Physics of Surfaces (Wahlpflichtfach 2)

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Achim Kittel
Lecture: Di 15-17, Do 14-15
Tutorial: Do 15-17
Location: Physics tower, room 315
Starting: 19.10.2010

Abstract

Surfaces are playing an increasingly important role in contemporary physics. Because of the loss of translation symmetry present in perfect crystals surfaces are hosting their own physics and phenomena. Recent development in microscopy opened the possibilities to disclose the structure and features of surfaces down to the subatomic scale. In modern applications surface properties and surface excitations are used like surface acoustic waves (SAW). Surfaces can also serve as a substrate like graphene (Nobel Prize in Physics 2010) to investigate molecules, clusters, and nano-particles. To understand the observed phenomena one has to treat the substrate as an actively interacting object with its own properties. The aim of the lecture is to introduce students to this fascinating new world of physics in surface science.
 

Contents

1 Introduction
2 Atomic structure of surfaces
2.1 Surface crystallography
2.2 Growth processes
2.3 Defects at surfaces
2.4 Methods to investigate surface structure
2.5 Equilibrium thermodynamics
3 Surface dynamics - Vibrations
3.1 Elastic forces
3.2 Bulk modes
3.3 Surface modes
3.4 Spectral density
4 Adsorbates on surfaces
4.1 Physisorption
4.2 Chemisorption
4.3 Interaction between adsorbates
4.4 Dynamics of adsorbates
5 Electronic properties of surfaces
5.1 Jellium Model
5.2 Free electron approximation
5.3 Tight-Binding approximation
6 Surface systems and their excitations
6.1 Excited states of adsorbed molecules
6.1.1 Inelastic tunneling
6.2 Nano-particles on surfaces
6.3 Layered structures