Physical Engineering

Research field abbreviation: FI
Field code: 3901V012
Course duration: 4 years

Field specialisations

• Physical Electronics
• Structure and Properties of Materials
• Solid State Engineering

Research field characteristics

The Doctoral Programme in Physical Engineering prepares its graduates for independent creative careers in three closely-related major scientific and research areas, namely Physical Electronics, Solid State Engineering, and Structure and Properties of Materials. They make use of common physical principles and methods of electronics, optics, diagnostics, mathematical modelling, and data processing, which ensures powerful synergies within the research.

The doctoral programme in Physical Engineering is offered by the Department of Physical Electronics, Department of Materials, and Department of Solid State Engineering.

• The programme focused on Physical Electronics covers issues in laser physics and laser systems technologies within the range of nanosecond up to attosecond time scale, non-linear optics, diffractive optics and holography, physics and nanostructure technologies, modern optoelectronics, spectroscopy and X-ray photonics. Emphasis is placed on applications within high temperature plasma research, advanced detection methods and experimental data processing, metrology, imaging, tomography, and nanotechnology including EUV lithography.
  
  
• The specialisation of Structure and Properties of Materials is focused on the interdisciplinary intersection of applied mechanics and materials science with foundations in solid state physics, elastomechanics, theory of plasticity and fracture mechanics. Then, within a narrower specialisation, the programme is focused on the study of failure processes in solids, the structure and mechanical properties of materials, issues of durability and reliability of bodies and mechanical systems, mathematical modelling of cracks, propagation and dynamic phenomena in solids and in biomechanics.
  
  
• Within the third area, focused on Solid State Engineering, the course is oriented towards applications of solid state physics in science and materials science. The focus is on the structure and properties of solids, superconductivity, the use of X-ray and neutronographic diffraction methods in materials research, optical properties of solids, study of surfaces and thin layers of metals and polymers, theory and technology of semiconductors for the detection of nuclear radiation, software and hardware for controlling various experimental apparatuses, and the process of modelling materials.

Graduate's profile

Regarding the graduate profile, emphasis is placed on the mastery of theoretical and experimental physics and on independent creativity in research. Graduates gain a good command of English and have acquired good skills for presenting their results at international conferences and in respected peer-reviewed journals. Part of the course also includes an internship experience of several months at a university abroad, as well as training for teamwork in national and international research teams. At the national level, students have gained experience at their home departments or institutes, often as grantees of grant projects. Graduates can seek employment not only at universities and institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences, but can also enter placements in industry, the banking sector, and any position in general requiring highly qualified professionals with an in-depth background in mathematics and physics, able to analyse and propose solutions to complex problems nationally and internationally, including problems of an interdisciplinary nature.