Vacuum and Gas Pressure: Concepts of vacuum (Low, medium, high and ultra-high vacuum; vacuum pumps and gauges; pressure measurements; ); kinetic theory concepts (molecular density; mean free path of particles in the gas phase; incident molecular flux on surfaces; gas exposure; sticking coefficient; surface coverage; variation of parameters with pressure).
Over layers and Diffraction: Two-dimensional lattice; reciprocal space; over layer structure; low energy electron diffraction (LEED).
Imaging and Depth Profiling: Basic concepts in surface imaging; secondary electron microscopy (SEM); secondary Auger microscopy (SAM); scanning probe microscopy (SPM); scanning tunneling microscopy (STM); transmission electron microscopy (TEM); surface imaging; depth profiling. Associated techniques of microscopy and spectroscopy.
Chemical Analysis: Non-destructive techniques: Wavelength and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (WDS and EDS); X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES and EXAFS); secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS); temperature programmed desorption (TPD); thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). Destructive techniques:
Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS); inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES).
Electroanalytical Techniques: Voltametry; coulometry; amperometry; potentiometry; polarography; electrolytic conductivity; impedance spectroscopy.
Separation Methods: Normal and reversed phase liquid chromatography (NP- & RP-LC); Gas Chromatography (GC); GC-MS; High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC); Size-Exclusion Chromatography (SEC); Ion Chromatography (IC).
Reading assignments on: Quantitative measurements: Limit of detection, limit of quantification, sensitivity, calibration, interferences, sampling; Laboratory practice, laboratory automation.
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