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Laboratory for X-ray Nanoscience and Technologies (LXN)

  • About LXN
    • Organisational Structure
  • Open Positions
  • People
  • Research Groups Expanded submenu item
    • X-ray Nano-Optics
      • X-ray Optics for Imaging and Spectroscopy
        • Fresnel Zone Plate for X-ray Microscopy
        • Blazed X-ray Optics
        • Zernike X-ray Phase Contrast Microscopy
        • Fresnel Zone Plates for RIXS
        • Refractive Lenses by 2 Photon 3D Lithography
      • Wavefront Metrology and Manipulation
        • Vortex Fresnel Zone Plates
        • Grating-based Wavefront Metrology
      • X-ray Optics for XFELs
        • Diamond Fresnel Zone Plates
        • Beam Splitter Gratings for Spectral Monitoring
        • A Delay Line for Ultrafast Pump-Probe Experiments
        • X-ray Streaking for Ultrafast Processes
    • Molecular Nanoscience Expanded submenu item
      • On-surface Chemistry
      • Scanning Probe Transport
      • Spins in Molecular Monolayers
      • SiC: Surfaces and Interfaces
      • Our Research Team
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        • Imaging quantum many-body states
        • Nonlinear magnonics
        • Optical devices & methods
        • Rare-earth quantum magnets
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Molnano start.jpg

Molecular Nanoscience

The group’s research activity combines different spectroscopies and microscopie to investigate surfaces and interfaces down to the atomic scale:

  1. Controlling electron and spin‐based quantum states in surface supported molecular and supramolecular architectures by chemical and/or physical switches. Specific, low-dimensional, atomic and supramolecular architectures at surfaces and interfaces are characterized in order to under‐ stand the mechanisms ruling their response and cooperative action in conjunction with topo‐ logical, surface and interface states. Density Functional Theory (DFT)+U calculations per‐ formed by our collaborators give a very important input to achieve this goal.
  2. Investigate fundamental processes in applied processes and devices down to the atomic scale. Atomic‐level structure, diffusion and processes decisively affect the performance of functional materials and devices. Examples have been provided by resist materials, high‐power semiconductor, organic electronic and medical devices. Spectro‐microscopy correlation here can provide new fundamental insight and contribute to novel and/or improved function or functionality.
  3. Supramolecular architecturing of novel materials and in particular quantum materials. In close collaboration with chemists, chemically programmed supramolecular assembly has al‐ lowed us to create unprecedented low dimensional materials with unique properties i.e. 2D spin array and ferrimagnets and free standing layers with programmable architecture and chemical functions, also for the inspection of single molecules and nanoparticles (so called sample delivery).

The group has built the competence and infrastructure to make and investigate materials architectured from a wide range of components i.e. elements, compounds and programmed organic molecules. The assembly and operation of nanomaterials and nanodevices is investigated by a broad range of mechani‐ cal, magnetic, and electronic properties are studied using surface sensitive techniques: X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM), X‐ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopy, Angle Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy (ARPES), Low‐Energy and others. As of 01.07.2017, the group operates the PEARL beamline of the Swiss Light Source.

News and Highlights

28 May 2021
spectro-microscopy-correlation.jpg

New class of substances for redox reactions

The step-wise oxidation of a new redox-active molecular semiconductor is recognized by changing shape, assembly behavior and other properties by spectro-microscopy correlation.  

Read more
28 April 2020
Atomic structure of 2D materials

2D Materials

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) “nanomesh”, a two-dimensional insulating monolayer, grown on the (111) surface of rhodium exhibits an intriguing hexagonal corrugation pattern with a lattice constant of 3.2 nm.

Read more
27 February 2019
Cryo-TEM investigation of a free-standing monolayer of a calixarene derivative. The TEM-Picture on the left shows the monolayer deposited on a lacey carbon support. The electron diffraction pattern on the left confirms the formation of a crystalline monolayer

Supramolecular architectures of molecularly thin yet robust free-standing layers

In a collaboration within the network of the Swiss Nanoscience Institute, the formation of free-standing molecular monolayers using self-assembly processes has been demonstrated. The results of the study have been published in the February 2019 issue of Science Advances.

