Below are some possibilities for final paper topics.  You're free to pick from these, or to suggest your own, though I'd like you to clear such alternatives with me first.  Consider the references below as suggestions and starting points.   Feel free to branch out - hunt around a bit for related papers, and if you find one (or two) that interests you more that isn't on this list, e-mail me the reference and I'll take a look at it.

I will continue to update this list between now and December as more possibilities come to mind.

Topics chosen by:  December 4 at the latest.
Due:  December 15, 17:00, in a box at my office.
Format:  Less than 10 pages.  Organized much like the talks, only more reference chasing and analysis.  That is, try to do more than just rephrase the paper itself.  Rather, explain the background of the topic on a reasonable level after looking up relevant references, and explain the experiment (or idea/proposal), its context and significance, and why the authors took the approach they used.  See if you can find related works out there on the same topic for comparison (use your favorite Fondren Library resources such as the Inspec database).  Remember to answer the questions laid out on the course webpage, and feel free to express your opinion about the work (e.g. did you find the work to be clever?  Derivative?  Are there things you would've done differently?  If you were a referee reviewing the manuscript, what would you ask the authors?).
Limitations:  Naturally, as a final paper this is covered by the Honor Code, so make sure it represents your own work and don't work together on it.  You're each free to choose your own topic; unlike the talks, you don't have to worry whether someone else has already picked one you want.  So, I encourage you to choose an area you want to learn more about, and use this as an excuse to read up on it, rather than writing about a subject in which you are already fluent.  Have fun!

J.R. Friedman, V. Patel, W. Chen, S.K. Tolpygo, J.E. Lukens. "Quantum superposition of distinct macroscopic states," Nature 406, 43 (2000).

B.E. Kane, "A silicon-based nuclear spin quantum computer", Nature 393, 133 (1998).

N.A. Gershenfeld and I.A. Chuang.  "Bulk spin-resonance quantum computation", Science 275,  350 (1997); L.M.K. Vandersypen, C.S. Yannoni, M.H. Sherwood, I.L. Chuang.  "Realization of logically labeled effective pure states for bulk quantum computation", Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 3085 (1999).

For a decent web site about NMR and quantum computation, look here.

For a very very good look at this general topic (course notes from CalTech), follow this link.

Luttinger liquid physics

A. Yacoby, H.L. Stormer, N.S. Wingreen, L.N. Pfeiffer, K.W. Baldwin, K.W. West. "Nonuniversal Conductance Quantization in Quantum Wires", Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 4612 (1996);  R. de Picciotto, H.L. Stormer, A. Yacoby, L.N. Pfeiffer, K.W. Baldwin, K.W. West. "2D-1D coupling in cleaved edge overgrowth", Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 1730 (2000).

O.M. Auslander, A. Yacoby, R. de Picciotto, K.W. Baldwin, L.N. Pfeiffer, and K.W. West.  "Experimental evidence for resonant tunneling in a Luttinger liquid", Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 1764 (2000).

H.W.C. Postma, M. de Jonge, and C. Dekker.  "Electrical transport through carbon nanotube junctions created by mechanical manipulation", Phys. Rev. B 62, R10653 (2000).

Nanotube physics

Teri W. Odom, Jin-Lin Huang, Chin Li Cheung, Charles M. Lieber.  "Magnetic Clusters on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: The Kondo Effect in a One-Dimensional Host", Science290, 1549 (2000).

P.G. Collins, M.S. Fuhrer, A. Zettl. "1/f noise in carbon nanotubes," Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 894 (2000). (this is too short by itself....)

Z. Yao, C.L. Kane, C. Dekker.  "High-field electrical transport in single-wall carbon nanotubes", Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 2941 (2000). (and other papers on contacting nanotubes?)

A.Yu. Kasumov, R. Deblock, M. Kociak, B. Reulet, H. Bouchiat, I.I. Khodos, Yu.B. Gorbatov, V.T. Volkov, C. Journet, M. Burghard, "Supercurrents through single-walled carbon nanotubes," Science 284, 1508 (1999); A.F. Morpurgo, J. Kong, C.M. Marcus, H. Dai. "Gate-controlled superconducting proximity effect in carbon nanotubes," Science 286, 263 (1999).

W. Wernsdorfer, E.B. Orozco, K. Hasselbach, A. Benoit, D. Mailly, O. Kubo, H. Nakano, B. Barbara. "Macroscopic quantum tunneling of magnetization of single ferrimagnetic nanoparticles of barium ferrite," Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 4014 (1997).

L Thomas, F. Lionti, R. Ballou, D. Gatteschi, R. Sessoli, B. Barbara. "Macroscopic quantum tunneling of magnetization in a single crystal of nanomagnets," Nature 383, 145 (1996).

