Number of hours
- Lectures 22.0
- Projects 0
- Tutorials 6.0
- Internship 0
- Laboratory works 0
ECTS
ECTS 3.0
Goal(s)
This course introduces the students to nanostructure physics and to the physical principles which govern the operation of solid-state devices whose overall length is smaller than the electron mean free path. In quantum systems such as these, electron wave behavior prevails, and transport properties must be assessed by calculating transmission amplitudes rather than microscopic conductivity. Emphasis is placed on detailing the physical laws that apply under these circumstances, and on giving a clear account of the most important phenomena. The coverage is comprehensive, with mathematics and theoretical material systematically kept at the most accessible level. The various physical effects are clearly differentiated, ranging from transmission formalism to the Coulomb blockade effect. Many practical exercises are included to facilitate the students' understanding.
Contact Thierry OUISSEContent(s)
1. Properties of semiconductor heterostructures and quantum wells
2. Ballistic Transport, Büttiker’s and S-matrix formalisms.
3. Resonant Tunneling
4. Coulomb Blockade Effect
5. Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes
6. Specific Interference effects
7. High magnetic field transport and the integer quantum Hall effect (optional).
Prerequisites
First principles of quantum mechanics and solid state physics.
Test
Semester 8 - The exam is given in english only 
Additional Information
Semester 8 - This course is given in english only
Course list
Curriculum->NANOTECH->Semester 8
Bibliography
Quantum mechanics
C.Cohen-Tannoudji, B.Diu and F.Laloë, Quantum mechanics, Wiley and Hermann, Paris (1977)
Solid-state physics
N.W.Ashcroft and N.D.Mermin, Solid State Physics (Wiley, New York 1976)
J.M.Ziman, Principles of the theory of solids, Cambridge, 1964
For bulk semiconductor physics:
B.K.Ridley, Quantum processes in semiconductors (Clarendon Press, Oxford 1982)
Electron transport in Nanostructures and mesoscopic devices
C.W.J.Beenaker and H. van Houten, Quantum transport in semiconductor nanostructures, Solid State Physics 44 (Academic Press 1991)
L.J.Kelly, Low-dimensional semiconductors (Oxford University Press 1995)
S.Datta, Electronic transport in mesoscopic systems (Cambridge University press 1995)
D.K.Ferry, S.M.Goodnick, Transport in nanostructures (Cambridge university press 1997)
T.Ouisse, Electron transport in nanostructures and mesoscopic devices, ISTE& Wiley 2008