DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

KR’S SREE NARAYAN COLLEGE, VALANCHERY

dr.jithin90@gmail.com Dr. JITHIN M

Head and Assistant Professor
NANO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Module 1 : Introduction
 LENGTH SCALE IN PHYSICS

1 nm = 10-9 m = .000000001 m
NANOSTRUCTURES
BAND STRUCTURE
ENERGY BANDS
DENSITY OF STATES AT NANOSCALE
Density of states:
The number of different states at a particular energy level that
electrons are allowed to occupy, i.e. the number of electron states
per unit volume per unit energy.
Module 2 : Electrical transport in nanostructure
 Free electron model

e- 2,8,1
Na11

+
 Metal
Free moving

potential Vo
e-
V1 > Vo

potential V1

V1

e- Vo

Potential well
Work Function (W or Φ) :
The bare minimum quantity of energy essential for an
electron to escape (leave) from the surface of a
material is called work function.
Semiconductor
Thermionic emission
Thermionic Emission:
It is the emission (release) of charge carriers (ions or
electrons) from the surface of a material due to the thermal
energy given to it.

Thermionic Emission Current:

As a result of thermionic emission (electron ejection due to
thermal energy), an electric current will be produced across
the electrodes which is termed as thermionic emission
current. Work function is inversely proportional to
thermionic emission current.
 Schottky Effect or (Field enhanced thermionic emission)
When we apply an electric field to a heated material, the emission
of electrons from the surface increases. It results in decreasing the
smallest energy required for the release of electrons from the
surface of the material (work function) and thereby increasing
thermionic current. If a very small electric field is applied, then it
only sweeps the previously released electrons from the surface of
the material. While increasing the field, a particular point is reached
at which the work function value gets decreased. If the field is
further increased, it results in decreasing in work function and
thereby increasing the thermionic emission current. This is Schottky
effect.
In the absence of electric field, the surface barrier
which is seen by the emitting Fermi-level electron will
be “W” height. This height is equal to the work
function. But the electric field will decrease the barrier
height by an amount equal to ΔW (see above figure)
and thus increasing the thermionic current.
 Poole-Frenkel (P-F) Emission
or
(Field assisted thermionic emission from traps)
The structural defects cause additional energy states close to
the band edge, called traps. These traps restrict the current
flow.
The P-F emission happens when trapped electrons get
excited into the conduction band. The electric field
decreases the Coulombic potential barrier of the electrons
and subsequently increases its probability for being
thermally excited out from the traps.
Arrhenius type activated conduction
 Conductivity

Temperature

The temperature-dependent resistivity can be described

by the Arrhenius equation σ (T) = σ 0 exp [ -(E a /kT)],
which shows the thermal activation conduction.
 Variable range hopping conduction

Variable-range hopping is a model used to describe carrier

transport in a disordered semiconductor or in amorphous
solid by hopping in an extended temperature range.
 Polaron conduction

In ionic crystal, free electrons and ions are easily available.

 Positive ions are attracted towards the electrons.

 Negative ions are repelled by the electron.

 Hence the filed surrounding the electron is deformed.

 The combination of electron and the surrounding strain field is known as polaron.

 Polarons are quasi-particle : (particle which are surrounded by some field).

 The physical properties of a polaron are different from those of band-electron.

In polar semiconductors the electrostatic interaction with induced polarization is
strong and polarons are formed at given temperature.
Module 3 : Introductory Quantum Mechanics for
Nanoscience
Size Effect
Energy band structure
QUANTUM CONFINEMENT
Bohr radius

e-
 Excitons

e-

e-
e-
Exciton

e-

Exciton radius
 Y

Z
 Y

Z
 Y

Z
 Y

Z
Module 4 : Growth techniques of nanomaterials
TOP DOWN Vs BOTTOM UP TECHNIQUES FOR NANOMATERIALS
 NON LITHOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES
1. Plasma arc discharge
Helium ,Argon

600oC – 1000oC

500 – 700 Torr

70 – 80 A arc current
MWNT
2. sputtering
3. Thermal evaporation
4. E- beam evaporation
Comparison of thermal and E-beam evaporation
5. Chemical vapor deposition
6. Pulsed Laser Deposition
7. Molecular Beam Epitaxial method
8. Sol-Gel technique
9. Electro-deposition
1O. Ball-milling
Module 5 : Characterization tools of nanomaterials
 Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM)

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM)
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
Module 6 : Application of nanotechnology
Buckminsterfullerene (C60)
C60
 Carbon nanotube
Nanoscale hollow tubes composed of carbon
atoms. The cylindrical carbon molecules feature high
aspect ratios (length-to-diameter values) typically above
103, with diameters from about 1 nanometer up to tens
of nanometers and lengths up to millimeters. Carbon
nanotubes are members of the fullerene family. This
unique one-dimensional carbon nanostructure have
unlimited potential in nanotechnology-associated
applications.
Nanodiamond
Graphite
Graphene
 BN (Boron nitride) nanotube

 Boron nitride nanotubes, firstly synthesized in 1995.

 BNNTs are structural analogues of carbon nanotubes with boron and

nitrogen atoms instead of carbon atoms.

 BNNTs can be imagined as a rolled up hexagonal BN layer or as a CNTs

 In which alternating B and N atoms entirely substitute for C atoms.

 Properties of BNTs
 BNNTs are chemically inert, oxidation resistant and structurally stable.

BNNTs are electrically isolating materials with uniform electronic properties.

Excellent mechanical and thermal properties.

Structurally stable and inert to most chemicals

Uniform band gap (5.5 eV)

High sensitivity for sensor materials

High resistance to oxidation

High oxidation resistance of BNNTs than that of CNTs allows their

applications in high temperature environments.
 BNTs Vs CNTs

• Besides their structure, mechanical and thermal properties of BNNTs are

very similar to CNTs.

•Both BNNTs and CNTs have superb mechanical properties: the Young’s
modulus of them has been predicted to reach a Tpa level.

•The electronic properties of BNNTs have better resistance to thermal

oxidation than CNTs.

•The electrical properties of BNNTs are also different from CNTs.

•BNNTs have a contact and wide band-gap of 5.5 eV.

•The obvious and most appealing difference between BNNTs and CNTs is
their visible appearance : BNNTs are pure white or slightly yellowish while
CNTs are totally black.
There are several methods are used for the synthesize of boron
nitride nanotubes. Mainly used methods are

 Arc-discharge

Laser ablation

Ball milling

Chemical vapor deposition

Single Electron Transistor
 Molecular Machine

Input Output
Machine

Input Mechanical
Motor Output
 “Natural” Nano-machines within a living cell

Designs of molecular machines have been perfected by Nature over

millions or billions of years on the principles of evolutionary biology.

Understanding mechanisms through experiments and theoretical

modeling

Design using natural Design using artificial

components extracted from components synthesized in the
living cells laboratory

“Artificial” Nano-machines for practical applications

All the design and manufacturing completed so far have succeeded

only in establishing “proof-of-principle”, but still far from commercial
prototypes.
Wish you all the very best…….