M. Chengde, S. Weiqiong, S. Zhiyong, N.C. Seeman. "A nanomechanical device based on the B-Z transition of DNA," Nature 397, 144 (1999).

Ricky K. Soong, George D. Bachand, Hercules P. Neves, Anatoli G. Olkhovets, Harold G. Craighead, and Carlo D. Montemagno.  "Powering an Inorganic Nanodevice with a Biomolecular Motor", Science 290, 1555 (2000).

J. Fritz, M. K. Baller, H. P. Lang, H. Rothuizen, P. Vettiger, E. Meyer, H. -J. Güntherodt, Ch. Gerber, and J. K. Gimzewski.  "Translating Biomolecular Recognition into Nanomechanics", Science 288, 316 (2000).

A.P. Alivisatos, K.P. Johnsson, P. Xiaogang, T.E. Wilson, C.J. Lowth, M.P. Bruchez Jr., P.G. Schultz. "Organization of `nanocrystal molecules' using DNA," Nature 382, 609 (1996).

C.B. Murray, C.R. Kagan, and M.G. Bawendi.  "Self-organization of CdSe nanocrystallites into three-dimensional quantum dot superlattices", Science270, 1335 (1995).

C. T. Black, C. B. Murray, R. L. Sandstrom, Shouheng Sun.  "Spin-Dependent Tunneling in Self-Assembled Cobalt-Nanocrystal Superlattices", Science290, 1131 (2000).
 

M.A. Unger, H.P. Chou, T. Thorsen, A. Scherer, and S.R. Quake.  "Monolithic microfabricated valves and pumps by multilayer soft lithography", Science 288, 113 (2000).

P.J.A. Kenis, R.F. Ismakilov, G.M. Whitesides. "Microfabrication inside capillaries using multiphase laminar flow patterning", Science 285, 83 (1999).

J. Han, H. G. Craighead.  "Separation of Long DNA Molecules in a Microfabricated Entropic Trap Array", Science 288, 1026 (2000).

A.N. Cleland, M.L. Roukes. "A nanometre-scale mechanical electrometer," Nature 392, 160 (1998).

M.J. Yoo, T.A. Fulton, H.F. Hess, R.L. Willett, L.N. Dunkleberger, R.J. Chichester, L.N. Pfeiffer, K.W. West. "Scanning single-electron transistor microscopy: imaging individual charges," Science 276, 579 (1997).

S. Weiss, "Fluorescence spectroscopy of single biomolecules," Science 283, 1676 (1999).

A. K. Geim, S. V. Dubnos, J.G.S. Lok, M. Henini and J.C. Maan, "Paramagnetic Meissner effect in small superconductors," Nature 396, 144 (1998). (and related nanomagnetic sensing).

W. Wernsdorfer, E. Bonet Orozco, B. Barbara, A. Benoit and D. Mailly "Classical and quantum magnetisation reversal studied in single nanometer-sized particles and clusters using micro-SQUIDs," Physica B, 280, 264 (2000).

P. Kim and C.M. Lieber.  "Nanotube nanotweezers", Science 286, 2148 (1999).

J. Fritz, M. K. Baller, H. P. Lang, H. Rothuizen, P. Vettiger, E. Meyer, H. -J. Güntherodt, Ch. Gerber, and J. K. Gimzewski.  "Translating Biomolecular Recognition into Nanomechanics", Science 288, 316 (2000).

L.P. Levy, G. Dolan, J. Dunsmuir, H. Bouchiat. "Magnetization of mesoscopic copper rings: evidence for persistent currents", Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 2074 (1990); V. Chandrasekhar, R.A. Webb, M.J. Brady, M.B. Ketchen, W.J. Gallagher, A. Kleinsasser. "Magnetic response of a single, isolated gold loop", Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 3578 (1991); D. Mailly, C. Chapelier, A. Benoit. "Experimental observation of persistent currents in GaAs-AlGaAs single loop", Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 2020 (1993)

J.H. Schon, C. Kloc, B. Batlogg. "Superconductivity in molecular crystals induced by charge injection", Nature 406, 702 (2000); J.H. Schon, C. Kloc, B. Batlogg. "Fractional quantum Hall effect in organic molecular semiconductors", Science 288, 2338 (2000).; J.H. Schon, S. Berg, C. Kloc, B. Batlogg.  "Ambipolar pentacene field-effect transistors and inverters" Science 287, 1022 (2000).

D.I. Gittins, D. Bethell, D.J. Schiffrin, R.J. Nichols. "A nanometre-scale electronic switch consisting of a metal cluster and redox-addressable groups", Nature 408, 67 (2000).

M. Hirano, K, Shinjo, R. Kanecko, Y. Murata.  "Observation of superlubricity by scanning tunneling microscopy", Phys. Rev. Lett.78, 1448 (1997)