Positioning itself at the common boundaries of several disciplines, this work provides new perspectives on modern nanoscale problems where fundamental science meets technology and computer modeling. In addition to well-known computational techniques such as finite-difference schemes and Ewald summation, the book presents a new finite-difference calculus of Flexible Local Approximation Methods (FLAME) that qualitatively improves the numerical accuracy in a variety of problems.

Applications of nanotechnology continue to fuel significant innovations in areas ranging from electronics, microcomputing, and biotechnology to medicine, consumer supplies, aerospace, and energy production. As progress in nanoscale science and engineering leads to the continued development of advanced materials and new devices, improved methods of modeling and simulation are required to achieve a more robust quantitative understanding of matter at the nanoscale. Computational Nanotechnology: Modeling and Applications with MATLAB® provides expert insights into current and emerging methods, opportunities, and challenges associated with the computational techniques involved in nanoscale research. Written by, and for, those working in the interdisciplinary fields that comprise nanotechnology—including engineering, physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine—this book covers a broad spectrum of technical information, research ideas, and practical knowledge. It presents an introduction to computational methods in nanotechnology, including a closer look at the theory and modeling of two important nanoscale systems: molecular magnets and semiconductor quantum dots. Topics covered include: Modeling of nanoparticles and complex nano and MEMS systems Theory associated with micromagnetics Surface modeling of thin films Computational techniques used to validate hypotheses that may not be accessible through traditional experimentation Simulation methods for various nanotubes and modeling of carbon nanotube and silicon nanowire transistors In regard to applications of computational nanotechnology in biology, contributors describe tracking of nanoscale structures in cells, effects of various forces on cellular behavior, and use of protein-coated gold nanoparticles to better understand protein-associated nanomaterials. Emphasizing the importance of MATLAB for biological simulations in nanomedicine, this wide-ranging survey of computational nanotechnology concludes by discussing future directions in the field, highlighting the importance of the algorithms, modeling software, and computational tools in the development of efficient nanoscale systems.

Computer simulation is an indispensable research tool in modeling, understanding and predicting nanoscale phenomena. However, the advanced computer codes used by researchers are too complicated for graduate students wanting to understand computer simulations of physical systems. This book gives students the tools to develop their own codes. Describing advanced algorithms, the book is ideal for students in computational physics, quantum mechanics, atomic and molecular physics, and condensed matter theory. It contains a wide variety of practical examples of varying complexity to help readers at all levels of experience. An algorithm library in Fortran 90, available online at www.cambridge.org/9781107001701, implements the advanced computational approaches described in the text to solve physical problems.

This book brings together leading names in the field of nanoscale energy transport to provide a comprehensive and insightful review of this developing topic. The text covers new developments in the scientific basis and the practical relevance of nanoscale energy transport, highlighting the emerging effects at the nanoscale that qualitatively differ from those at the macroscopic scale. Throughout the book, microscopic energy carriers are discussed, including photons, electrons and magnons. State-of-the-art computational and experimental nanoscale energy transport methods are reviewed, and a broad range of materials system topics are considered, from interfaces and molecular junctions to nanostructured bulk materials. Nanoscale Energy Transport is a valuable reference for researchers in physics, materials, mechanical and electrical engineering, and it provides an excellent resource for graduate students.

Nanotechnology is a progressive research and development topic with large amounts of venture capital and government funding being invested worldwide. Nano mechanics, in particular, is the study and characterization of the mechanical behaviour of individual atoms, systems and structures in response to various types of forces and loading conditions. This text, written by respected researchers in the field, informs researchers and practitioners about the fundamental concepts in nano mechanics and materials, focusing on their modelling via multiple scale methods and techniques. The book systematically covers the theory behind multi-particle and nanoscale systems, introduces multiple scale methods, and finally looks at contemporary applications in nano-structured and bio-inspired materials.

For modeling the transport of carriers in nanoscale devices, a Green-function formalism is the most accurate approach. Due to the complexity of the formalism, one should have a deep understanding of the underlying principles and use smart approximations and numerical methods for solving the kinetic equations at a reasonable computational time. In this book the required concepts from quantum and statistical mechanics and numerical methods for calculating Green functions are presented. The Green function is studied in detail for systems both under equilibrium and under nonequilibrium conditions. Because the formalism enables rigorous modeling of different scattering mechanisms in terms of self-energies, but an exact evaluation of self-energies for realistic systems is not possible, their approximation and inclusion in the quantum kinetic equations of the Green functions are elaborated. All the elements of the kinetic equations, which are the device Hamiltonian, contact self-energies and scattering self-energies, are examined and efficient methods for their evaluation are explained. Finally, the application of these methods to study novel electronic devices such as nanotubes, graphene, Si-nanowires and low-dimensional thermoelectric devices and photodetectors are discussed.

Advances in photonics and nanotechnology have the potential to revolutionize humanitys ability to communicate and compute. To pursue these advances, it is mandatory to understand and properly model interactions of light with materials such as silicon and gold at the nanoscale, i.e., the span of a few tens of atoms laid side by side. These interactions are governed by the fundamental Maxwells equations of classical electrodynamics, supplemented by quantum electrodynamics. This book presents the current state-of-the-art in formulating and implementing computational models of these interactions. Maxwells equations are solved using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique, pioneered by the senior editor, whose prior Artech House books in this area are among the top ten most-cited in the history of engineering. This cutting-edge resource helps readers understand the latest developments in computational modeling of nanoscale optical microscopy and microchip lithography, as well as nanoscale plasmonics and biophotonics.

The expanding field of nanotechnology is now one of the most promising areas of science. However, because some nanoparticles can have a negative impact on human health and the environment, the design of novel materials must always be accompanied by a comprehensive risk assessment. Until now, the information on the methods available has been fragmented and incomplete. This book is the first to provide a comprehensive review of recent progress and challenges in the risk assessment of nanomaterials by empirical and computational techniques. Topics covered include: benefits versus risks, carbon based nanomaterials, environmental detection and quantitative analysis, chemometric modelling, human exposure assessment, toxicity testing, nano-QSAR, risk assessment strategies, policy and regulatory frameworks.

This book presents a unique combination of chapters that together provide a practical introduction to multiscale modeling applied to nanoscale materials mechanics. The goal of this book is to present a balanced treatment of both the theory of the methodology, as well as some practical aspects of conducting the simulations and models. The first half of the book covers some fundamental modeling and simulation techniques ranging from ab-inito methods to the continuum scale. Included in this set of methods are several different concurrent multiscale methods for bridging time and length scales applicable to mechanics at the nanoscale regime. The second half of the book presents a range of case studies from a varied selection of research groups focusing either on a the application of multiscale modeling to a specific nanomaterial, or novel analysis techniques aimed at exploring nanomechanics. Readers are also directed to helpful sites and other resources throughout the book where the simulation codes and methodologies discussed herein can be accessed. Emphasis on the practicality of the detailed techniques is especially felt in the latter half of the book, which is dedicated to specific examples to study nanomechanics and multiscale materials behavior. An instructive avenue for learning how to effectively apply these simulation tools to solve nanomechanics problems is to study previous endeavors. Therefore, each chapter is written by a unique team of experts who have used multiscale materials modeling to solve a practical nanomechanics problem. These chapters provide an extensive picture of the multiscale materials landscape from problem statement through the final results and outlook, providing readers with a roadmap for incorporating these techniques into their own research.