Methods of study

The experimental and theoretical characterization of oxide nanostructures is addressed. The experimental techniques are classified according to their information content, revealing atomic geometry, chemical composition, electronic structure as well as magnetic, vibrational and chemical properties. Due to the nanometer scale dimensions of oxide nanosystems, many experimental techniques are derived fom the field of surface science and involve ultrahigh vacuum technology. The quantum-theoretical simulations for the description of oxide materials are presented by progressing from simple to increasingly sophisticated methods; the latter become necessary to accurately treat electron correlation effects, which are significant in many oxide materials, in particular at low dimension. Electronic structure methods, total energy methods and atomic structure simulation methods are introduced and discussed.