Physical-chemistry of organized bidimensional molecular systems. Design, construction and characterization of functional nanodevices obtained with molecular bottom-up approach by means of deposition from vapor phase (PVD, CVD) and from solution. Nano-engineering of bidimensional devicees as molecular transistors, light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic cells, nanosensors and biomedical devices.
Nanoscale Materials, L. M. Liz-Marzán and P. V. Kamat Eds., Kluwer Academic Publishers, New York, 2003.
Nanostructures and Nanomaterials, Synthesis, properties and Application, G. Cao Imperial College Press, Lomdon 2004.
Self-Assembly and Nanotechnology, Y. S. Lee, Wiley, New York 2008.
Learning Objectives
The course aims to provide students with the necessary knowledge for the design, implementation and characterization of functional nanomaterials obtained with modern molecular construction methods.
The course provides the a detailed understanding of the physical chemistry of ordered two-dimensional systems and illustrates the main methodologies for the fabrication of nanodevices with a bottom-up approach both from solution (Self-Assembly Mono and Nanolayers, Langmuir-Blodgett and Layer-by -Layer techniques, Supported Lipid Bilayers ..) and from the vapor phase (Physical Vapor Deposition and Chemical Vapor Deposition) with vacuum or ultra-high vacuum technologies.
The knowledge learned by the student during the University course will be reviewed and applied to the understanding of the formation and structural investigation of the described ordered systems. The specific techniques implemented for the characterization of the structure, morphology and functionality of the ordered molecular systems will also be illustrated.
Examples of molecular devices for electronics and photonics, electroluminescent displays, sensors and photovoltaic cells will be presented. The acquired skills will be applied in the laboratory where the student will build and characterize some of the illustrated devices.
A written and oral report of, or alternatively of a personal study, will allow the student to demonstrate his/her ability to learn and elaborate the subjects presented in the course as well as his/her communication skills.
Prerequisites
Courses required: none
Courses recommmended: Physical Chemistry of Interfaces
Teaching Methods
Attendance at lessons, practice and lab: highly recommended. For the laboratory obligatory attendance at least for 75 % of lab time.
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 150
Hours reserved to private study and other individual formative activities: 100
Lectures (hours): 40
Hands-on laboratory/practice (hours): 6
Seminars (hours): 2
Intermediate examinations (hours): 2 (optional)
Further information
Teaching tools
Interactive Moodle Platform with contents of the course..
Type of Assessment
Written: presentation of a technical report describing the experiments carried out in the laboratory or presentation of a case study from recent literature.
Oral: discussion on the topics presented during the course and in the written presentation
Course program
The course introduces the student to the design, construction and characterization of functional nanodevices obtained with modern nanotechnology. The course provides the physical-chemical basis of organized bidimensional molecular systems on solid surfaces allowing for the understanding of the phenomena underlying the process of formation of molecularly organized arrays. The course describes the current techniques used for a molecular bottom-up fabrication approach for different molecules spanning from silicon and III-V semiconductors to amphiphiles, lipid and polymers. Nanofabrication from solution (Self-Assembly Monolayers, Langmuir-Blodgett and Layer-by-Layer techniques, Supported Lipid Bilayers, Spin-coating and Doctor Blading) and from the gas phase will be addressed. High and ultra-high vacuum techniques such as Chemical Vapor Deposition (MO-CVD and Atomic Layer Deposition) and Physical Vapor Deposition (Sputtering, Molecular-Beam Epitaxy) will be presented. The principal characterization techniques implemented for ordered molecular systems are reviewed together with Soft Nanolithography for Surface Patterning . Nano-engineering of bidimensional devices, i.e. molecular transistors, light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic cells, nanosensors and biomedical nanodevices will be illustrated together with modern soft nanolithography for surface patterning.
Typical nanodevices (nanosensors, OLED and III generation solar cells) will be prepared and characterized in the laboratory practice.