Irving P. Herman

He also studies van der Waals layers, including how to interface them with nanocrystals. Another active area of research in his group is the use of optical spectroscopies to probe the physical and chemical events that occur in the thin film processing of microelectronic materials. These techniques are also called real-time optical diagnostics. He is also interested in optical spectroscopy of semiconductors and, in particular, in the effects of strain, confinement, and temperature on these materials.

Herman has written two comprehensive books: the monograph "Optical Diagnostics for Thin Film Processing" (Academic Press, San Diego) and the textbook "Physics of the Human Body" (Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York), now in its second edition. He has also developed three interactive seminars on ethics and presents them to students in his department.

Herman graduated with SB and PhD degrees in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972 and 1977. From 1977-1986 he was a member and section leader in O-group within the Physics Department at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he was engaged in research in laser isotope separation of deuterium and tritium, and the use of direct laser writing in thin film processing. In 1986, he joined the faculty of Columbia University, where he is now the Edwin Howard Armstrong Professor of Applied Physics and a member of the Columbia Nano Initiative (CNI) and the Columbia Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), which he directed from 1998 – 2010. He is Director of the Columbia Optics and Quantum Electronics IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program). From 2006-2012 he was chair of the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics.