Nanophysics and -technology
PHYS 600
Spring 2009
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Office Hours |
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TTh |
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TTh |
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Herzstein Hall 210 |
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Herzstein Hall 110 |
First meeting: Tuesday,
January 6, 2009, 4pm, room HZ 210. The class is planned to be scheduled for
Tuesday and Thursday,
This course provides an overview over a fast developing field of science that might dominate research and technology in the next decades.
We will make extensive use of the internet. Besides the scripts for this class, which will be available on the Web, assigned readings of new literature will be available through bookmarks highlighted in the scripts of the class.
This class addresses all students who are interested in the physical and chemical basis of phenomena that appear when, with diminishing dimensions, the laws of quantum mechanics and quantum chemistry replace those of semi-classical and classical physics and chemistry.
We will use two different approaches. The first approach (top-down approach) discusses changes of physical phenomena that occur when we move from macroscopic to mesoscopic and to nanoscopic effects that appear when one, two or all three dimensions of a structure or device are reduced to the nanometer scale.
The second approach, often called the bottom-up approach, addresses new effects that occur when we try to design and build new structures and devices by putting single atoms or molecules where we want to put them.
We will provide many links to recent discoveries and to research groups working in the broad areas of nanoscience (physics, chemistry, engineering, materials science, biology, etc.). One of the best links available so far, of which we will make heavy use, is to the virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, which represents a weekly multi-journal compilation of links to the latest research on nanoscale systems. Further links to nano-related journals and databases are given here.
We will discuss a selected number of spectroscopies that allow characterizing and studying nano-structures (artificial superlattices, quantum wells, quantum wires, 2D-patterned structures, quantum dots (3d, 2D and 1D confinement), etc. We will discuss a selected number of new techniques that allow to fabricate desired nano-structures through various methods (epitaxy, self-assembly, STM manipulation, etc.)
The class includes an introduction to recent developments in modern nano- and picoscale spectroscopies (photo- and Auger-electron imaging and spectroscopy, scanning tunneling/ force microscopy/ spectroscopy, nano/picoscale imaging, etc.), and in the fabrication of new structures and devices (clusters, carbon nanotubes, quantum corrals, spin valves, spin transistors, single electron transistors, magnetic carbon, carbon nanotube transistors, nanocomposites, etc.)
The course grade will be based on a report on a seleced topic assigned to each enrolled student after discussion with the student.
Students with Disabilities: Any student with a disability requiring accommodations in this course is encouraged to contact me after class or during office hours.
COURSE OUTLINE
0. Introduction
1. Basics of surface-, interface-, 2D-, 1D and 0D-physics
2. Fabrication of nanostructures
3. Characterization of nanostructures
4. Electronic states
5. Transport properties (mesoscopic and nanoscopic properties)
6. Nano-magnetic effects
7. Optical effects
8. Crossroads between nanotechnology and biotechnology
9. Crossroads between nanotechnology and bioinformatics
10. Outlook
updated: January 5, 2009 19:36