PhD Courses in Denmark

Two-dimensional materials, such as graphene and MoS₂, are atomically flat crystals in which all atoms are exposed to the environment. These crystals can be grown on the scale of square meters and, due to their extreme thinness, offer exceptional opportunities but also significant challenges for practical applications. 2D materials enable ultrafast and flexible transistors, memristors for neuromorphic computing, room-temperature quantum components, membranes that can purify gas and water, improve batteries, and create compact and flat optical lenses that can be controlled with electric voltages. In this course, you will learn about the properties, methods, and exciting physical/theoretical concepts that make it possible to exploit 2D materials in future technologies. The course is divided into three topics: electronic properties and devices, light-matter interaction, and atomic/molecular transport—reflecting areas of active research at DTU. Each of the three topics concludes with a short project phase (1 week each), where we emphasize that many interesting opportunities arise at the intersection between disciplines. There will be opportunities to work on both “pure” and interdisciplinary topics in the project work. You will also acquire general and useful skills, such as the effective and responsible use of AI for research and development, and how to turn a good idea into a solid and convincing proposal—for example, for research funding or within a company.

A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:

• Describe the optical properties of 2D materials, in terms of phononic, plasmonic, and excitonic excitations, by applying classical and quantum models.
• Conduct theoretical and experimental investigations to design excitonic effects, polariton formation, and nanophotonic behaviors in low-dimensional and layered materials.
• Analyze light–matter interactions in optical systems that support dielectric resonances as well as phonon-, exciton- and plasmon-polaritons.
• Analyze ballistic transport and phase change in 2D materials and explain how they can be used to for next generation electronic devices.
• Understand phonons and their significance for the physical properties of 2D materials
• Simulate and understand quantum-theoretical electron scattering in 2D materials
• Describe how van der Waals stacking and nanolithographic techniques can be used to design specific electrical properties in 2D heterostructures.
• Explain the significance of moiré and superlattices for creating and programming quantum phases in 2D materials.
• Explain how large-scale 2D materials can be synthesized, transferred and fabricated to devices with designed functionality.
• Analyze ion and molecular confinement, transport and filtration based on 2D material membranes
• Describe the different electronic structure of luminescent centers in 2D materials and understand what a quantum emitter and a single photon source is.
• Select, refine, qualify and and describe an idea for a research project and write a short, strong proposal with responsible and effective use of AI.

In the course, you will learn about the structural/mechanical, electronic, and photonic properties of 2D materials and how these can be practically used from waterfiltration membranes to quantum emitters. In addition to the most well-known 2D materials such as graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, and molybdenum disulfide, we explore the wide range of atomically thin materials with diverse and often unique properties. Through a combination of theoretical, practical, and communicative activities, you will become capable of participating in a research project or collaboration on 2D materials at a high level—whether you are experimentally or theoretically oriented in your MSc/PhD project, or plan to work with advanced materials and technologies in industry.