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 Academic Year: | 2017/8 |
| Owning Department/School: | Department of Physics |
| Credits: | 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits] |
| Notional Study Hours: | 120 |
| Level: | Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7) |
| Period: |
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| Assessment Summary: | EX 100% |
| Assessment Detail: |
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| Supplementary Assessment: |
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| Requisites: | Before taking this module you must take PH30030 |
| Description:
| Aims: The aims of this unit are to outline properties of materials at the nanoscale, to describe methods for the fabrication, visualisation and probing of nanostructures, and to give some examples of their possible applications. Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit the student should be able to: * demonstrate a thorough understanding of the impact of the nanoscale on the electronic structure, charge-transport and magnetic properties of materials; * explain the physical properties of low dimensional (two, one- and zero-dimensional) systems; * explain representative properties of topical nanoscale nanomaterials, such as graphene and carbon nanotubes; * describe different methods of nanoscale fabrication and characterisation; * articulate public concerns and the benefits of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Skills: Numeracy T/F A, Problem Solving T/F A. Content: Nanotechnology - what is it? (1 hour): Advantages, prospective applications and potential impact. Impact of the nanoscale on physical properties (1 hour): Scaling laws. Atomic clusters. Magnetic properties of nanoparticles. Quasi-1D systems (4 hours): Electronic structure of 2D, quasi-1D and 1D systems. Subbands and transverse modes. Electrical transport in quasi-1D conductors. Conductance quantisation. Büttiker-Landauer formalism. 0D systems (3 hours): Electronic structure of 0-D systems. Electrical transport in 0-D. Coulomb blockade. Single-electron transistor. Molecular systems (2 hours): Molecular orbitals. Mechanisms of charge transport for weak and strong coupling. Probing and manipulation at the nanoscale - The Lab on a Tip (7 hours): 1. Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) and associated Quantum Phenomena: STM imaging, spectroscopy, manipulation of atoms and molecules; electronic structure with atomic resolution. Electron confinement: Quantum Corrals. How to construct an STM. 2. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM): Magnitude of forces at the nanoscale & how to measure them. AFM modes. Atomically-resolved imaging and probing, and related applications. AFM application in material/life sciences. (e.g. chemical, electrical, magnetic properties, self-assembly). 2D Nanomaterials (4 hours): 1.Graphene: Bonding and Electronic structure (Dirac cones and linear dispersion). Stacking layers (monolayer, bilayer, graphite). Confinement effects (nanoribbons). Klein tunnelling. Graphene in an external potential. Applications. 2. Other (non-carbon) 2D nanomaterials: Transition metal dichalcogenides: mono-, bi- and few-layer systems. Basic properties and comparison to graphene. |
| Programme availability: |
PH40085 is Compulsory on the following programmes:Department of Physics
PH40085 is Optional on the following programmes:Department of Mathematical Sciences
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Notes:
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