• Course Information

​MECH650​ / 미세열전달

​

• Course Objective

Parallel treatments of photons, electrons, phonons, and molecules as energy carriers, aiming at fundamental understanding and descriptive tools for energy and heat transport processes from nanoscale continuously to macroscale. Topics include the energy levels, the statistical behavior and internal energy, energy transport in the forms of waves and particles, scattering and heat generation processes, Boltzmann equation and derivation of classical laws, deviation from classical laws at nanoscale and their appropriate descriptions, with applications in nano- and microtechnology.

​

• Prerequisites & Require

MECH371 or instructor’s consent

​

• Grading

Homework (35 %), Two midterms (25 % each), Final project (15 %)

​

• Course Materials

Nanoscale Energy Transport and Conversion: A Parallel Treatment of Electrons, Molecules, Phonons, and Photons

Gang Chen / Oxford University Press / 2005

​

• Course References

1. Heat Transfer Physics, M. Kaviany, Cambridge, New York
2. Microscale Energy Transport, Tien, Majumdar, and Gerner, Taylor & Francis, 1998 
3. Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory and Statistical Thermodynamics, Sears and Salinger, Addison-Wesley, 1986
4. Thermodynamics and an Introduction to Thermostatistics, H.B. Callen, John Wiley & Sons, 1985
5. Statistical Thermodynamics, C. L. Tien and J. H. Lienhhard, Hemisphere Publishing, 1979
6. Modern Physics, P.A. Tipler and R. A. Llwellyn, W. H. Freeman, New York, 2003
7. Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, D. J. Griffiths, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004
8. Introduction to Solid State Physics, C. Kittel, John Wiley & Sons, 2004
9. Elementary Solid State Physics: Principles and Applications, M. Ali Omar, Addison-Wesley, 1994
10. Principles of the Theory of Solids, J. M. Ziman, Cambridge University Press, 1979

​

• Course Plan

Week 1 : Introduction to Nanotechnology and Nanoscale Transport Phenomena
Week 2 : Schrödinger Equation and Energy Quantization 
Week 3 : Crystal Bonding and Electronic Energy Levels in Crystals
Week 4 : Phonons, Density of States and Statistical Distributions
Week 5 : Specific Heat and Fundamentals of Statistical Thermodynamics
Week 6 : Energy Transfer by Waves #1: Plane & Electromagnetic Waves
Week 7 : Energy Transfer by Waves #2: Thin films, Landauer Formalism
Week 8 : Midterm Exam #1 (in class)
Week 9 : Particle Description: Boltzmann Equation & Carrier Scattering
Week 10 : Solutions to Boltzmann Equation, Electron Transport & Thermoelectric Effect
Week 11 : Classical Size Effects
Week 12 : Coupled Energy Transport & Conversion, P-N junction
Week 13 : Nanostructures for Energy Conversion, Midterm Exam #2 (Take-home)
Week 14 : Liquids and Their Interfaces
Week 15 : Introduction to Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Week 16 : Final Project due

​

• Course Operation

  • Homework will be assigned approximately once a week. Homework should be turned in before the due date. Late homework will not be collected.

  • There will be one in-class and one take-home midterm exams. No final exam. No make-up exams will be allowed except for legitimate circumstances, e.g., a verified medical emergency.

  • The final project will comprise of a 5-page report on a research topic of your own choice (so long as it is related to the material taught in class.)

  • Policies on academic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.

​​