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PH40085: Nanoscience

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2017/8
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Physics
Further information on credits Credits: 6      [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Further information on notional study hours Notional Study Hours: 120
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period:
Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: EX 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Examination (EX 100%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: Before taking this module you must take PH30030
Further information on descriptions 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.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PH40085 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Physics
  • USPH-AFM02 : MPhys(Hons) Physics (Year 4)
  • USPH-AFM04 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Research placement (Year 4)
  • USPH-AAM03 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USPH-AKM03 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Professional Placement (Year 5)
  • USPH-AKM04 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Professional and Research Placements (Year 5)

PH40085 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Mathematical Sciences Department of Physics
  • USXX-AFB03 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics and Physics (Year 3)
  • USXX-AAB04 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics and Physics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USXX-AKB04 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics and Physics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Mathematics and Physics (Year 4)
  • USXX-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Mathematics and Physics with Study year abroad (Year 5)
  • USXX-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Mathematics and Physics with Year long work placement (Year 5)
  • USPH-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Physics (Year 3)
  • USPH-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USPH-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USPH-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics (Year 3)
Programmes in Natural Sciences
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Study year abroad (Year 5)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Professional Placement (Year 5)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Physics stream) (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Physics stream) with Study year abroad (Year 5)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Physics stream) with Professional Placement (Year 5)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 5)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 5)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 5)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 5)

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