Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering - Nanotechnology

The program information below was valid for the fall 2021 term (September 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.

Students are responsible for reviewing the general information and regulations section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

Program information

  • Admit term(s) 
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Spring
  • Delivery mode 
    • On-campus
  • Program type 
    • Collaborative
    • Doctoral
    • Research
  • Registration option(s) 
    • Full-time
  • Study option(s) 

Admission requirements

  • Minimum requirements 
    • A thesis-based Master's degree from a university of recognized standing with a minimum 80% standing with demonstrated research capabilities.
    • In order to be admitted to PhD candidacy, applicants must have demonstrated research capabilities. For this reason, should graduates with a Master's degree obtained without producing a research thesis desire to enter the PhD program, they must satisfy the Department that they are able to carry out independent research.
  • Application materials 
    • Résumé
    • Supplementary information form
    • Transcript(s)
  • References 
    • Number of references:  3
    • Type of references: 

      at least 2 academic
  • English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Degree requirements

    Thesis option:

  • Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)
  • Courses 
    • Candidates must successfully complete NANO 600 Introduction to Nanotechnology, 1 nanotechnology core course, and at least 1 more graduate course from the list of technical electives (0.50 unit weight) with an overall average of 70% (no more than 1 of the courses used for credit towards the PhD degree may be taught by the candidate's supervisor). The actual program is decided by the student and the supervisor(s), subject to the approval of the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.
    • Students who are admitted with an appropriate honours bachelor’s degree or who transfer directly from a master’s program to the PhD program must complete a total of at least 7 courses (0.50 unit weight) including NANO 600 Introduction to Nanotechnology, 1 nanotechnology core course and 5 elective courses from the list of technical electives.
    • Nanotechnology  core courses:
      • NANO 601 Characterization of Nanomaterials
      • NANO 602 Structure and Spectroscopy of Nanoscale Materials
      • NANO 603 Nanocomposites
      • NANO 604 Nanomechanics and Molecular Dynamics Simulations
      • NANO 605/SYDE 683 Design of MEMS & NEMS
      • NANO 606/SYDE 682 Advanced MicroElectroMechanical Systems: Physics, Design & Fabrication
    • Core courses are designed to provide the base knowledge and skill set required to prepare students for more specialized courses and to conduct interdisciplinary nanoscale research.
    • Students who have completed their Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) or MASc degree in Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo can not take NANO 600. Instead, they can choose 1 course from the list of nanotechnology core courses.
    • Technical elective courses:
      • (a) Micro/nano Instruments and Devices
        • BIOL 642 Current topics in Biotechnology
        • CHEM 720 Topic 13 Selected Topics in Analytical Chemistry: Biosensors and Nanotechnology
        • CHEM 750 Topic 17 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Surface Science and Nanotechnology
        • CHEM 750 Topic 23 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Processes at Micro-Nano Scales
        • CHEM 750 Topic 27 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Nanotechniques
        • ME 738 Special Topics in Materials: Materials for Nano and MEMS
        • ME 760 Special Topics in Thermal Engineering
        • ME 780 Special Topics in Mechatronics
      • (b) Nanoelectronics Design and Fabrication
        • CHE 620 Applied Engineering Mathematics
        • CHEM 750 Topic 11 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Bioelectronics
        • CHEM 750 Topic 19 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Carbon Nanotube Electronics
        • ECE 630 Physics and Models of Semiconductor Devices
        • ECE 631 Microelectronic Processing Technology
        • ECE 632 Photovoltaic Energy Conversion
        • ECE 633 Nanoelectronics
        • ECE 634 Organic Electronics
        • ECE 635 Fabrication in the Nanoscale: Principles, Technology, & Applications
        • ECE 636 Advanced Analog Integrated Circuits
        • ECE 637 Digital Integrated Circuits
        • ECE 639 Characteristics & Applications of Amorphous Silicon
        • ECE 672 Optoelectronic Devices
        • ECE 676 Quantum Information Processing Devices
        • ECE 677 Quantum Electronics and Photonics
        • ECE 730 Topic 10 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Advanced Technology for Semiconductor Processing
        • ECE 730 Topic 11 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Physics and Modeling of Semiconductor Devices
        • ECE 730 Topic 19 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Magnetism and Spintronics
        • ECE 730 Topic 26 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: MBE and Quantum Nano Devices
        • ECE 730 Topic 28 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Physics of Nanoscale Devices
        • ECE 730 Topic 29 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Computational Nanoelectronics
        • ECE 770 Topic 18 Special Topics in Antenna and Microwave Theory: Nanoelectronics for QIP
        • ECE 770 Topic 21 Special Topics in Antenna and Microwave Theory: Quantum Optics & Nanophotonics
        • PHYS 713 Molecular Physics
        • PHYS 731 Solid State Physics 1
        • PHYS 747 Optical Electronics
      • (c) Nano-biosystems
        • BIOL 608 Advanced Bacterial Genetics
        • BIOL 614 Applied Bioinformatics and Genomics
        • BIOL 629 Cell Growth and Differentiation
        • BIOL 642 Current Topics in Biotechnology
        • BIOL 678 Current topics in Neurophysiology
        • CHE 622 Statistics in Engineering
        • CHE 660 Principles of Biochemical Engineering
