Quantum mechanics nanostructured materials

TTie subject of nanotechnology thus now covers the search for and synthesis of new materials of advanced technology which possess the sizes of nanometres the determination of their characteristics, and their practical application. Nanostructures are the bridge between individual atoms and molecules, where the laws of quantum mechanics apply, and bulk phases, whose properties usually result from the collective behaviour of billions of atoms. Individual nanostructures may be clusters, nanomolecules, nanocrystals, so-called quantum points, nanowires and nanotubes. They possess orderly structures and some large molecules can form single nanostructures [2], The quantum sizes and shapes of nanomolecules affect their mechanical, chemical, electrical, nuclear-electronic, electric-optical and dynamic properties. They may exhibit new, unique physicoehemical phenomena, quantitatively different from those of the bulk phase. This leads to the possible control of the action and application of nanostructures... 

One of the fundamental problems in condensed-matter physics and quantum chemistry is the theoretical study of electronic properties. This is essential to understand the behaviour of systems ranging from atoms, molecules, and nanostructures to complex materials. Since electrons are governed by the laws of quantum mechanics, the many-electron problem is, in principle, fully described by a Schrodinger equation (supposing the nuclei to be fixed). However, the electrostatic repulsion between the electrons makes its numerical resolution an impossible task in practice, even for a relatively small number of particles. 

In Volume 6, various topics related to nanotechnology and nanostructured materials are discussed. The topics include electrochemically self-assembled ordered nanostructured arrays (quantum dots, dashes and wires), mechanical spectroscopy of nanostructured metallic systems, soft amorphous and nanociystalline magnetic materials, nanoporous materials for microlasers and microresonators, nanoporous materials for optical applications, optical properties and impurity states in nanostructured materials, and confined systems and nanostructured materials. 

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