For this year (2017), the course is organized around 5 topics:
Scanning probe microscopy
Scanning tunneling microscopy opened a window onto nanoscale phenomena
of unprecedented resolution and flexibility. Basic theory and brief
survey of some of the discoveries.
Graphene and carbon nanotubes
Why does graphene produce "massless Dirac fermions"? What are the
exotic electronic properties that result? Basic properties of electrons
in a periodic potential (i.e. band structure) presented. Idea of
effective low energy theory. Symmetry of the crystal.
Quantum transport in quantum point contacts and quantum dots Coulomb blockade. Conduction by single
electrons.
Quantization of the conductance. Scattering theory approach to conduction of electrons, which is
particularly useful in the ballistic regime of nanostructures. Basic ideas of conduction of electrons.
Quantum Hall effect
Behavior of two-dimensional electrons in a magnetic field. The simplest
example of non-trivial topology in electronic solid state. Extremely
precise quantization of the Hall conductance-- used in determining values of fundamental constants.
Giant magnetoresistance and spintronics
Layered magnetic structures allow control of electron flow by tweaking
the spin of the electron. Methods to produce spin currents. Spin
pumping.