ECTS - University of Pisa
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PHYSICS OF SURFACES AND INTERFACES
MASSIMILIANO LABARDI
Academic year2021/22
CoursePHYSICS
Code092BB
Credits3
PeriodSemester 1
LanguageItalian

ModulesAreaTypeHoursTeacher(s)
FISICA DELLE SUPERFICI E INTERFACCEFIS/03LEZIONI18
MASSIMILIANO LABARDI unimap
Obiettivi di apprendimento
Learning outcomes
Conoscenze

Il corso consiste in una generale introduzione alla fisica delle superfici e interfacce, che mette a fuoco i concetti di base piuttosto che i dettagli specifici, ed esplora i fenomeni fisici sui quali si basano alcune fra le più importanti tecniche e metodi di analisi superficiale.
Knowledge

The Course provides a general introduction to the physics of surfaces and interfaces, focusing on basic concepts rather than specific details, and explores physical phenomena underlying some of the most important techniques and methods for surface analysis.
Modalità di verifica delle conoscenze

Discussione con gli/le studenti durante le ore di lezione e durante i periodi di ricevimento.
Assessment criteria of knowledge

Discussion with students during class and office hours.
Capacità

Si promuove lo sviluppo di spirito critico e di sintesi volta a individuare i concetti fondamentali alla base delle materie di studio.
Skills

The course promotes development of critical thinking and summary skills, aimed to spot fundamental concepts underlying the subject.
Modalità di verifica delle capacità

Discussione con gli/le studenti durante le ore di lezione e durante i periodi di ricevimento.
Assessment criteria of skills

Discussion with students during class and office hours.
Comportamenti

Si promuove l'approfondimento autonomo da parte degli/lle studenti degli argomenti trattati.
Behaviors

Autonomous study of the subject is promoted.
Modalità di verifica dei comportamenti

Discussione con gli/le studenti durante le ore di lezione e durante i periodi di ricevimento.
Assessment criteria of behaviors

Discussion with students during class and office hours.
Prerequisiti (conoscenze iniziali)

Per seguire il corso nella maniera più proficua è indicata una conoscenza generale degli aspetti fondamentali della struttura della materia.
Prerequisites

To attend the course in the most profitable manner, general knowledge of fundamental aspects of structure of matter is recommended.
Programma (contenuti dell'insegnamento)

Il programma di massima del corso comprende i seguenti argomenti:

PART I: Phenomenology of surfaces and interfaces

  1. Introduction to the course. Introduction to surfaces and interfaces. Surface/volume ratio. Microscopic interpretation of intermolecular forces. Interaction energy between ions, frozen and mobile permanent dipoles. Keesom energy.
  2. Interaction energy with induced dipoles: Debye induction energy, London dispersive energy. Frequency dependence of atomic polarizability. Ionization energy. Van der Waals energy.
  3. Additivity of Van der Waals interaction. VdW forces between macroscopic bodies: adsorption, adhesion, cohesion. Hamaker constant. Liquid surfaces. Interfacial thickness. Surface free energy and surface energy. Surface tension. Thermodynamics of interfaces in equilibrium: Gibbs theory. Definition of interface and Gibbs dividing plane. Interfacial excess.
  4. Thermodynamic potentials at the interface. Thermodynamic definition of surface tension. Euler relation and Gibbs-Duhem relation. Surface tension and interfacial excess. Mixing entropy and mixing chemical potential. Surface activity: case of ionic, apolar, and amphiphilic solutes. Colloidal aggregates. Critical micellar concentration. Thermodynamics of colloidal aggregation.
  5. Pressure difference across a curved surface: Young-Laplace equation. Vapor pressure at a curved surface: Kelvin equation. Supersaturation pressure. Theory of homogeneous nucleation. Heterogeneous nucleation. Wetting. Wetting line and contact angle. Young equation. Cases of partial, complete, and no wetting. Capillarity phenomena. Thin film formation. Dewetting. Pseudo partial wetting and wetting layer. Thin film deposition: dip coating and spin coating.

 

PART II: Surface characterization techniques

  1. Scanning probe microscopy. Beam vs local probes. Atomic force microscope. Working principle: typical setup. Piezoelectric scanners and raster scan. Constant height mode and constant force mode. Interaction steepness and atomic resolution. Cantilever force sensors. Optical lever deflection detection method. Static mode of operation: contact mode. Jump-in-contact and jump-off-contact points. Lateral force and local friction coefficient measurement. Bidirectional optical lever.
  2. Dynamic modes of AFM. Problems arising in static mode: thermal noise. Response function of the cantilever as a simple harmonic oscillator. Tapping mode. Phase sensitive coherent detection and lock-in detection. Effect of conservative and dissipative interactions on resonance curve. Frequency-modulation mode. Piezoelectric resonant force sensors: quartz tuning fork.
  3. Combined scanning probes. Auxiliary distance control. Electrostatic Force Microscopy. Dependence of electric force on distance and electric properties of dielectrics. Voltage-modulated force detection. Dielectric constant, surface charge and contact potential measurement. Kelvin probe method. Kelvin probe force microscopy.
  4. Nanotribology. Friction at a contact point measured by AFM. Stick-slip model for dissipation by dynamical friction. Friction of atomic layers. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Gravimetric and non-gravimetric QCM. Interfacial viscosity and slip time.

