Thin Film and Nanostructures Characterization

The course aims to provide students with the knowledge of some methods of synthesis and experimental investigation of thin films and nanostructures at the nanometer scale, with particular attention to scanning probe microscopy techniques.The course aims to increase the degree of autonomy of students in planning and carrying out experimental research activities in the laboratory.

Students will be offered the choice between some experiences of growth and characterization of nano-structured systems, to be carried out in small groups in the form of short research projects. These projects generally have a close link with the research topics of the teacher.

Students, regardless of the project they will be performing, will have the opportunity to acquire skills related to the following topics:
- Design of an experiment and development of the experimental apparatus.
- Principles of operation and use of an atomic force microscope.
- Analysis of experimental data: model fit, error calculation.
- Use of calculation and programming tools for data analysis (Python, Matlab, Labview ...).
- Basic elements of electronics for the realization of simple devices useful for carrying out experiments (amplifiers, filters, ...).
- Bibliographic search.

Students will also be able to acquire skills in the following experimental techniques (depending on the experience chosen):
- Deposition of nanometric thin films by evaporation, sputtering, spin coating, electroless plating (generally coupled with micro- and nano-lithographic approaches).
- optical and infrared spectroscopy, ellipsometry (in progress), electrical transport measurements, scanning probe and electronic microscopy techniques, optical microscopy.

As an example, some experiences proposed to the students over the years are listed (the experiences are related to the research activity of the teacher):
1) Synthesis of nanostructured noble metal patterns by nano-micro lithographic techniques and study of morphological properties and plasmonic response.
2) Dynamic force spectroscopy: reconstruction of the force-time and force-distance profile from the harmonic analysis of the oscillation time profile of an interacting probe.
3) Electrical measurements on micro and nano scale using Atomic Force Microscopy.
4) Characterization of double-layer electrostatic interactions using Atomic Force Microscopy.
5) Development of calibration procedures for probes for Atomic Force Microscopy (magnetic levitation; thermal noise ...)
6) Study of the elastic properties of elastomeric multilayers on the micro and sub-micrometric scale: effects of finite thickness; anisotropy...
7) Study of metallization techniques of insulating surfaces by electroless plating for the production of conductive coatings and nanostructures.
8) Construction of a high-precision spectroscopic ellipsometer (in collaboration with Prof. P. Piseri, Lab of Physics of Matter 2).