The Swiss engineering master's degree

The module “Physics on micro and nano scale” focuses on physical effects and their applications in photonics, electrical engineering, medical engineering and mechanical engineering which become relevant, when technical systems get miniaturized. In the first step of miniaturization - from macro to micro – the principal physics remains unchanged, but the dominant physical effects change due to a changed surface to volume ratio. Surface related effects become dominant. With further miniaturization – from micro to nano - quantum phenomena become dominant and lead to completely new physical concepts. When the typical size of objects is between several nanometers and a few micrometres, we can observe a wealth of fascinating effects that today are the basis for applications from advanced sensing to medical applications, ultrasmall mechanical devices, nanophotonics etc.

A first main topic of this module relates to surface effects. Microstructured surfaces, for example, play an important role in mechanical systems in terms of nano-roughness and nanotribological properties. In nature, such microstructures lead e.g. to the Lotus effect or to different colour effects, and in medicine, micro and nanostructured surfaces help to significantly improve the acceptance of implants by the human organism. Another interesting topic is surface functionalisation, which can be designed to reduce e.g. wear, corrosion, ice-formation or bio-fouling on materials; surface functionalization is furthermore an important step in the design of chemical and biochemical sensors.

A second main topic deals with quantum effects that are related to spatial confinement in physical systems. The discretization of energy levels in atomic systems, for example, forms the basis for the understanding of light-matter interaction. Prohibited states in periodic solids lead to band gaps in semiconductors, which provide the basis for modern electronics. In a similar way, "forbidden" states can also be generated in dielectric periodic structures. The so called photonics band gaps enable completely new forms of light guidance in photonic crystals. Quantum dots and quantum wires are further quantum objects that play an important role in modern electronics.

Whereas the fundamentals are the focus of this course, the application of new material structures on the micro and nanoscale including 2-dimensional materials are covered as well, e.g. in organic light emitting diodes, ion-sensitive transistors, and nanophotonic systems exploiting plasmonic effects.

Requisiti

• Optics: Basics of wave optics;
• Physics: The students are able to solve simple differential equations, know linear algebra and can handle electromagnetic forces and fields.
• Mathematics: Basics for engineers (bachelor level)

Obiettivi di apprendimento

After completion of this module the students will:

• know the fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics and understand the quantum nature of the nanoworld
• know the phenomena of nano-and microstructures influencing surface and material properties (e.g. structural colors, interferencial colors, tribo-mechanical and wetting behaviour)
• know the processes that govern the  functionalization of surfaces
• know the fundamental quantum mechanical concept of discretization and resulting consequences such as discrete energy states, electronic and photonic band gaps, quantum dots and quantum wires and their applications in modern photonics, electronics, and medicine
• know the interaction of light with dielectric, semiconductor and metallic nanoparticles (incl. plasmonics)

Contenuti del modulo

• From macro to micro to nano: scaling of physical systems and the consequences (3 lessons)
• Nano- and microstructured surfaces: Surface Physics, Nucleation,  Nano Tribology, Structural and interferencial colors,  (6-9 lessons)
• Functional surfaces: Surface energy, Wetting behavior, adhesion, and applications (e.g. wear reduction, anti-icing or anti-sticking surfaces, surface for fluidic and sensor applications) (6 lessons)
• Nanophotonics: Interaction of light with nanoparticles and nanostructures (dielectric, metallic, semiconductor) (3 lessons)
• Quantum mechanics and Quantum Nature of the Nanoworld: Particle-wave duality, Schrödinger equation, discrete energy levels, sizing effects (9 lessons)
• Molecules, quantum dots and wires: OLEDs (organic light emitting diodes) and QLEDs for optoelectronics and ISFETs (ion-sensitive field-effect transistors) for biotechnology (6 lessons)
• Electronic and photonic bandgaps: Physical basics and applications (6 lessons)

Metodologie di insegnamento e apprendimento

Lectures and self-study

Practical exercises and case studies

Bibliografia

Lecture notes, application oriented summary articles or slides with indication of sources for further reading will be distributed.

Introduction to Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Gabor L Hornyak et al. , CRC Press, 2009.

Nanophysik und Nanotechnologie, Edward Wolf, Wiley-VCH, 2014