26 hod., optionally

I. Physics of two dimensional structures (surfaces and interfaces) and thin films ; definition and impact.
II. Preparation of surfaces and interfaces of defined properties. Ultimate condition ; ultrahigh vacuum (UHV), methods of preparation (cleaving or breaking under UHV, ion bombardment and annealing of a sample, evaporation and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), epitaxy by chemical reactions and other methods), monitoring of surface quality.
III. Morphology and structure of surfaces and interfaces: Surface tension and macroscopic shape, relaxation, reconstruction and defects, phase transitions, 2D-lattice, superstructure and reciprocal lattice, structural models of solid state interfaces.
IV. Vibration of 2D lattices and surface electronic structure: elementary excitations, work function and methods of its measurement, surface states and the bending of bands at surfaces and interfaces.
V. Scattering at a solid state surface: Kinematic theory of scattering at solid state surface, classical limit of theory of scattering.
VI. Interaction of surfaces/interfaces with surroundings: Physisorption, chemisorption, 2D-phase transitions, work function changes due to adsorption, energy transport on a solid state surface, kinetics and dynamics of elementary processes on a surface - adsorption, diffusion, desorption, sputtering.
VII. Surface reactions and thin film growth: catalysis, nucleation and growth of thin films, in situ study of thin film growth. Properties of thin films.
VIII. Mechanical properties, electrical and magnetic properties (optical properties).
IX. Application of thin films: Improvement of mechanical properties and material protection, application of thin films in electronics and microelectronics, applications in optics, optoelectronics and integrated optics.