I will systematically exploit the quantum properties in Group-IV Materials (GFMs) at the atomic scale, by using top-down patterning processes developed for Si technologies. Among GFMs, I will examine graphene, Si, and Ge nano-structures, since these materials are technologically important. More specifically, I will use our He-Ion-Microscope (HIM) milling techniques to fabricate nano-structures beyond the resolution limit of conventional lithography. This research will: 1. Characterize Freestanding Mono-layer or thin-layer of GFMs I will fabricate the freestanding device structure by HIM. The high-resolution of HIM will enable me to fabricate the graphene nano-ribbon as narrow as 5-nm. I will also examine the atomic structures of the device by Transmission-Electron-Microscope (TEM), and compare it with electrical measurements. The similar devices can be made for ultra-thin Si films. 2. In-situ formation and characterization of Si Quantum Dot (QD) I will characterize the Si Single-Electron-Transistor with a QD by in-situ monitoring in HIM. 3. Characterization of SiGe Fins I will characterize SiGe Fin for high performance electro-absorption optical modulator applications. Impacts of the projects to EU are expected as following ways: 1. I will contribute in the interdisciplinary research areas with my strong research background in theoretical physics, nano-electronics, and Si Photonics. 2. The long-term research activities to QIP will be continued for secure communication and massive commutation, beyond the limit of the classical computations. 3. I will transfer my research experience from Japan. Especially, the industrial experience in Hitachi is helpful for running the clean room managements. 4. I will explore the innovative opportunities for sustainable electronics, in which EU communities play the important contributions towards the matured smart society. 5. I would like to establish the various collaboration within EU and internationally.

Molecular scale interactions at artificial and naturally occurring responsive surfaces, e.g. the cell membrane, play a crucial role in many biological and biomedical processes. Responsive surfaces with molecular level control are considered as key to many crucial problems in nanobiotechnology. We aim at contributing to the development of such surfaces starting from a fundamental understanding of structure-property relationships in advanced nanomaterials and processes from the molecular scale. Specifically we propose to investigate the translation of external stimuli into forces in single macromolecules by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements for two classes of stimuli-responsive polymers, i.e. unique redox-active organometallic poly(ferrocenylsilanes) and elastin-based biopolymers. The communication with single molecules occurs via conformational/dimensional changes of these polymers under stress via changes in chain torsional potential energy landscape and thus variations in the corresponding macromolecular characteristic ratio. These occur upon redox stimulation or upon changes in e.g. temperature or pH. The challenging project will be tackled in a rational manner (control instead of trial and error) by depositing molecules individually at precisely defined positions using scanning probe lithography. Subsequently, the nanomechanical properties of an ensemble of individually addressable molecules will be probed molecule for molecule by single molecule force spectroscopy, hence avoiding a convolution of data of many molecules. This approach will also be utilized to selectively pick up individual macromolecules by chemically functionalized tips, followed by AFM measurements that aim at unraveling the effects of several external stimuli on the macromolecules response. Based on the results, responsive surfaces with molecular level control can be designed for applications in the areas of (bio)sensors, drug delivery, nano/microfluidics, and smart coatings.

Deficiency of natural energy resources on Earth makes advanced energy management a challenge. Efforts are taken to harness cheap, inexhaustible, eco-friendly renewable sources of energy. Among these, thermoelectric (TE) conversion is a promising principle. Best materials for TE application are non-conventional heavily doped semiconductors. In particular, high temperature stable silicides (higher manganese silicides = HMS, CrSi2 and others) represent suitable candidates for demanded TE applications operable at high temperature. A main aim of TE materials development is to improve the figure of merit ZT, which essentially depends on the energy band structure and scattering of carriers and phonons in the material. It is planned to investigate qualitatively the transport behaviour of HMS compacted from nano-sized powders, to optimize its properties by chemical synthesis, and to reach a reduction of the thermal conductivity in nano-crystalline material. Starting from the synthesis of nano-powders by melting and ball milling, forming of a nano-structure with suitable scaling will be optimized by a rapid hot pressing technology. CrSi2 and other high temperature silicides will be optimized in a similar way for high electrical and thermal conductivity. They shall be applied as contacting materials and interlayers, ending up to advanced materials and technology procedures for high temperature thermogenerators. Materials will be characterized by XRD, SEAD (structure), TEM, SEM (morphology), EDAX (analysis). Having achieved the targeted nano-structure, the TE properties will be measured in dependence on temperature for optimising the application-relevant material parameters. The performance of thermogenerator devices based on the new solutions will be tested by unique measuring techniques of the host. The fellow will deepen his knowledge and experience on TE materials and thermogenerator technology for high temperature and is expected to develop superior contacting methods.

