The development of "nanotechnology" has made it possible to engineer materials and devices on a length scale as small as several nanometers (atomic distances are ~ 0.1 nm). The properties of such "nanostructures" cannot be described in terms of macroscopic parameters like mobility and diffusion coefficient and a microscopic or atomistic viewpoint is called for. The purpose of this course is to convey the conceptual framework that underlies this microscopic theory of matter which developed in course of the 20th century following the advent of quantum mechanics. However, this requires us to discuss a lot more than just quantum mechanics - it requires an appreciation of some of the most advanced concepts of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. Traditionally these topics are spread out over many physics/ chemistry courses that take many semesters to cover. Our aim is to condense the essential concepts into a one semester course using electrical engineering related examples. The only background we assume is matrix algebra including familiarity with MATLAB (or an equivalent mathematical software package). We use MATLAB-based numerical examples to provide concrete illustrations and we strongly recommend that the students set up their own computer program on a PC to reproduce the results. This hands-on experience is needed to grasp such deep and diverse concepts in so short a time.

Until recently, the issue of research ethics had not been a subject of explicit discussion within the Physics community. Over the past ten years, however, documented cases of scientific fraud have brought this issue to center stage. We will explore, through case studies, some examples ranging from poor scientific practice to deliberate manipulation and fabrication of data.

The field of nano-science and nano-technology covers a broad area of expertise. Classical fields of Physics, Chemistry, Material Science, Electrical/Mechanical/Chemical Engineering all are involved in the "new" field f nano. Research and development in that area is by its very nature multi-disciplinary, since I bridge a large length scale from atoms to systems and timescales from femto seconds to eternity. This presentation will give a personal perspective of an electrical engineer in the area of nanoelectronics. Based on a short introduction to nanoelectronics the needs and requirements of a multi-disciplinary team are discussed. Different length-scales as well as the trend of device size shrinking are explained. Two resulting multidisciplinary large-scale modeling and simulation efforts are presented. 1) the creation of the first nanoelectronic CAD tool NEMO at Texas Instruments, and 2) the creation and operation of the community simulation web site nanoHUB.org by the Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN).

This site provides online simulations, learning modules, and interactive tools for learning about nanotechnology -- the design and production of structures, devices, and systems one atom or one molecule at a time. Analyze the electronic properties of different nano materials and the optical properties of nanoparticles. Explore molecular conduction, nanofluids, and nanowires. Create simulations of nanoelectronic and nanoelectromechanical systems. Registration required.