Nanoscience Minor Programme (for cohort before AY2021/22)

  • What is Nanoscience?
  • What is the world like at the nanoscale?
  • What happens when you squeeze an electron?
  • Can we make a device with a single molecule?
  • Can we make a molecular machine?
  • Are self-replicating nanobots possible?

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the ability to understand and manipulate matter at the molecular level, to create artificial structures at the nanoscale with potentially novel functions.

Structures behave differently when their dimensions are reduced to the range of between one and one hundred nanometers. Such structures exhibit novel and very much improved physical, chemical and biological properties, due entirely to their nanoscopic size. Once we can control feature sizes on the nanometer length scale, it is possible to enhance material properties and device functions beyond those that we presently know or even consider possible.

Nanotechnology is defined as the ability to work at the molecular level, atom by atom, to create large structures with fundamentally new molecular organization.

Nanoscience is an exciting new multidisciplinary realm that brings together the traditional disciplines of Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

The purpose of the Nanoscience Minor programme is to give a comprehensive introduction to the field of nanoscience, and would be suitable not only for students in the sciences and engineering, but also for students from any discipline with an interest in the latest developments in science.

This Nanoscience programme is in keeping with the latest research and technology trends today. An educated layman needs to be kept informed on the latest science and technology trends that could soon revolutionize the world’s economy.

This Minor would be particularly attractive to Physics, Chemistry majors and Engineering students.

To qualify for a Minor in Nanoscience, a student must pass the following courses.

    1. Two Level-1000 courses:
      • CM1131 Physical Chemistry 1 or CM1502/CM1502X General and Physical Chemistry for Engineers, and
      • PC1144 Introduction to Modern Physics or PC1432/PC1432X Physics IIE
    2. Two Level-2000 courses:
      • SP2251 Science at the Nanoscale, and
      • CM2101 Physical Chemistry 2 or PC2130 Quantum Mechanics I
    3. Two of the following Level-3000 courses:
      • CM3251 Nanochemistry
      • PC3251 Nanophysics
      • CM/LSM/PC3288 [Advanced UROPS] *
      • SP3277 Nano: from Research Bench to Industrial Applications **
        * Must be a Nanoscience-related project
        ** SP3277 involves a compulsory nanotechnology study tour to Japan

    Note: Chemistry and Physics majors are only allowed to read at most three CM- and three PC- coded courses respectively; out of which only two courses (at most) are allowed to overlap with a student’s major requirements.

    Implications: Students who are reading Nanoscience minor are able to read SP3277 to fulfil the programme’s elective requirement.

    1. Two Level-1000 courses:
      • CM1131 Physical Chemistry 1 or CM1502/CM1502X General and Physical Chemistry for Engineers or CM1102 Chemistry – The Central Science, and
      • PC1144 Introduction to Modern Physics or PC1432/PC1432X Physics IIE
    2. Two Level-2000 courses:
      • SP2251 Science at the Nanoscale, and
      • CM2101 Physical Chemistry 2 or CM2133 Foundations of Physical Chemistry or PC2130 Quantum Mechanics I
    3. One pf the following Level-3000 courses:
      • CM3251 Nanochemistry
      • PC3251 Nanophysics
      • CM/LSM/PC3288 [Advanced UROPS] *
      • SP3277 Nano: from Research Bench to Industrial Applications **
        * Must be a Nanoscience-related project
        ** SP3277 involves a compulsory nanotechnology study tour to Japan

    Note: Chemistry and Physics majors who have read three CM- and three PC- coded courses respectively can only double count at most two courses with their major requirements.

    Implications: Students who are reading Nanoscience minor are able to read SP3277 to fulfil the programme’s elective requirement.

    For more information and queries on the programme please contact: Ms Sng Wee Lee (email: physngwl@nus.edu.sg) or the department of chemsitry (chmbox3@nus.edu.sg)