Quantum confinement in nanostructures
Small structures discretize electron energies.
$$E_n=\frac{n^2\pi^2\hbar^2}{2m^*L^2}$$
Physical intuition
Small structures discretize electron energies.
Deep dive: physical mechanism
Boundary conditions in wells, wires and dots turn continuous wavevectors into discrete modes.
What is measured experimentally?
Bias spectroscopy resolves orbital excitations.
Assumptions, noise and limitations
Finite barriers and disorder shift the ideal infinite-well levels.
Research and simulation exercise
Plot energy gaps versus dot size.
Connect the ideas
Explore the chapter overview, learning path, and references.