EE 522LEC - Nanostructure Materials

The recent emergence of fabrication tools and techniques capable of constructing nanometersized structures has opened up numerous possibilities for the development of new devices with size domains ranging from 0.1 - 50 nm. The course introduces basic single-charged electronics, including quantum dots and wires, single-electron transistors (SETs), nanoscale tunnel junctions, and so forth. Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) in multilayered structures are presented with their applications in hard disk heads, random access memory (RAM) and sensors. Discusses optical devices including semiconductor lasers incorporating active regions of quantum wells and self-assembled formation of quantum-dot-structures for new generation of semiconductor layers. Finally, devices based on single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes are presented with emphasis on their unique electronic and mechanical properties that are expected to lead to ground breaking industrial nanodevices. The course also includes discussions on such fabrication techniques as laser-ablation, magnetron and ion beam sputter deposition, epitaxy for layer structures, rubber stamping for nanoscale wire-like patterns, and electroplating into nanoscale porous membranes.

Credits: 3