Course detail
Diagnostics of Nanostructures
FSI-TDN-A Acad. year: 2027/2028 Summer semester
The course provides an overview of experimental techniques for the characterization of nanostructures, their physical principles, capabilities, and limitations. Lectures address the optical, electronic, magnetic, structural, and chemical properties of nanostructures, two-dimensional materials, and semiconductor devices. Selected case studies illustrate how to choose and combine experimental techniques to answer a specific scientific question.
Language of instruction
English
Number of ECTS credits
4
Supervisor
Department
Learning outcomes of the course unit
Students gain an overview of the main experimental techniques used to characterize nanostructures and their physical principles. On completing the course, they can assess the capabilities and limitations of individual methods, interpret their basic results, and propose an appropriate experimental approach to characterize a specific material system.
Entry knowledge
Fundamentals of quantum physics, solid-state physics, and the physics of surfaces and thin films.
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
Assessment takes into account the student’s work in compulsory exercises and their contribution to the discussion at the final colloquium. At the colloquium, students justify the selection and, where appropriate, combination of diagnostic techniques for a specific material system. Lecture notes may be used during preparation for the colloquium. Missed compulsory classes are made up as specified by the instructor, taking their scope and content into account.
Aims
Students gain an overview of the main experimental techniques used to characterize nanostructures and their physical principles. On completing the course, they can assess the capabilities and limitations of individual methods, interpret their basic results, and propose an appropriate experimental approach to characterize a specific material system.
Study aids
Lecture presentations in PDF format are available in the e-learning system.
The study programmes with the given course
Programme MPC-NCP: Chip Design and Modern Semiconductor Technologies, Master's, compulsory-optional
Programme N-FIN-P: Physical Engineering and Nanotechnology, Master's, compulsory-optional
Type of course unit
Lecture
13 hours, optionally
Syllabus
- Optical nanostructures (2 lectures): near- and far-field techniques, ellipsometry, scattering and absorption of individual nano-objects, circular dichroism and nanothermometry.
- Organic nanostructures (2 lectures): LEEM/LEED, STM, nc-AFM and KPFM; local spectroscopy and molecular-scale imaging.
- Magnetic nanostructures (2 lectures): magnetic domain imaging, MFM, magneto-optical, electron and X-ray methods, ultrafast dynamics and spin transport.
- Chemical and catalytic properties (2 lectures): XPS and surface chemical analysis; STM/nc-AFM and TPD for studying surface reactions; model catalysts and their limitations.
- Two-dimensional materials (2 lectures): SEM with EDX, EBSD and AES, in-situ microscopy; characterization of graphene using optical, scanning-probe and electron methods and transport measurements.
- Semiconductor devices and unpaired electrons (2 lectures): failure analysis and EBIC, SEM/SIMS/TEM; magnetic resonance methods including NMR, EPR/ESR and dynamic nuclear polarization.
- Colloquium (1 lecture): choosing experimental techniques to answer a specific scientific question about a material system.
Laboratory exercise
6 hours, compulsory
Syllabus
Selected lectures can be accompanied by practical demonstrations in the laboratory.
Exercise
14 hours, compulsory
Syllabus
Selected lectures can be accompanied by tutorial sessions.
Computer-assisted exercise
6 hours, compulsory
Syllabus
Selected lectures can be accompanied by computer-assisted tutorial sessions.