Read more
17 December 2018

Data storage using individual molecules

The research group of Prof. T.A. Jung at the University of Basel has reported on a new method that allows the physical state of just a few atoms or molecules within a network to be controlled.

Read more
28 May 2018
teaser picture

Imaging the inside of injection needles with neutrons

Media Releases Health Innovation Research Using Neutrons

Researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, the University of Basel and Roche have used neutron imaging to investigate why cool storage is crucial for syringes pre-filled with a liquid medication.

Read more
22 May 2017

Wafer-thin Magnetic Materials Developed for Future Quantum Technologies

For the first time, researchers have produced a wafer-thin ferrimagnet, in which molecules with different magnetic centers arrange themselves on a gold surface to form a checkerboard pattern. Scientists at the Paul Scherrer Institute, in collaboration with their research partners, published the findings in the journal Nature Communications.

Read more
4 July 2016

Controlling Quantum States Atom by Atom

A method to precisely alter the quantum mechanical states of electrons within an array of quantum boxes has been developped by an international consortium also including PSI. The method can be used to investigate the interactions between various types of atoms and electrons, which is essential for future quantum technologies.

Read more

Video clips about our science

New Class of Materials for Redox Reactions

https://youtu.be/FmhJgpogfi4

 

 

Data Storage with molecules: Phase Transitions in Confinements

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Woyu5WA55FA

 

 

Local Manipulation of Spin Domains in a Multiferroic Rashba Semiconductor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2i1LpYMNRw

 

 

Emergence of On-Surface Magnetochemistry

https://youtu.be/V1_QKJs4NaI

 

 

Video clips by the swiss nanoscience institute containing material from our group

Master Curriculum        https://youtu.be/jjbz1DKJ3Qc
Bachelor Curriculum     https://youtu.be/NGr2dLGE9_I


Research Areas

Current research areas
  • On-surface Chemistry
  • Spins in Molecular Monolayers
  • SiC: Surfaces and Interfaces
  • Surface investigation at PEARL beamline
Earlier research topics
  • Molecular Electronics
  • Mechanics at Nanoscale
  • Organic Monolayers on Ultrathin Insulators
  • Subphthalocyanine
  • Pentacene on Copper

Our Research Team


Facilities

  • Surface Science Lab at Laboratory for Micro-and Nanotechnology
  • Scanning Probe Microscopy Userlab at Laboratory for Micro-and Nanotechnology
  • PEARL* beamline of the Swiss Light Source.

Related facility instrumentation

  • SIM beamline at the Swiss Light Source
  • XTreme beamline at the Swiss Light Source
  • PEARL beamline at the Swiss Light Source
  • NanoLab at University of Basel
  • SIS beamline at the Swiss Light Source

Collaborations

  • Prof. Dr. G. Morgan CSCB_UCD Dublin
  • Prof. Dr. N. Ballav IISER Pune
  • Prof. Dr. P. Oppeneer Uppsala University
  • Prof. Dr. F. Nolting Swiss Light Source
  • Prof. Dr. F. Diederich ETH Zurich
  • Prof. Dr. L. H. Gade Heidelberg University
  • Prof. Dr. E. Meyer University of Basel
  • Prof. Dr. S. Goedecker University of Basel
  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. J. Gobrecht PSI LMN and INKA
  • Prof. S. Decurtins, Dr. Shi-Xia LIU University of Bern
  • Dr. A. Kleibert Swiss Light Source
  • Dr. J. Dreiser Swiss Light Source
  • Dr. C. Piamonteze Swiss Light Source
  • Dr. J. Raabe Swiss Light Source
  • Dr. Hans Sigg, Dr. M. Camarda, J. Wörle PSI LMN
  • Dr. H. Bartolf, Dr. J. Lehmann, Dr. R. A. Minamisawa ABB Switzerland
  • Dr. A. Schöner Ascatron Switzerland
  • Dr. S. Gerstl EMEZ ETH Zurich

Selected Publications

Evidence for carbon clusters present near thermal gate oxides affecting the electronic band structure in SiC-MOSFET
Dutta D, De D, Fan D, Roy S, et al.
Appl. Phys. Lett. 115, 101601 (2019)

