Course Description
Introduction to the rapidly growing area of nanoscience, the study and manipulation of matter on an atomic and molecular level. Will cover the formation (e.g., molecular self-assembly, photolithographic patterning, electrochemistry), and characterization of nanomaterials (e.g., UV-vis-near IR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy).
Athena Title
NANOSCIENCE
Prerequisite
CHEM 1212 and CHEM 1212L and CHEM 2300
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will obtain an understanding the physical properties, and methodologies for the formation (e.g., molecular self- assembly, photolithographic patterning, electrochemistry), and characterization of nanomaterials (e.g., UV-vis-near IR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy). A significant portion of this course will also involve learning to search peer-reviewed scientific literature to obtain a fundamental understanding of an area related to nanoscience that is not covered in class. Then, this knowledge will be integrated into a brief oral presentation and a ½-page abstract that explains your topic at a level appropriate for an audience of non-specialists (at the level you would explain it to someone having no experience with your field of interest). To assist in this exercise, there will be a lecture on how to use the internet resources available through the science library to find literature and cite papers in your abstract. These skills will be quite useful in your future careers as scientists.
Topical Outline
Introduction Course overview What are nanoscience and nanotechnology? Why are they so interesting? The important role of the microelectronics industry in the drive for miniaturization. Surface/volume relationships and quantum confinement effects in nanomaterials. Classifications of nanomaterials. Solutions, colloids and suspensions. Micro- and Nano-Lithography Clean room processes used for making patterns needed for electronic materials. Top-down vs. bottom up methods. Optical lithography. Electron-beam lithography. Scanning probe lithography. Types of resists and their exposure modes. How semiconductors, diodes, and transistors work. Moore’s Law. Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs) Building patterns and changing surface properties with molecular building blocks. How and why molecules spontaneously form ordered structures on surfaces. Low Miller Index Planes and surface adsorption sites for Au. Thiol and silane self-assembly. Applications of SAMs in surface modification and molecular electronics. Science Library Primer Web of Science, SciFinder Scholar, Google Scholar, and using Endnote/RefWorks with MS-Word. Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene What are they? Where do they come from? Do they come in peace? Their fundamental physical properties and electronic applications. Analytical techniques used in their characterization: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Dynamic Ranges of Common Microscopy Methods Optical microscopy. Electron microscopy. Scanning probe microscopy. Importance of vibration isolation in microscopy. Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) A proximal probe is used to image, characterize and/or manipulate atoms and molecules. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) The optical lever detection mechanism. Instrument design & basic principles. Types of AFM cantilevers and tips. Contact, intermittent contact, and non-contact modes. Effect of the contamination layer on “real world” surfaces on each AFM imaging mode. Force calibration plots. Imaging artifacts. AFM image analysis. Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) Classical Theory vs. Quantum Mechanics. Quantum tunneling theory. Instrument design & basic principles. Height mode vs. current mode. STM in air, liquid and ultra-high vacuum. Imaging artifacts: Atomic resolution in graphene vs. graphite. Image analysis. Electrochemistry in Nanoscience Linear vs. radial diffusion. How the electrochemical behavior of isolated and arrays of nanoscaled electrodes distinguishes them from larger electrodes.