Monolayers of Fe on the surface of Mo, the image is 200 nm by 200 nm.
Thulium doped fluoride fiber laser. The blue emission occurs by up-conversion of the 800 nm excitation.
Postgraduate Lectures - Course PY5002: Foundation of Nanoscience
Lecturers: I. Shvets, S, Sanvito, J. Pethica
1. Structural Properties of Nanodevices
- Amorphous and vitreous structures, Crystal lattices (Bravais lattices, symmetries, point groups, space groups, Reciprocal lattice and relationship to diffraction)
- Defects in crystals and how they influence properties (Point defects, Line defects, Planar defects)
- Surfaces and nanostructures (Surface reconstructions, Effect of surface on internal structure, Faceting, multiple twinning)
2. Electronic Properties of Nanodevices
- How do electron move: classical vs quantum? Magnetoresistance, SdH Oscillations, Landau Levels, Quasi-momentum. Why there is no current in insulators? Definition of a metal, Scattering mechanisms and length scales, Fermi wave-length and mean free path, Phase-breaking length and interference experiments, Magnetism.
- Electrons in different dimensions: 3D, 2D: Wigner crystal and metals, 1D: Peierls distortion, Lüttinger liquid, Anderson localization, experimental evidence. 0D: Quantum dots as artificial atoms
- Conductance quantization. Landauer Büttiker formula, Examples when everything works: semiconductor heterostructures, C nanotubes, metallic point contacts. Analogous effects for phonons and sound waves. Quantum effects: Universal conductance fluctuation, Coulomb Blockade.
- Transport in molecules: Level diagram, Simple model, HOMO or LUMO transport, Coulomb Blockade, Principle of STM, Inelastic spectroscopy.
3. Mechanical Properties of Nanodevices
- Basic material mechanics: elastic, plastic and visco-elastic behaviour, simple atomistic and molecular mechanisms. Examples of application to simple geometries, beams, wires, contacts, indentation hardness.
- Surface forces: Van der Waals, electrostatic, short range, fluid mediated forces, importance of surface chemical composition. Simple calculation of forces between small particles and nanostructures. Adhesion of real solid objects, JKR and related models.
- SPM basics of scanned probe microscopy, STM operation and areas of applicability, image contrast and simple models thereof, I-V spectroscopy, tip effects.
- AFM: the development of AFM, main modes of operation, force-distance spectroscopy, atomic resolution, operation in viscous and ambient environments, problems and challenges.
- Thin films and Tribology: shear stresses, Mohr's circle, simple description of lubrication, basic mechanisms of wear, and how to reduce it
- Nano-mechnical devices: lever structures, high speed operation and detection methods, dissipation and damping, consequences for possible nano-machines, sensor applications, other applications.
Last updated: Sep 07 2009. | back to top