Module: Nanoelectronics Technology

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Nanoelectronics Technology
Module Code	EEN1003 (ITS: EE559)
Faculty	Electronic Engineering	School	Engineering & Computing
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	7.5

Description

Nanoelectronics has become one of the most important and exciting fields in the forefront of engineering, physics, chemistry and biology. The technology and the possibilities of engineering at the nanoscale shows great promise for delivering many breakthroughs that will impact on technological advances in a wide range of applications from chemical to electronic to optronic to medical.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a graduate level of knowledge of the applications of Nanotechnology and Nanoelectronics.
2. Possess the technical capability to appreciate and contribute to the technical development in the field.
3. Show a skill set that captures the interdisciplinarity of nanoscale engineering and science.
4. Solve scientific and engineering related problems based on a major homework problem set related to course material.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	36	Lectures: synchronous and asynchronous.
Assignment Completion	40	Take-home examination and research paper critique
Independent Study	112	Independent study
Total Workload: 188

Section Breakdown
CRN	10180	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Rajani K. Vijayaraghavan	Module Teacher	Deiric Ó Broin, Jennifer Bruton, Patrick McNally

Section Breakdown
CRN	11831	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator		Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	The students will be given copies of seminal Research Paper published in recent years. This Research Paper will have had a major impact on Nanoelectronics Technology, and a selection of these will be distributed to the individual students in order to ensure that they are not all addressing the same seminal Research Paper. Certain sections of the paper will be slightly above the level of difficulty the students will have encountered during their Lectures, and they will be expected to use that knowledge to develop a critical understanding of this paper.	25%	n/a
Formal Examination	n/a	75%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Syllabus
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics: Classical particles and phenomena, wave packets, why quantum mechanics?; the Bohr atomic model; matter waves, the quantum wavefunction, the Schrödinger equation, Heisenberg uncertainty principle, quantum wells. Introduction to Physics of the Solid State: Crystal structure and lattice vibrations; energy bands, reciprocal space, effective masses, Fermi surfaces, localised particles e.g. donors, traps, excitons. Methods of Measuring Properties: Crystallography – X-Ray Diffraction. Carbon Nanostructures: Carbon molecules, carbon clusters – C60 and fullerenes; carbon nanotubes; applications of carbon nanotubes. Graphene. Bulk Nanostructured Materials: Photonic crystals. Nanostructured Ferromagnetism: Theory of Ferromagnetism and applications to storage and spintronic systems: dynamics of nanomagnets, giant and colossal magnetoresistance; spintronics and memory applications incl. magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), spin torque transfer systems for magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). Quantum Wells, Wires and Dots: Preparation; size and dimensionality effects; excitons; single-electron tunnelling; applications – IR detectors, quantum dot lasers. Nano Machines and Devices: Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS); nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). Optical and Vibrational Spectroscopy: Excitons; infrared surface spectroscopy; Raman spectroscopy; Luminescence – photoluminescence and thermal wave techniques.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

0: Module Web Notes and Lecture Videos on LOOP, 1698723
2008: Introduction to nanoelectronics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 978-0-521-88172-2, 1698724
2011: Introduction to Nanoelectronics, FREE eBOOK, MIT OpenCourseWare Publication, http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-701-introduction-to-nanoelectronics-spring-2010/readings/MIT6_701S10_notes.pdf, 1698725
2015: Nanostructures and Nanotechnology, Cambridge University Press, 639, 9780521877008,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None