Bad Honnef Physics School on "Exciting nanostructures: Characterizing advanced confined systems"

The developments in our society in terms of computing power, sensing, and alternative energy demand new generations of building blocks for future optical and electrical applications with higher efficiencies and lower costs. In the recent years, enormous progress has been made in defining nanostructures and in understanding their physical properties. Nowadays, it is possible not only to prepare spherical, zero-dimensional nanoparticles, but also one-dimensional nanorods, two-dimensional nanosheets and hybrid materials. Structural design aims on developing of sophisticated nanoparticles architectures, doped materials, and materials with specifically modified surfaces. Shape and structure have a strong influence on their physical properties, which results mainly from their large surface-to-volume ratio and/or from the quantum confinement of their electrons and holes – but also plasmonic effects play a big role. The nanoobjects of various shapes can be further utilized as building blocks for even more sophisticated 2D or 3D assemblies.

In this summer school the basics of the preparation of nanostructures, the resulting physical properties, their optoelectronic applications, and theoretical methods will be reviewed. A range of characterization techniques with a special emphasis on spectroscopy will be introduced. The summer school provides an ideal forum for Master and PhD students to become acquainted with the topic and to initiate further discussions. The participants are expected to present their own work in the form of posters and are given the chance to introduce it also in the form of flash presentations. We will invite leading experts in nanostructure preparation, spectroscopy, electrical transport, and related fields.