The proposed project concerns the study of magnetoplasmonic systems, that is nanostructures exhibiting both magneto-optic (MO) properties and surface plasmon resonances (SPRs). Particularly, localized SPRs appearing in magnetic nanostructures will be studied using local probe microscopy techniques. The typical magnetoplasmonic nanostructure is a Noble-Metal/Ferromagnetic-Metal/Noble-Metal trilayer. They can be fabricated either as continuous thin films that are subsequently patterned using lithography and etching, or by lithography, evaporation and lift-off. Nanostructure arrays will be fabricated in various compositions, shapes, separations and symmetries (in particular, colloidal lithography will be used to obtain disordered arrays, whereas e-beam lithography will be used to prepare ordered ones). First, their collective optical and MO behavior will be characterized using far-field measurements. Afterwards, the local electromagnetic near-field distribution at single objects will be imaged using Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy (SNOM). The local measurements will be correlated to the optical and MO collective measurements. Both optical-fiber SNOM and apertureles SNOM (aSNOM) measurements will be performed. Metal-coated Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) tips will be used for aSNOM. The interest is in performing aSNOM using ferromagnetic-metal-coated AFM tips, thus allowing for Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) measurements to be performed simultaneously with SNOM. The illuminated light will excite surface plasmons, and the magnetic component of their electromagnetic field distribution will be imaged using MFM. Magnetoplasmonics research has been pioneered at the host group, and the proposed project is a natural continuation of the so far host activity. Magnetoplasmonics allow for the development of active plasmonic devices (their properties can be tuned with a magnetic field), with applications in photonic nanocircuits and advanced biosensors.

Nanostructured functional materials constitute one of the most dynamic and rapidly expanding fields in scienceand technology, which include their use in such diverse areas as materials technology, biotechnonology, energyand environmental technology, electronics, catalytic applications etc. From other side, the increasingly importantrole in biophysics and in life sciences is played by laser spectroscopie methods. The present project challengesone of the most exciting and phenomena rich sub-fields of nano-science and nano-technology (N&N): theinteraction of visible and near visible light with nanostructured materials. It is aimed at fabrication of optically-active synthetic nanostructures for the exploration of sensing mechanisms with biological matter.In the framework of the present project research activity is planned to be concentrated on, firstly, deliberatefabrication of optically-active substrate by means of state-of-the-art nanofabrication techniques (e-beamlithography, colloidal lithography etc.) and, secondly, exploration of obtained optically-active substrates forbiosensing applications. Utilizing shaped metallic nanostructures or arrays of metallic nanostrctures to influencethe fluorescence of biomolecules in close proximity to the surface is planned by tuning surface plasmonresonance energy of formed nanoarchitectures. Controlled positioning of macromolecular species on the pre-fomed nobel metal nanostructures to probe enhanced fluorescence or enhanced quenching, necessary for ultra-sensitive detection scheme, will be performed. Later goal constitutes a demostration of sensitivity of builtarchitectures to the binding events between preformed sensing platform and biomolecular species,complementary to those available in the fabricated synthetic bio-nanoarchitectures.Overall, the results of research activity are expected to contribute substantially in fundamental understanding ofsurface enhancement#

Nanostructured functional materials constitute one of the most dynamic and rapidly expanding fields in scienceand technology, which include their use in such diverse areas as materials technology, biotechnonology, energyand environmental technology, electronics, catalytic applications etc. From other side, the increasingly importantrole in biophysics and in life sciences is played by laser spectroscopie methods. The present project challengesone of the most exciting and phenomena rich sub-fields of nano-science and nano-technology (N&N): theinteraction of visible and near visible light with nanostructured materials. It is aimed at fabrication of optically-active synthetic nanostructures for the exploration of sensing mechanisms with biological matter.In the framework of the present project research activity is planned to be concentrated on, firstly, deliberatefabrication of optically-active substrate by means of state-of-the-art nanofabrication techniques (e-beamlithography, colloidal lithography etc.) and, secondly, exploration of obtained optically-active substrates forbiosensing applications. Utilizing shaped metallic nanostructures or arrays of metallic nanostrctures to influencethe fluorescence of biomolecules in close proximity to the surface is planned by tuning surface plasmonresonance energy of formed nanoarchitectures. Controlled positioning of macromolecular species on the pre-fomed nobel metal nanostructures to probe enhanced fluorescence or enhanced quenching, necessary for ultra-sensitive detection scheme, will be performed. Later goal constitutes a demostration of sensitivity of builtarchitectures to the binding events between preformed sensing platform and biomolecular species,complementary to those available in the fabricated synthetic bio-nanoarchitectures.Overall, the results of research activity are expected to contribute substantially in fundamental understanding ofsurface enhancement#

