Nanoscale Phenomena: Thin Films Growth and Tunneling Current

This lecture covers the concept of magic numbers in nanoparticles, where specific atom counts determine stability. It also discusses the growth of thin films on substrates, including layer-by-layer and island growth mechanisms. Furthermore, it explores the Pyramid-to-Dome transformation in Ge/Si(001) clusters and provides an overview of tunneling current, explaining the transmission of wavefunctions through barriers and its dependence on energy, height, and width. The lecture delves into the tunneling current in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) setups, emphasizing elastic tunneling and the relationship between filled and empty states energy levels.