Plenty of Room at the Bottom: Nanotechnology for Sustainability

Catalog description

Our understanding of the natural environment is based on obtaining decision-making information from the motion of electrons, photons, and phonons as they move through functional materials at the nanoscale. This is a graduate-level course that covers current topics related to modern optical and electronic sensors and sensing systems. We will ground our discussions in the theory and device physics of measurements that underpin our understanding of the planet - spanning hyperspectral imaging, seafloor mapping LIDAR, methane gas detection, to accelerometers and inertial sensors. This class will have a focus on reading research papers, student-led discussions and presentations, and completing an original research project. This course is open to all graduate students and advanced undergraduate students. While the course has no official prerequisites, it will be very helpful if students have taken an undergraduate physics sequence.