This course will present an overview of transport properties in quantum systems and nanodevices.
The principal task of the present course is to provide a clear background and a panorama on mesoscopic systems and quantum nanodevices.
The principal task of he present course is to provide a clear and firm background and panorama on mesoscopic systems and quantum nanodevices. The students will learn characteristic quantum phenomena such as coherence, dissipation, interference and quantization considering theoretical and experimental aspects.
The course is at the blackboard with also the possibility to see slides especially connected to the possible experiments.
The first part of the course describes general aspects of the out of equilibrium phenomena in quantum systems and nanodevices.
In the second part several examples are presented which are directly connected to low dimensional systems. Particular emphasis will be put on the transport properties of nanodevices.
Below a more detailed program.
- Linear response theory and Green functions. Time evolution of out of equilibrium density matrix. Applications: dieletric constant, conductivity, tunneling between two metals.
- Scattering processes in solids, length scales in the mesoscopic regime, ballistic transport.
- Heterostructures, bidimensional gas.
- Quantum wires, quantum point contact: conductance quantization, two and four terminal measurements. Landauer Formula.
- Aharonov-Bohm effects. Introduction to paths integrals and phase of the wave function. Applications and experiments to solid state systems.
- Berry's phase and its connection with the AB phase.
- Integer Quantum Hall effect: Landau level, disorder and edge states. Phenomenological description of fractional quantum Hall effect.
- Topological insulators: helical systems in two dimensions, superconducting topological systems and majorana fermions.
- Quantum dots: theoretical decription, Coulomb blockade oscillations, master equations, Coulom staircase.
Recommended books for the different parts of the course * H. Bruus, K. Flensberg, "Many-body Quantum Theory in Condensed Matter Physics" Oxford University Press (2004). * G.F. Giuliani, G. Vignale. "Quantum theory of the electron liquid"". Cambridge University Press (2005). * Y.V. Nazarov, Y.M. Blanter. "Quantum Transport. Introduction to Nanoscience". Cambridge University Press (2009). * T. Ihn. "Semiconductor Nanostructures" Oxford University Press (2010). * J.H. Davies, "The Physics of low-dimensional semiconductors", Cambridge Press (1998).
MAURA SASSETTI (President)
DARIO FERRARO
FABIO CAVALIERE (President Substitute)
The exam consists in an oral part.
The oral exam is done by the teacher responsible of the course and another expert in the field, usually a teacher of the staff. The duration of the oral exam is about 40 minutes.
