Unit information: Surface Physics in 2018/19

Unit name	Surface Physics
Unit code	PHYSM0007
Credit points	10
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Vasiljevic
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	PHYS30030 or PHYSM0003 or CHEMM4000
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Physics
Faculty	Faculty of Science

Description including Unit Aims

The aims of this course are as follows:

• To develop concepts from previous condensed matter courses, thereby showing how the reduced dimensionality of the surface affects fundamental physical properties and processes such as electronic structure, magnetism and phase transitions in metals and semiconductors.
• To demonstrate the importance of surface structure for processes such as crystal growth and catalysis.
• To introduce chemical physics at the solid-liquid interface.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to: Describe the structure of ideal and reconstructed surfaces. Be familiar with different contributions to surface energy. Identify the appropriate experimental technique to address problems in surface science. Relate surface electronic structure to magnetic and catalytic properties. Describe surface processes including growth, relaxation and adsorption at the atomic level.

Teaching Information

18 lectures 2X2 hour problems classes

Assessment Information

Formative Assessment Examples classes provide formative assessment Summative Assessment 2 hour written examination(100%)

Reading and References

• Zangwill, Physics at Surfaces (Cambridge)
• Butt, Graf and Kappl, Physics and Chemistry of Interfaces (Wiley)
• Lüth, Solid Surfaces, Interfaces and Thin Films (Graduate Texts in Physics).