Course syllabus for Surface and nanophysics

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-26 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameYt- och nanofysik
  • CodeTIF120
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPPHS
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyEngineering Physics
  • DepartmentPHYSICS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 85132
  • Maximum participants30
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0107 Project 7.5 c
Grading: TH		7.5 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

Knowledge about crystal structure, diffraction, lattice waves in periodic structures and related thermal properties, free electron theory of metals, the energy band structure with applications to metals, semiconductors and insulators for bulk 3D systems at the level of a fundamental solid-state physics course. Basic knowledge of statistical physics is beneficial but not absolutely necessary.

Aim

To provide the student a concept-oriented introduction to the fields of surface physics and nanophysics, with particular emphasis on static and dynamic properties.
To familiarize the student with central unifying concepts and experimental, as well as theoretical, tools needed for understanding the properties of surfaces and nanoparticles.
To highlight the importance of symbiosis between experimental and theoretical approaches in the surface and nanophysics area for both research and technology development.
To introduce the fundamental physical concepts of plasmonic excitations at surfaces and in nanostructures, as well as give an overview of their applications.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

Explain the basic concepts and describe the key phenomena that are responsible for the importance of surface and nanophysics in modern science and technology.

Name and explain some of the most important experimental and theoretical methods commonly used to assess and describe the properties of surfaces and nanoparticles.

Apply theoretical reasoning to account for experimental observations of properties and processes at surfaces and in/on nanoparticles.

Explain the key phenomena for the interaction of light with metal surfaces and nanoparticles, and discuss their implications for applications in the field of plasmonics and nanooptics.

Content

The topics of the course are chosen to establish the basic concepts to describe phenomena that are responsible for the importance of surface physics and nanophysics in modern science and technology. We will also present some topics related to the current research in these areas within the Department of  Physics at Chalmers .

The specific topics covered chronologically in the course are:

General introduction to surfaces: what is a surface and what makes it special? How do we experimentally address surfaces and how do we keep them clean?
Advanced electron microscopy of surfaces and nanoparticles.

Electronic Structure of surfaces and nanoparticles and how it dictates how surfaces interact with molecules, for example during a catalytic reaction.

Physisorption and Chemisorption of molecules on surfaces - the first two critical steps in any surface process and reaction.

How to make nanostructures and nanoparticles using bottom-up and top-down methods such as colloidal synthesis and nanolithography, respectively.

Nanooptics and nanoplasmonics fundamentals or how to control matter-light interactions at the nanoscale.

Quantum plasmonics or how quantum effects become important when light interacts with nanoparticles.

How to use localized surface plasmons as nanoscale sensors and enhancers of catalytic reactions on nanoparticles.

Organisation

The course is based on a series of lectures covering the topics listed above, a project work, which is presented in a written report and at a minisyposium of project presentations, and on three compulsory labs on the topics of surface science, electron microscopy and nanoplasmonics, for which a lab report has to be written individually.

Literature

The following books are recommended (but not compulsory) for the course:

Zangwill A.; "Physics at Surfaces", Cambridge University Press, New York 1988.
I. Chorkendorff and J. W. Niemantsverdriet "Concepts of Modern Catalysis and Kinetics, Willey-VCH, 2003.
Kolasinski K. W.; "Surface Science", J. Wiley&Sons Ltd, 2002.
S. Holloway and J. Norskov, "Bonding at Surfaces", Liverpool University Press.
Stefan A. Maier, Plasmonics  Fundamentals and Applications, Springer 2007.

Lecture notes will be distributed in class and constitute the basis for the learning in preparation of the quizzes.

Examination including compulsory elements

Project report, project presentation, lab reports and non-compulsory quizzes with which bonus points can be earned.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.