 
Syllabus

The program of the course is comprised of the following topics:

PART I: Phenomenology of surfaces and interfaces

  1. Introduction to the course. Introduction to surfaces and interfaces. Surface/volume ratio. Microscopic interpretation of intermolecular forces. Interaction energy between ions, frozen and mobile permanent dipoles. Keesom energy.
  2. Interaction energy with induced dipoles: Debye induction energy, London dispersive energy. Frequency dependence of atomic polarizability. Ionization energy. Van der Waals energy.
  3. Additivity of Van der Waals interaction. VdW forces between macroscopic bodies: adsorption, adhesion, cohesion. Hamaker constant. Liquid surfaces. Interfacial thickness. Surface free energy and surface energy. Surface tension. Thermodynamics of interfaces in equilibrium: Gibbs theory. Definition of interface and Gibbs dividing plane. Interfacial excess.
  4. Thermodynamic potentials at the interface. Thermodynamic definition of surface tension. Euler relation and Gibbs-Duhem relation. Surface tension and interfacial excess. Mixing entropy and mixing chemical potential. Surface activity: case of ionic, apolar, and amphiphilic solutes. Colloidal aggregates. Critical micellar concentration. Thermodynamics of colloidal aggregation.
  5. Pressure difference across a curved surface: Young-Laplace equation. Vapor pressure at a curved surface: Kelvin equation. Supersaturation pressure. Theory of homogeneous nucleation. Heterogeneous nucleation. Wetting. Wetting line and contact angle. Young equation. Cases of partial, complete, and no wetting. Capillarity phenomena. Thin film formation. Dewetting. Pseudo partial wetting and wetting layer. Thin film deposition: dip coating and spin coating.

 

PART II: Surface characterization techniques

  1. Scanning probe microscopy. Beam vs local probes. Atomic force microscope. Working principle: typical setup. Piezoelectric scanners and raster scan. Constant height mode and constant force mode. Interaction steepness and atomic resolution. Cantilever force sensors. Optical lever deflection detection method. Static mode of operation: contact mode. Jump-in-contact and jump-off-contact points. Lateral force and local friction coefficient measurement. Bidirectional optical lever.
  2. Dynamic modes of AFM. Problems arising in static mode: thermal noise. Response function of the cantilever as a simple harmonic oscillator. Tapping mode. Phase sensitive coherent detection and lock-in detection. Effect of conservative and dissipative interactions on resonance curve. Frequency-modulation mode. Piezoelectric resonant force sensors: quartz tuning fork.
  3. Combined scanning probes. Auxiliary distance control. Electrostatic Force Microscopy. Dependence of electric force on distance and electric properties of dielectrics. Voltage-modulated force detection. Dielectric constant, surface charge and contact potential measurement. Kelvin probe method. Kelvin probe force microscopy.
  4. Nanotribology. Friction at a contact point measured by AFM. Stick-slip model for dissipation by dynamical friction. Friction of atomic layers. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Gravimetric and non-gravimetric QCM. Interfacial viscosity and slip time.

 
Bibliografia e materiale didattico

Butt, Graf, Kappl, Physics and Chemistry of Interfaces, Wiley, 2003

Dispense del docente, disponibili sul sito elearning del Dipartimento di Fisica:

https://elearning.df.unipi.it/enrol/index.php?id=254

Altro materiale utile è disponibile sullo stesso sito.
Bibliography

Butt, Graf, Kappl, Physics and Chemistry of Interfaces, Wiley, 2003


Lecture notes (avaliable, in Italian, on elearning website of Physics Department:

https://elearning.df.unipi.it/enrol/index.php?id=254

Additional material in English is available on the same website.

 
Indicazioni per non frequentanti

Per i non frequentanti, la modalità di esame è esclusivamente quella dell'esame orale tradizionale.
Non-attending students info

For students not attending the class, the form of the standard oral exam is compulsory.
Modalità d'esame

Esame orale tradizionale, oppure presentazione in forma di seminario di un approfondimento di un argomento del corso.
Assessment methods

Oral exam, or presentation, in seminar form, of a detailed study concerning one of the topics of the course.
Note

Il corso si compone di 18 ore di didattica frontale.
Notes

The course is composed by 18 hours of class teaching.
Updated: 19/07/2021 11:46