1. 4-year PhD in Nanoscience
Northwest Doctoral
Training Centre in
Nanoscience
4-year PhD in Nanoscience
What is different from a traditional doctoral training:
Initial training designed to demonstrate the breadth and potential of nanoscience, before focusing on one specific area of the subject.
Very broad remit: Research and training cover two broad areas: nanoscience and nanoengineering (physical sciences) and nanoscience in medicine.
PhD research will be carried out in top-rated research groups from the Schools of Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Materials, Electronic Engineering, Pharmacy and Medicine.

2. Key points of the programme:
Interdisciplinary PhD projects, where the students will develop and put together skills in areas as diverse as nanofabrication and low-temperature physics, materials science and data storage, synthetic chemistry and cell &tissue biology, biophysics, nanophotonics and materials science.
DTC students will develop a common knowledge base by attending a specially designed package of courses during the first six-months of the programme, which will allow us to expose the students to many different aspects of nanoscience.
The students will also receive training in employment-related transferable skills, such as enterprise training, science communication and intellectual property issues.

3. Manchester’s activities in nanoscience span
a broad range of research areas:
from the development of graphene – the only strictly two-dimensional material, promising a myriad of applications
to new man-made metamaterials for nanophotonics,
nano-structures for data storage,
liquid crystals applications in nanophotonics and as biosensors,
nanostructured materials for the next generation photo-voltaics, and many more.
making and studying quantum dots for applications such as display technology, lighting, solar cells and biological imaging.
synthesis of ceramic nanoparticles and fabrication of
nanostructured ceramic coatings e
1 µm S D L U + –
THz nanoelectronics, quantum switches and rectifiers
using nanoparticles for tissue engineering
molecular magnets for
quantum information processing
and many more…

4. Outline Structure for NOWNANO PhD Research / training element
Month
Research / training element
1-6
Taught MSc level courses, small group projects introducing different aspects of nanoscience, from nanofabrication (e.g. photo- and e-beam lithography) to fundamentalsof physics, materials science and chemistry on the nanoscale.
During 1-6
Discussions with potential doctoral supervisors of projects; choice of thesis topic towards end of M6
7-12
Initial stages of research project; Involvement in exhibition on nanoscience at Manchester Science Festival (MSF)
13-24
PhD research project
During 13-24
Courses with the Manchester Science and Enterprise Centre (MSEC), e.g. “Shaping Ideas for the Market”; involvement in current exhibit at MSF
25-36
Thesis research project
During 25-36
Training in preparation of research publications and research presentations; Courses with MSEC – likely to be “Business Creation and Development”
36-48
Completion of thesis project and write up

5. Nanoscience DTC courses:
Core 1: Underlying Principles of Nanoscience
- Biomedical aspects of nanoscience
- Introduction to Properties of Solids
- Nanoparticles: production, properties and applications
Core 2: Techniques in Nanotechnology
- Device Fabrication
- Measurement – Electron Microscopy
- Applications of Nanoscience

6. one in semester 1 and one in semester 2
Option courses:
Option 1: Nanoengineering approaches to regenerative medicine
Option 2. Sensors and Electrical Instrumentation
Option 3: Fundamentals of Nanoelectronics
Option 4: Nanobiomaterials
You choose 2 options:
one in semester 1 and one in semester 2

7. Enquiry-based learning
Group lab projects:
1. Atomic force microscopy for imaging biological samples
2. Optical and X-ray spectroscopy of nanostructured semiconductors
Design, fabrication and characterisation of a nanoscale
magnetoresistive device
4. Synthesis and Characterisation of Low Dimensional Carbon Particles
5. Simulation, fabrication and characterization of nanodevices
6. Synthesis and characterization of semiconductor quantum dots
Enquiry-based learning

8. Or by visiting our website: www.manchester.ac.uk/nownano
10 fully funded studentships available for 4 –Year PhD starting September 2010
Who should apply?
We welcome applications from graduates with a good degree (first or upper second) in science, engineering or medical disciplines. Nanoscience makes significant contributions to clinical practice, so we welcome physicians just as much as physicists!
Further information can be obtained by to:
Or by visiting our website: