Course Structure

Nanoscience is an interdisciplinary subject that brings together chemistry and physics to understand and control materials at the smallest length scales. The Nanoscience moderatorship builds on the foundations in chemistry, physics and mathematics developed during the first two years of study, before introducing increasingly specialised topics in the third and fourth years.

Students learn how the properties of materials emerge from their atomic and molecular structure, how these properties can be measured and understood, and how they can be exploited in new materials and technologies.

Years 1 and 2 - Building the foundations

Students enter Nanoscience through either the Chemical Sciences (TR061) or Physical Sciences (TR063) stream. During the first two years, students develop the fundamental knowledge in chemistry, physics and mathematics needed for later study in Nanoscience.

Both courses provide a pathway into the Nanoscience moderatorship. However, each entry route also offers access to other moderatorships. For example, students entering through Physical Sciences (TR063) may also have the option to pursue Physics or Physics and Astrophysics.

Your choice of entry route therefore provides both a pathway to Nanoscience and the flexibility to pursue other subjects as your interests develop.

Year 3 - Bringing chemistry and physics together

In third year, students begin the specialist Nanoscience programme. The course draws together concepts from chemistry and physics to understand the behaviour of materials at atomic, molecular and nanoscale dimensions.

Students encounter topics such as the electronic and optical properties of materials, spectroscopy, surfaces and interfaces, materials chemistry, solid-state and semiconductor physics, and the experimental techniques used to characterise nanoscale systems.

Laboratory work is an important part of third-year Nanoscience. Students undertake a series of extended experimental sessions, gaining hands-on experience with advanced experimental and materials-characterisation techniques. Experiments include using X-ray diffraction to investigate the structure of materials, measuring the Hall effect to explore the electronic properties of semiconductors, studying molecular films using a Langmuir trough, and observing quantised electrical conductance.

Alongside the laboratory programme, students develop the wider skills needed for scientific research, including data analysis, scientific writing and presentation. Attendance at selected research seminars in Physics, Chemistry and Nanoscience also introduces students to current research across the field.

Year 4 - Advanced Nanoscience and research

The final year develops more advanced areas of nanoscience and gives students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to contemporary research problems.

A major component of the year is an individual nine-week research project, know as the Capstone project, undertaken within a research group in the Schools of Chemistry or Physics. Students work on a contemporary research problem under the guidance of an academic supervisor, gaining direct experience of research and the opportunity to use modern experimental or computational methods. At the end of the project, students present their work at a poster session, giving them experience of communicating their research and discussing their results with an academic audience.

Students may also have the opportunity to undertake their research project abroad, working with researchers at one of Trinity's international partner institutions and experiencing a different research environment as part of their Nanoscience degree.

Alongside the research project, final-year teaching explores advanced topics across chemistry, physics and materials science, allowing students to develop their understanding of nanoscale phenomena while pursuing areas that particularly interest them.