Supramolecular architectures of molecularly thin yet robust free-standing layers
Moradi M, Opara N, Tulli L, Wäckerlin C, et al.
Sci. Adv. 5: eaav4489 (2019)

Adsorbate-Induced Modification of the Confining Barriers in a Quantum Box Array
Nowakowska S, Mazzola F, Alberti M, Song F, et al.
ACS Nano. 12 (1), 768 (2018)

On the needle clogging of staked-in-needle pre-filled syringes: Mechanism of liquid entering the needle and solidification process
Bardi M, Müllera R, Grünzweigc C, Mannesc D, et al
EUR J PHARM BIOPHARM. 128,272 (2018)

Long-range ferrimagnetic order in a two-dimensional supramolecular Kondo lattice
Girovsky J, Nowakowski J, Ali MdEhesan, Baljozovic M, et al.
Nat. Commun. 8, 15388 (2017)

Surface science at the PEARL beamline of the Swiss Light Source
Muntwiler M, Zhang J, Stania R, Matsui F, et al.
J. Synchrotron Rad. 24, 354 (2017)

Device Simulations on Novel High Channel Mobility 4H-SiC Trench MOSFETs and Their Fabrication Processes
H. R. Rossmann, A. Bubendorf, F. Zanella, N. Marjanović, et al.
Microelectron. Eng. 145, 166 (2015)

Interplay of weak interactions in the atom-by-atom condensation of xenon within quantum boxes
S. Nowakowska, A. Waeckerlin, S. Kawai, T. Ivas, J. Nowakowski, et al.
Nat. Commun. 6, 6071 (2015)

Antiferromagnetic coupling of Cr-porphyrin to a bare Co substrate
J. Girovsky, K. Tarafder, C. Waeckerlin, J. Nowakowski, D. Siewert et al.
Phys. Rev. B 90, 220404 (2014)

On-surface synthesis of a two-dimensional porous coordination network: Unraveling adsorbate interactions
M. Matena, J. Bjork, M. Wahl, T-L. Lee, J. Zegenhagen, L. H. Gade, et al.
Phys. Rev. B 90, 125408 (2014)

Exchange Interaction of Strongly Anisotropic Tripodal Erbium Single-Ion Magnets with Metallic Surfaces
J. Dreiser, C. Waeckerlin, Md. E. Ali, C. Piamonteze, F. Donati, et al.
ACS Nano 8, 4662 (2014)

Covalent assembly of a two-dimensional molecular "sponge" on a Cu(111) surface: confined electronic surface states in open and closed pores
A. Shchyrba, S. C. Martens, C. Waeckerlin, M. Matena, T. Ivas, et al.
Chem. Commun. 50, 7628 (2014)

Controlling the Dimensionality of On-Surface Coordination Polymers via Endo- or Exoligation
A. Shchyrba, C. Waeckerlin, J. Nowakowski, S. Nowakowska, et al.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 9355 (2014)

Investigating magneto-chemical interactions at molecule-substrate interfaces by X-ray photo-emission electron microscopy
J. Girovsky, M. Buzzi, C. Waeckerlin, D. Siewert, J. Nowakowski, et al.
Chem. Commun. 50, 5190 (2014)

Two-Dimensional Supramolecular Electron Spin Arrays
C. Waeckerlin, J. Nowakowski, S-X. Liu, J. Michael, D. Siewert, et al.
Adv. Mater. 25, 2404(2013)

Porphyrin metalation providing an example of a redox reaction facilitated by a surface reconstruction
J. Nowakowski, C. Wäckerlin, J. Girovsky, D. Siewert, T. A. Jung, N. Ballav
Chem. Commun. 49, 2347 (2013)

Emergence of On-Surface Magnetochemistry
N. Ballav, C. Wäckerlin, D. Siewert, P. M. Oppeneer, T. A. Jung
J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 4, 2303 (2013)


Sidebar

Contact

Prof. Thomas Jung

Laboratory for Molecular Nanoscience
Paul Scherrer Institut
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 45 18
E-mail: thomas.jung@psi.ch

PEARL Beamline at SLS

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