Partners

The CNR-NANO team consists of ~10 researchers, including 4 senior professors/researchers and 6 young post-docs and PhD students, and it comprises both experimental and theoretical physicists with strong background in quantum physics, and skills for experiments at cryogenic temperatures, nanofabrication and surface science. The experimental facilities include: state of the art laboratories for low temperature experiments, surface analysis (XPS, STM etc.) and deposition of molecules in clean conditions; long standing access to synchrotron facilities; nanolithography with FIB and EBL facilities. Theoretical group include brilliant and talented young researchers who have relevant background in Quantum Physics and DFT calculations on molecular spin systems for the ab-initio evaluation of fundamental microscopic parameters. Computational facilities are available locally and through access to the CINECA supercomputing centre.

The group has 7 low-temperature dilution cryostats, which are equipped with unique nano-SQUID, micro-Hall-probe, and electronic transport facilities allowing the study of molecular devices. The setups are also equipped with 3D vector magnetic field coils and RF microwave generators for fast quantum dynamics (sub-nanoseconds pulses and up to 120 GHz). The group has a Chemical Vapour Deposition CVD (Easytube 2000) for carbon nanotube growth, a nanochemistry clean-room for device fabrication, a micro-Raman spectrometer (Witec alpha 500) for device characterisation, and a cryogenic probe station for fast molecular devices characterization before mounting them into the dilution cryostats. The group has also access to an electron beam lithography facility (Nanofab) of the institute.

The research group “Functional Molecular Nanostructures” under direction of Mario Ruben deals with the self-assembly and the self-organization of functional molecular systems towards the design of functional nanosystems by state-of-the-art organic/inorganic synthesis and supramolecular self-assembly techniques. Typical research fields are self-assembly and self-organization, molecular magnetism (i.e. single molecular magnets, spin transition compounds, etc.), molecular electronics (through the investigation of the conducting properties of molecules at the single molecule level) and molecular motors. The strong interdisciplinary character orientation of this work is reflected by the constitution of the group employing both chemists and physicists. Techniques available compromise a wide range of NMR, UV-Vis, IR, MALDI-TOF-Mass spectroscopy, single crystal and powder diffraction techniques, and magnetic investigation equipment. A well-found organic laboratory makes use of robots for the preparation and evaluation of a wide range of chemicals. We also count with state of the art chromatographic and spectroscopic instrumentation for the routine separation and characterization of the species prepared. There are currently 5 PostDocs, 1 laboratory technician and 4 PhD students.

The team consists of 9 researchers, including 2 senior staff scientists, 7 postdoctoral scientists, 17 PhD students, undergraduate students, engineers and technicians. The group specializes in nanomagnetism, spin dynamics and quantum spin transport. The group has a variety of activities on spin transport in non-magnetic carbon-based materials including in particular turbostratic and chemically synthesized nanographene. Using non-local spin valve geometry nanostructures, spin diffusion and drift is detected and very large spin diffusion lengths have been found. The group has a wide range of equipment for magnetic thin film deposition and characterization. The electronic and magnetic properties can be investigated by in situ magneto-optical Kerr effect, XPS, UPS, in-situ STM, LEED and in-situ electrical transport measurements including quantum transport in nanoconstrictions. The group has equipment for a wide range of techniques for magnetic investigations. Low temperature cryosystems (down to 10 mK) with vector fields (up to 5 T) and a high field cryostat up to 15T are used for magnetotransport measurements. They are equipped with high frequency contacts for measurements up to 40 GHz. To image surfaces and nanostructures, atomic force microscopy and magnetic force microscopy is available with vector coils up to 1kOe. To image magnetization with high spatial resolution (<10nm), a novel scanning electron microscope with polarization analysis (Spin-SEM or SEMPA) has been acquired and a VNA-FMR setup is available.  A complete nanofabrication facility with E-Beam lithography, ion etching, etc. is available at the Technology Plattform of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz. The group has extensive experience with XMCD-based magnetic imaging and spectroscopy at synchrotron sources (>50 beamtimes in the past 10 years). A targeted theoretical effort in the group focuses on numerical micromagnetics and spin excitations at finite temperatures.

The MPIP is well equipped with special laboratories, a great number of instruments, computers, and network services. There are very few centres world-wide where these emerging methodologies are accessible as an ensemble at this state-of-the-art level; none of these centres is located in Europe except the MPIP.  The group has many-years experience in the design and synthesis of graphene molecules, graphene nanoribbons and related graphene materials. Main equipments include high resolution NMR spectroscopy (250, 300, 500, 700 MHz), solid state NMR spectroscopy (300–850 MHz), EPR spectroscopy (X-band, W-Band), mass spectro¬metry (quadrupole, sectorfield, tandem, time-of-flight), absorption spectroscopy (UV, VIS, IR), GPC, HPLC, viscosimetry, osmometry (membrane and vapor pressure) and static and dynamic light scattering FTIR spectroscopy, Kratky X-ray set-up, electron microscopy (TEM and REM), AFM, STM, laser scanning microscopy, phosphorescence spectroscopy, CD- and NLO spectroscopy, photo-conductivity measurements, cyclo-voltammetry, setup (in a glove-box) for testing photovoltaic devices, Edwards FL400 electron-beam evaporator for electrode preparation, lamp sources for monochromatic (Tungsten) and for simulating solar light.