About the Course

Overview

Nanotechnology refers to the science and engineering of materials and processes which occur around the nanometer length scale. Recent technological and material advances now allow the exploitation of this regime in a wide range of areas from quantum information to smart materials. The Nanotechnology and Microsystems Masters course will produce graduates with up-to-date understanding of the emerging field of nanotechnology as well as an appreciation of the application of such ideas in microsystems. The course is multi-disciplinary and is designed for students with an undergraduate background in physics, chemistry or engineering.

Course Structure

The course contains the following core modules:

• Semester 1
• Nanoscience Primer
• Nanophysics
• Fundamentals of Photonics and Micromechanics
• Nanophotonics
• Semester 2
• Nanochemistry
• Sensors and Actuators
• Laser Applications and Engineering
• Nanolaboratory
• Summer
• Masters Dissertation

Duration

Normally 1 year, with part-time participation possible, typically over 2 years.

Entry Requirements

A First or Second Class Honours Degree in an engineering discipline or in the physical or chemical sciences. The degree can be from a British or overseas university. Different degrees, together with relevant industrial experience, will be considered.

Employment and Industrial Links

Graduate Destinations

The course provides students with knowledge of state-of-the-art nanotechnology and microsystems, skills spanning several disciplines. For this reason, graduates who have taken the Nanotechnology modules are likely to be in high demand in forward-looking companies. Equipped with the wide view provided by our courses graduates would be in a position to exploit on-going developments in nanotechnologies across a range of fields. The relevant industries include pharmaceuticals, energy, opto-electronics, electronics, information technology, chemical and automotive. Furthermore, the modules would also be ideal for the continuing professional development of industrial staff.

Industrial Project Opportunities

A few examples of local companies that are interacting with Heriot-Watt University in this area are:

• Edinburgh Instruments
• BAE Systems
• Helia Photonics
• MicroEmissives

Course Industrial Advisory Board

The development of the course is informed by an industrial advisory board comprising delegates from the following companies:

• BAE Systems
• BCF Designs Limited
• Materials Consultancy Services Limited
• Renishaw
• Syngenta
• Training for Industry Limited

About the Course Director

Professor Richard Warburton has an international reputation in the quantum physics of nanostructures, in particular quantum dots.

The  Department of Physics has strengths in photonics, materials science, quantum optics and mesoscopic physics. The Nanotechnology part of the course is given by experts in the area of Nanophysics and Nanophotonics, with expertise of colleagues in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in Nanochemistry. The Microsystems part of the course is given by colleagues in Electrical Electronics and Computer Engineering who are recognized experts in this area.