the class is
to have students from different disciplines work together in teams to learn about
their respective strengths and weaknesses. In the first offering, students from
physics, metallurgy, chemical engineering, and the engineering division all took
the class. During the semester the students performed all of the basic processing
steps involved in making semiconductor devices (e.g. lithography, oxidation,
diffusion, plasma etching). They processed simple device structures including
capacitors, resistors, and diodes, and did electrical and structural testing of devices
and layers. The course included both oral and written reporting of results by the
student teams. Present facilities limit the course to 20 students at a time Due to
high interest, future plans as discussed in Section B.7.4.5. involve moving into a
new 4000-sq.ft. clean room built as part of the renovation of Hill Hall
(Metallurgical and Materials Engineering) and offering multiple sections.
It is noteworthy that this particular course is a test case for methods of
offering specialized upper level laboratory courses on the CSM campus. No
single department typically has sufficient resources or student involvement to
offer a lab course like this on their own.
B.6.2.4. Computing Facilities
There is a broad array of information technology facilities in Meyer Hall
mostly in the Linux or Windows operating systems. The department currently has
125 computers connected to three networks: a Linux/Windows network (serving
all user home directories), a Windows network for the Physics Studio, and a
Linux-based network for the Introductory Electromagnetism Lab.
Connectivity Infrastructure: Every classroom in Meyer Hall is wired with
CAT-5 connected to a data closet (Meyer Hall 346) with 7 switches serving 168
ports connected to the CSM campus network. Meyer Hall also has wireless on
every floor.
Physics common computing room (Meyer Hall 339): consists of 12
workstations connected with CAT-5 to the campus network in the mix of 8 PCs
(Linux), 8 PCs (Windows), and a laser printer. EP majors have access to the
building after hours with their Blaster Cards and are provided a key to the
computer room allowing them to use this facility at any time.
Elementary Laboratory (PHGN 200) Network (in Meyer Hall 225, 235,
264, and 270): consists of 27 Intel-based workstations running Linux with a
dedicated server and four printers.
The Physics Studio (CTLM205): consists of 32 Intel-based workstations
on a dedicated network with interfacing cards as well as a common-use laser
printer. The room also has a central control capability which allows the instructor
full keyboard-mouse-video control over all the computers in the studio.
Main lecture hall (Meyer Hall 220): CAT-5 network connection, an LCD
projector, and a dedicated Intel-based computer with interfacing card, which can
boot into either Linux or Windows-NT.
Electronics Laboratory (Meyer Hall 364): houses 18 networked PC
workstations interfaced to an electronics support rack. (see Section B.6.2.1)
Advanced Laboratory (Meyer Hall 263/275): houses 12 networked PC
workstations some with data acquisition cards. (see Section B.6.2.2)
Physics Office (Meyer Hall 325): computers for Department Head and
Department Secretary plus two laser printers.
Faculty Offices: Each faculty member has a computer connected to one of
the physics networks. These range from Intel-based workstations to Apple iMacs.
All offices are connected to the campus network.
Software: The Physics Department has created a software environment
consisting of the professional tools used by physicists and engineers. These
include: Office suites (word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation
documents), compilers (C, C++, Fortran), symbolic computation (Mathematica),
and interfacing software (LabView and Pasco).
Research computing facilities: In addition to the teaching-related
computing facilities the research laboratories house computers for specialized
applications. Occasionally undergraduate students use these computers if their
senior design project is conducted in one of these laboratories. A description of
these facilities is available upon request.
System Administration: The Physics computing system is administered by
a half-time employee of the computing center. This position has been upgraded to
full time starting July 1, 2000. System administration duties include installation,
maintenance, and service. The system administrator prioritizes tasks and
coordinates activities with the Computer Advisory Committee of the Physics
Department.
B.6.2.5. Research Facilities
Since many of the senior design projects occur in research labs, it is
appropriate to describe the research facilities as well. The Department has
focused its research programs in the following areas: Nuclear physics and
astrophysics, Applied Optics, and Condensed Matter. With the addition of the
electronic materials processing and characterization lab, several major equipment
purchases, the considerable equipment accompanying recent hires, and the
extensive existing research equipment and facilities, the Department is well
equipped for cutting-edge research in its three areas of focus.
B.6.2.5.1 Applied Optics Facilities

Microscopy lab: Ti:sapphire and Nd:glass oscillators and kHz amplified
Ti:sapphire laser systems for nonlinear microscopy and micro machining.
Multiple custom-designed microscopes, imaging and scanning systems.

