27-201 Structure of Materials
9 units, Carnegie Mellon University
Ultimately, the properties and performance of any material depends on the arrangement of its fundamental atomic building blocks. Knowledge about how atoms are arranged in solids is critical to predicting properties and engineering new materials. In this course, we will explore the mathematical tools and experimental techniques necessary to describe and characterize such arrangements in solids. As the majority of materials are crystalline, that is their atoms have a periodic arrangement, this is where we will devote most of our efforts. In this course students will learn to: Identify and classify crystal structures according to their symmetry Perform crystallographic calculations in varying coordinate systems Construct models of crystal structures with computer software Describe the phenomenon of diffraction in crystals and predict diffraction patterns for various crystal classes. Create and analyze experimentally obtained diffraction patterns from crystals Solve problems in crystallography using a range of resources working both individually and in teams. Write concise and informative technical reports
Prerequisites: 21-122 (min C)
Offered: Fall 2026, Fall 2025
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