Course detail

Diagnostics of Nanostructures

FSI-TDN-AAcad. year: 2027/2028

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

Assignment to study programme types

Master's

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. Ing. Jan Čechal, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Physical Engineering (ÚFI)

Offered to foreign students

Of all faculties

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.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Copy of the presentations with literature resources for each topic. (EN)
Meyer E., Hug H. J.: Scanning Probe Microscopy, The Lab on a Tip, Springer , 2004.

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme MPA-NCP Master's

    branch --- , 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory-optional

  • Programme N-FIN-P Master's 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory-optional, profile core courses
  • Programme MPC-NCP Master's 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory-optional

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

13 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Jan Čechal, Ph.D.

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

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Jan Čechal, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Selected lectures can be accompanied by practical demonstrations in the laboratory.

Exercise

14 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Jan Čechal, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Selected lectures can be accompanied by tutorial sessions.

Computer-assisted exercise

6 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Jan Čechal, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Selected lectures can be accompanied by computer-assisted tutorial sessions.