High power ultrafast lasers: Multi pass amplifier running at a repetition rate
of 10Hz with several mJ of output energy in a pulse duration of 20 fs. High
peak power, 20Hz, 140mJ, 25 fs system, to be used for x-ray generation and
laser-induced nuclear physics. Resources are in place for the construction of a
stand-alone TW-peak power, 1 kHz, 20mJ in 20fs system, pumped by 4
frequency-doubled Nd:YLF lasers with a combined output power >100 W in
the green.
Diagnostics: Multiple optical spectrometers and CCD cameras are used
for monitoring the laser performance throughout the amplifier systems.
Frequency-resolved optical gating devices with a cooled CCD spectrometer with
enhanced UV response are used to characterize the pulse shapes. For harmonic
generation and parametric amplification there are nonlinear crystals and an
apparatus for high-energy third-harmonic generation of ultrafast pulses in hollow
waveguides. Normal- and grazing-incidence vacuum spectrometers are available
for measurement of light from the UV to the soft-xray. Two x-ray CCD's
(Princeton Instruments and Photek); ultrafast (350fs resolution) x-ray streak
camera available through collaboration with JC Keiffer (INRS, Montreal).
Multiple vacuum target chambers, x-ray shielding, monitors for real-time
measurements of x-ray dosage.
B.6.2.5.2 Condensed Matter Facilities

Microscopy: Ambient environment and UHV Near-Field Scanning Optical
Microscopes; etched and pulled tip preparation facilities. DI Nanoscope III
AFM with contact, tapping, phase, electric and magnetic force modes; JEOL
JSM-840 SEM with EDS, and Philips CM200 STEM.

Thin film and materials characterization: Tencor P10 surface profiler, nanoindentation, Bio-Rad HL5500PC temperature dependent Hall effect system,
Lakeshore 7505 low-temperature Hall system. Photoluminescence, Raman
scattering, FTIR, excitation spectroscopy, Transmission and Reflection,
Spectroscopic Ellipsometry. Surface analysis including Phi model 600
scanning Auger system equipped with SIMS, Kratos Model HSi XPS with
sample prep chamber. Small angle and glancing incidence X-ray scattering
facility, Rutherford Backscattering.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance
Laboratory: Prof. Taylor has moved his nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) spectrometers to the first floor of
Meyer Hall. This facility consists of a TecMag NMR/NQR pulsed
spectrometer, a Matec pulsed NQR spectrometer, an Oxford Instruments 8.5 T
superconducting NMR magnet, and variable temperature capabilities from 2
to 300 K. A second NQR spectrometer will be moved from Utah in the spring
of 2006. These spectrometers are currently being used to study thin films of
amorphous and nanocrystalline Si, SiGe, and Si-C, which are used in PV
applications, and thin amorphous films of Ge-Sb-Te, which are used in phasechange memory applications. Many of the experiments on the Group IV films
are performed in collaboration with scientists at NREL.

Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Facility: In January 2006 Prof.
Taylor will move his plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)
apparatus from Utah to the Advanced Coatings and Surface Engineering
Laboratory (ACSEL) in Hill Hall. This apparatus consists of an MVSystems
three-chamber, load locked PECVD system with substrate heating capabilities
up to 700 C. In this system films are deposited by rf decomposition of
appropriate gases to form a plasma environment. Gases currently in use are
silane (SiH4), germane (GeH4), phosphine (PH3), diborane (B2H6), ammonia
(NH3), and methane (CH3).