        • CHE 760 Special Topics in Biochemical Engineering
        • CHE 765 Research Topics in Biochemical Engineering
        • CHEM 737 Enzymes
        • ECE 730 Topic 25 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Microfluidic & Nanobiotech Systems
        • PHYS 751 Clinical Applications of Physics in Medicine
        • PHYS 752 Molecular Biophysics
      • (d) Nanomaterials
        • CHE 610 Theory and Application of Transport Phenomena
        • CHE 612 Interfacial Phenomena
        • CHE 622 Statistics in Engineering
        • CHE 630 Chemical Reactor Analysis
        • CHE 640 Principles of Polymer Science
        • CHE 641 Physical Properties of Polymers (cross-listed with CHEM 771)
        • CHE 740 Special Topics in Polymer Science and Engineering
        • CHE 745 Research Topics in Polymer Science and Engineering
        • CHE 750 Special Topics in Materials Science: Thin Film Fabrications & Mechanical Properties
        • CHE 755 Research Topics in Electrochemical Engineering, Interfacial Engineering & Material Science
        • CHEM 710 Topic 17 Selected Topics in Inorganic Chemistry: Nanostructured Materials and Integrative Chemistry
        • CHEM 713 Chemistry of Inorganic Solid State Materials
        • CHEM 720 Topic 14 Selected Topics in Analytical Chemistry: Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Clean Environment
        • CHEM 750 Topic 17 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Surface Science and Nanotechnology
        • CHEM 770 Principles of Polymer Science
        • CHEM 773 Topic 11 Selected Topics in Polymer Chemistry: Synthesis, Self-assembly and Materials Application of Inorganic Polymers
        • CHEM 773 Topic 14 Selected Topics in Polymer Chemistry: Living Polymerization Techniques
        • ME 632 Experimental Methods in Materials Engineering
        • ME 738 Special Topics in Materials: Materials for Nano and MEMS
        • PHYS 701 Quantum Mechanics 1
        • PHYS 704 Statistical Physics 1
        • PHYS 706 Electromagnetic Theory
        • PHYS 773 Special Topics in Physics
  • Link(s) to courses
  • Graduate Safety Milestone
    • The Graduate Safety Milestone must be completed by the end of the student's second registered term.
  • PhD Research Seminar
    • This seminar is a forum for student presentation of research results or proposals. Invited speakers from academia and industry will also present results of research from time to time. The range of topics that will be addressed in the seminar crosses all areas of research in the collaborative program. Each student is required to present at least 1 research seminar. To receive credit, students are expected to attend at least 8 seminars other than their own before completing their program.
  • PhD Comprehensive Examination
    • Students are required to meet the University-level PhD Comprehensive Examination minimum requirements outlined in the “Minimum requirements for the PhD degree” section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar (GSAC), with certain noted differences that are specific to the Faculty of Engineering Comprehensive Examination minimum requirements:
      • Comprehensive examination purpose: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements.
      • Timing: Students must follow the Faculty of Engineering completion timelines whereby students shall complete their comprehensive examination before the end of their 4th term or 6th term in cases where the student is admitted to the PhD program without a completed Master’s degree. 
      • Committee: Students must follow the Faculty of Engineering committee composition guidelines which differ from the University-level minimum requirements in both number of committee members and committee makeup.
      • Who Chairs an examination: Students must follow the Faculty of Engineering Chair guidelines whereby the Chair is normally selected from outside of the student’s home department.
      • Format / Content: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements but with additional information provided in the Faculty of Engineering Comprehensive Examination minimum requirements.
      • Academic integrity: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements.
    • In addition to the University-level and Faculty-level PhD Comprehensive Examination minimum requirements, students in the PhD in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering - Nanotechnology program are also required to meet the following requirements:
      • The thesis topic is decided by the student and supervisor(s), in consultation with an Advisory Committee.
      • The Comprehensive Examination Committee, on the advice of the candidate's supervisor(s), should examine:
        • The adequacy of the course of study being undertaken.
        • The student's performance both in the coursework and in the research studies.
        • The proposal for research program as presented by the student.
        • The adequacy of the student's technical background in related areas of knowledge.
      • The main decision to be reached is whether the candidate should proceed with the proposed study or change the emphasis in the research work. Advice about taking additional graduate courses may also be given.
  • PhD Thesis
    • This degree is awarded after candidates have satisfied the Examining Committee that their thesis is a substantial original contribution to knowledge and have also demonstrated a high degree of competence in areas of knowledge related to their specialization.
    • Regulations governing the submission and examination of the PhD thesis are found in the Minimum Requirements for the PhD Degree section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.
    • The Examining Committee consists of the supervisor(s) and four other members nominated by the supervisor(s) and is approved by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee. One of the committee members is appointed from outside the University, another from outside the Department (often from Mathematics or Physics).
Approved Doctoral Dissertation Supervisors (ADDS) list
Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering website
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering - Nanotechnology future students program page