Syllabus

Fall 2009

Instructor

• Dr. Branislav K. Nikolic
  • Email: bnikolic@udel.edu
  • Web: http://www.physics.udel.edu/~bnikolic
  • Phone: (302) 831-2943
  • Fax: (302) 831-1637

Calendar

• MWF 1:25PM-2:15PM in 308 Gore Hal.
• Computational Lab: W 6:00PM-8:00PM, September 16 and September 23, in Pearson Hall 116 Lab.
• Poster session for the final project: December 16, 1-3PM, 308 Gore Hall.
• Office hours: MW 2:30-3:30 PM in 234 Sharp Lab, or by appointment (send me an email).
• Classes start on Wednesday, September 2 and terminate on Wednesday, December 9.
• Breaks:
  • Labor Day, September 7.
  • Fall break, October 16.
  • Thanksgiving Holiday, November 25-29.
  • Instructor's travel schedule: October 12-16.

Requirements

Lectures: The goal of class time is to emphasize important concepts covered in the textbook, introduce topics not in the text, and highlight common conceptual and problem-solving pitfalls. It is my responsibility to present this material for your coherently and create an environment in which you will feel comfortable participating. It is your responsibility to take me up on my offer to participate and to prepare yourself for the class by reading the material and working sample problems. Attendance for all lectures and discussions is strongly recommended.

Quizzes: Short quizzes (albeit with open ended questions) will be given in the middle or at the end of the class to test student class participation.

Homeworks: Homework will be assigned on Mondays and it is due by next Monday (can be handed in the class or emailed as PDF).

Exams: There will be no traditional exams.

Research Projects: Instead of traditional exams, two research projects will be assigned dealing with modeling of transport in nanostructures of contemporary interest. The first project will be reported on in the form of a journal article (two column style with text and equations, see Example), while the second one will be presented in the form of the poster session at the end of the semester.

Academic Honesty: The policy on academic honesty as stated in the Student Guide to University Policies will be followed during this course. In particular: collaboration on homework assignments and in-class activities is permitted and encouraged (unless your instructor explicitly indicates otherwise).

Grading

• The final score will be determined as a weighted average of different class activities listed above using the following formula:
  • Homework - 50%,
  • Quiz - 10 %,
  • Midterm and final Research Project - 40%.

• Here is a guideline for your final letter grade, as a percentage of the total number of points:
  • 86-100, some type of A,
  • 73-85, some type of B,
  • 61-72 some type of C,
  • 51-60 some type of D,
  • 50 and below is F.

These numbers may be lowered, depending upon numerous factors, but will not be raised (i.e., if you have an 86 average you are assured of at least an A-). The course grades are not curved.

• Grading of overdue homework: Homeworks submitted after the deadline will incur a penalty 5 points for each 24 hour period. After eight days, the maximum possible grade is set at 60 points.

Study Guides

• Main textbook: S. Datta: Quantum Transport: Atom to Transistor (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2005). [publisher Website]

• Supplementary textbooks:
  • Yu. V. Nazarov and Ya. M. Blanter: Quantum Transport: Introduction to Nanoscience (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2009). [publisher Website]
  • T. Heinzel, Mesoscopic Electronics in Solid State Nanostructures, 2nd, Completely Revised and Enlarged Edition (Wiley, Hoboken, 2007); of interest to graduate student doing Ph.D. in experimenal physics. [publisher Website]
  • M. Di Ventra, Electrical Transport in Nanoscale Systems (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2008); of interest to graduate student doing Ph.D. in theoretical physics. [publisher Website]

• Journal resources: Review articles from Reviews of Modern Physics, Physics Reports, American Journal of Physics, ... (see References).