19229 - Physical Chemistry of Solid Materials LS-B

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to give tools for the quantum-mechanical study and interpretation of the electronic and transport properties of devices made up by molecules or molecular layers or nanostructures inserted between metallic contacts, also in the presence of voltages applied across the device. The course can be considered an introduction to the research field named Molecular Electronics.

Course contents

• ELEMENTS OF QUANTUM MECHANICS : Concepts and postulates - Mathematical formalism - Symmetry - Theory of the angular momenta  - Wave mechanics of atomic and molecular systems - Methods for approximate solutions of the Schroedinger equation.
• ELEMENTS OF QUANTUM THEORY OF THE SOLID STATE : Electrons in one-dimensional periodic potentials - Band theory of crystals - Simple example of energy band structures - Quantum wells, wires, dots, nanotubes - Methods for approximate solutions of the Schroedinger equation - Lattice dynamics of crystals.
  
• CAPACITANCE : Model Hamiltonian - Electron density and density matrix - Electrostatic and quantum capacitance.
• LEVEL BROADENING : Open systems - Local density of states - Lifetime - Definition of contact or reservoir.
• COHERENT AND NON-COHERENT TRANSPORT : Inflow and outflow - Transmission - Examples.
  

Readings/Bibliography

• S.Datta, Quantum Transport. Atom to Transistors, ed. Cambridge.
  
• S.Datta, Electronic Transport in Mesoscopic Systems, ed. Cambridge Studies in Semiconductor Physics and Microelectronic Engineering.
• G.Grosso and G.Pastori Parravicini, Solid State Physics, ed. Elsevier Academic Press .
• J.J.Sakurai, Meccanica Quantistica Moderna, ed. Zannichelli.
• C.Cohen-Tannoudji, B.Diu, F.Laloe, Quantum Mechanics, ed. Wiley.
  

Assessment methods

Oral examination.

Teaching tools

Lecture notes. Attending the Solid State Physical Chemistry course  is suggested.

Office hours

See the website of Renato Colle