Optics and Spin Resonance Laboratory: In spring 2006 Dr. Taylor will move
his optical and electron spin resonance (ESR) equipment to the General
Research Laboratory (GRL). Incorporated in this laboratory will be the mm
wave sources of Dr. Scales, which will eventually allow for ESR experiments
to be run at magnetic fields up to 100 T. Dr. Taylor will move a Bruker xband ESR spectrometer with variable temperature capabilities (2 to 300 K),
several laser sources (Ar+, He-Ne Ti-sapphire, YAG, and N), several
monochromators (double and triple Spex ¾ m, and several others), optical
tables, a photothermal deflection spectrometer for measuring optical
absorption in thin films, several optical cryostats, several variable temperature
He flow systems, and a microwave modulated photoluminescence
spectrometer.

Processing and deposition labs: metalization, oxide and diffusion, RIE, probe
stations, C-V, impedance, I-V, spectral response, Seebeck and PV efficiency,
and class 1000 clean room with optical lithography. Thermal, e-beam, and
sputter evaporation systems. PECVD for transparent conductive oxides;
Electrochemical and APCVD systems for CdTe deposition; Chemical bath
deposition system for CdS. UHV epitaxy system for sample preparation and
epitaxial growth of group IV semiconductors, integrated with a variable
temperature (10 K to room temperature) UHV scanning tunneling microscope.
B.6.2.5.3 Nuclear Physics Facilities
The nuclear physics group currently consists of four faculty, three
experimentalists and one theorist. Information on the group's research can be
found at the URL: www.mines.edu/research/nuclear/.
The group has strong collaborative ties with several external
laboratories, such as Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, the National Fusion Lab at
General Atomics, San Diego and the European Fusion Development Agency Lab
at Oxford U.K (for fusion plasma diagnostics), ORNL, Los Alamos National Lab,
Argonne National Lab and TRIUMF (for low energy nuclear physics and nuclear
astrophysics), as well as with the theoretical group at Boulder. Meyer Hall houses
a 180kV Cockcroft-Walton accelerator, which is outfitted with a refurbished
Ortec scattering chamber. There are a variety of charged particle detectors,
gamma detectors, neutron detectors and some more specialized detectors available
for use in nuclear physics experiments. This equipment is used in target and
detector development, mainly for experiments at user facilities, as well as for
nuclear reaction studies with stable beams.
Research support facilities include a machine shop and an electronics
shop, each staffed with a technician. The machine shop is equipped with an
assortment of mills and lathes, band saws, and other metal-working tools. It is
also stocked with fabrication materials and supplies. Machine shop practice is an
integral part of the PHGN384-Apparatus Design summer field course. The
electronics shop includes a shielded room, extensive test equipment, and a large
stock of electronic parts and equipment. There are also two rooms used by the
Engineering Physics majors for study and socializing, the department library and a
"loft" room dedicated to the Society of Physics Students.
B.6.2 Students Using Modern Engineering Tools
Identify the opportunities students have to learn the use of modern engineering tools, including
identification of the important tools and the depth of the student experience.
Engineering Physics students are exposed to a wide variety of modern science and
engineering tools, including instrumentation, feedback, and controls described in
the previous section. The apparatus design (summer field session), electronics
and advanced laboratory sequences and elective laboratories include introductions
to equipment and software including:
Ultrahigh vacuum (roughing, diffusion, and turbo-pump staging)
Thin film (evaporation, sputtering)
Photoresist masking
Oven diffusion doping
Data acquisition
Radiation detection (germanium, sodium iodide, plastic scintillators, solid
state surface barrier detectors with supporting power supplies and preamps)
Multichannel Analyzers
Spectrum Analyzers
Electronic diagnostic equipment (analog and digital)
Software taught as part of the Engineering Physics curriculum:
Solid Works
Mathematica
Labview
Linux
LaTeX
In addition, each senior design student working in a research laboratory
will be trained and work on the equipment listed in the Research Facilities
(Section B.6.2.5).