Soft Nano Technology

By Prof. Rabibrata Mukherjee | IIT Kharagpur

Learners enrolled: 690

The fabrication of large area polymer structures with feature sizes ranging from few microns down to the molecular level is key to various technologically important areas, examples of which include molecular electronics, flexible display screens, optical sensors, structural colour, reusable super adhesives, super hydrophobic and self-cleaning surfaces, scaffolds for tissue engineering etc. The meso scale, which ranges from a few nm to few microns, interfaces the molecular and the macroscopic worlds. Thus, it becomes possible to observe simultaneous signatures of molecular interactions as well as macroscopic effects at these length scales, often giving rise to exciting new phenomena. The success of the desired applications, harvesting theextraordinary scientific phenomena occurring at these length scales, dependsstrongly on the availability of suitable, easy to implement patterning techniquesthat can create defect-free structures over large areas followed by their accurate characterization.

In this course we will learn how to create nano patterns on Soft Surfaces, particularly on Polymer films by various techniques. We will start out discussion with certain general concepts related to nano patterning, understand various issues related to Surface Tension and look into some applications of Nano Patterned surfaces (Module 1). Subsequently we will talk about Photolithography (Module 2) and various Soft Lithography techniques (Module 3) that allow crating nano pattern. Finally we will learn the basic working principle and functioning of a very important instrument that is widely utilized in Nanotechnology research: the Atomic Force Microscope (Module 4).

INTENDED AUDIENCE : Elective
UG, PG and PhD
BE, B Tech, ME, M Tech., MS, MSc, PhD
PREREQUISITES : Basic Knowledge of Fluid Mechanics will be helpful
INDUSTRY SUPPORT : NIL

Summary

Course Status :	Completed
Course Type :	Elective
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	8 weeks
Category :	Chemical Engineering
Credit Points :	2
Level :	Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Start Date :	24 Jan 2022
End Date :	18 Mar 2022
Enrollment Ends :	07 Feb 2022
Exam Date :	27 Mar 2022 IST

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1: Introduction to Patterning of Thin Films
Application of Nano Patterned Films and Surfaces
Basic Concepts of Wetting: Cassie and Wenzel Regimes
Basic Concepts of Surface Tension
Week 2: Different Nano Fabrication Regimes including self assembly
Micelle formation
Introduction to Photo Lithography
Week 3: Discussion on Photo Lithography: Photo Resists
Spin Coating
Exposure
Development
Week 4: Nano Imprint Lithography
Week 5: Soft Lithography: Introduction
Different Techniques
Week 6: Soft Lithography Techniques
Week 7: Basic Concepts of Atomic Force Microscopy
Week 8: Different Imaging Modes of Atomic Force Microscopy

Books and references

1. Alternative Lithography”, C. M. Sotomayor Torres (Ed.), Kluwer Academic Press, 2003.
2. Creating Micro and Nano Patterns on Polymeric Materials”, A del Campo and E. Arzt (Ed), Wiley, 2011.
3. “Micro Fluidics and Micro Scale Transport Process”, Suman Chakraborty (Ed), CRC Press, 2013

Instructor bio

Prof. Rabibrata Mukherjee

IIT Kharagpur

Rabibrata Mukherjee is presently an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Kharagpur, where he joined in May 2009. Prior to joining IIT Kharagpur, he was a Scientist at Central Glass & Ceramic Research Institute, Kolkata for 12 years. A B.Tech.fromJadavpur University in 1994 and M Tech from IIT Kharagpur in 2003, Rabibrata obtained his PhD in 2007 from IIT Kanpur, under the guidance of Prof. Ashutosh Sharma. For his PhD thesis he won the prestigious Shah Schulman Best PhD thesis award in colloids and interfacial science from IIChE in 2008. His present research interest includes: instability and dewetting of thin polymer films, soft lithography, polymer blends, nano fluidics, organics solar cells, super-hydrophobicity etc. So far, he has published 34 journals papers, some of which are in high end journals such as Nano Letters, Nanoscale,ACS Nano, Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, Macromolecules, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Langmuir, Soft Matter, Applied Physics Letter, etc. He has also co–authored 5 book chapters and holds 4 Indian Patents. He received the CSIR Young Scientist Award in 2007 and the MRSI Medal in 2014. He also got the best teaching feedback at IIT Kharagpur in 2015 for his course “Instability and Patterning of Thin Polymer Films”.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.
The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).
Date and Time of Exams: 27 March 2022 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.
Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.
The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.
Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 6 assignments out of the total 8 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup.It will have the logos of NPTEL and IIT Kharagpur .It will be e-verifiable at nptel.ac.in/noc.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- NPTEL team

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