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) form the basis of most current nanotechnology research due to their unique and extreme properties including ballistic electron transport at room temperature, structure-dependent metallic/semiconductor behaviour, electromechanical properties and extremely high Young mudulus. Several important achievements have been realised in nanotubes electronics. However, a major hindrance for the emergence of real applications is the lack of control in fabricating these nanoscale devices. This project will develop new rational design methods for CNTs based electronic nanodevices. Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) will be employed to grow CNTs at the desired location by placing the catalyst dots where required by focused ion beam and e-beam lithography. We will combine Ni and Co colloids chemistry and e-beam lithography to obtain small catalyst dots suitable for the growth of single wall CNTs. The recently discovered mechanism of sequential catalytic growth will be used to control the direct insertion of CNTs with spin-polarised particles during their growth. Plasma enhanced CVD will be employed for growing CNTs on thermal-sensitive substrates. Nanotubes will be oriented by the application of an electric field and by lateral growth using growth barriers. The ballistic transport of nanotubes is presently accompanied by a large contact resistance, so that the overall conductance is much lower in practice than the expected theoretical conductance. In situ growth will enable direct connecting of the nanotubes and prevent damage and pollution induced by the usual suspension/deposition process. Individual CNT structure will be characterised by in situ AFM/Raman analyses to correlate growth conditions, structural and transport properties. By using these tools, we intend to develop direct and controlled design of CNT based interconnects, field emission transistors and spin-valve devices.

In the past decade, it has become increasingly recognized that low-energy electrons (LEE) play a key role in a large number of fundamental and applied fields. Electrons with energies in the range 0-30 eV can induce, at interfaces and surfaces, specific reactions which are relevant to nanolithography, dielectric aging, radiation waste management, radiation processing, astrochemistry, planetary and atmospheric chemistry, surface photochemistry, radiobiology, and radiotherapy. For more than 30 years, the action of LEE at the surface of molecular and biomolecular solids has been investigated in the laboratory of the applicant with model systems consisting of pure or doped thin molecular films. The purpose of the present application is to develop a research program within the European Union (EU) to investigate systems of relevance to three important applications of LEE processing, namely nanolithography, astrochemsitry and radiotherapy. In particular we plan (1) To investigate LEE-induced reactions of selected molecules on metallic surfaces so as to assess their potential for STM beam lithography. (2) To study the possibility of inducing specific chemical reactions with the photoelectrons. (3)To investigate LEE-induced reactions in ice mantles that simulate both planetary and ISM conditions. (4)To investigate LEE-induced damage to DNA incorporating the radiosensitizers Carboplatin and Gemcitabine with and without added water. (5)To obtain cross sections for DNA damage with and without the presence of these radiosensitizers by analysing the dose to yields relationship during LEE bombardment of DNA. Since the IIF is one of world's leading researchers in such LEE processes it is also intended to exploit his fellowship to provide valuable training and leadership amongst the younger members of the EU LEE community at a time when a new generation of researchers is emerging in the field.

The aim of the HIGHSPIN project is to incorporate tunable, highly spin-polarised (THSP) materials into spintronic devices and utilise them in new 2D and 3D nanomagnetic data storage architectures.

The overall objective of the proposed project is the development of novel optoelectronic and photonic devices based on ordered arrays of GaN/AIGAN and InGaN/GaN nanorods. The mechanisms of spontaneous nucleation and growth of such nanorods on Si substrates, under specific experimental conditions, have been recently clarified and understood. However, the realization of true devices relies on the achievement of ordered arrays of nanorods by localization of the epitaxial growth on predetermined preferential sites. This challenging issue would be tackled by controlling the growth of such heterostructures by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE) growth on nanomasks and nanopatterned substrates, and by the subsequent processing of the nanodevices arrays. Ordered growth following a predefined pattern is a critical step to allow subsequent applications. Nanomasks and nanopatterning will be achieved by e-beam lithography and dry etching. Three different devices will be developed as demonstrators, namely, arrays of nanophotodetectors in the IR, white light nanoLEDs, and nanocolumnar Solar Cells. It is worth to remark that all these devices are beyond the state-of-the-art and will benefit from the very high and unique crystal quality of nanorods. Other advantages of such nanostructures are a wide absorption surface and the capability to exploit Photonic Crystal effects for light extraction. The objectives of this project, being very ambitious, are perfectly feasible because all devices are based on the same basic structure of nanorod arrays (building block). The project, aside from very relevant scientific aspects, will offer the young researcher a full training program on technological and complementary issues.