Molecular Nanoscience as performed by the group involves the reproducible assembly of addressable nano-sized molecular entities and the characterization of their properties. At first, synthetic and supra-molecular chemistry are combined with surface science techniques to explore the self-assembly and surface phase behaviour [1,4,5] of atomically well defined nanostructures [5].

Ideal molecular building blocks for supra-molecular assembly involve functional subgroups triggering specific interactions and / or dedicated points of conformational flexibility [3]. Both, associative [5, 6] and reactive [7] processes are relevant for the formation of these assemblies.

Second, the mechanic[1, 8], electronic [9], magnetic [10] and chemical [11] properties of nanosized molecular entitities are investigated by the combination of SPM and ElectronSpectroscopy also using Synchrotron light. The emergence of these properties from the inter-molecular interaction, the molecule substrate interaction and the dimensionality [12] of the arrangement lies at the core of our investigations and is relevant to applications for data storage [13] and device operation on the nanometer scale [14].

Research Topics:

	Fracture and Wear of Nanotowers
	Nanoscale Electronic Transport Measurements in Molecular Semiconductors
	Complex phase behaviour in the layering of a dipole containing Molecule: Sub-Phthalocyanine
	Organic Monolayers on Ultrathin Insulators: Bonding and Electronic States
	Induced magnetic ordering in a molecular monolayer
	Electronic Coupling and Self – Assembly: Pentacene on Cu(110)
	Self Assembled Monolayers Re-visited:       - Multi-phase behaviour and Intermixing       - Dithiocarbamates: Novel SAM forming materials for molecular electronics

Facilities:

• SPM Userlab
• Surface Science Support for Experiments at the Swiss Light Source (Nanojunction-Lab)
• Nanolab at the University of Basel

Competencies for Partnership in Proprietary and Publicly Funded Research Projects

• Advanced SPM Experiments in the context of Micro- and Nanoanalysis
• Supra-molecular Self Assembly and Phase behaviour of Molecular Layers
• Data-storage, Bi-stability and Device performance on the nanometer scale.
• Atomic and Electronic Structure Investigation with Synchrotron Light

Our Research Partners:

• NCCR-Nanoscale Science
• Nanolab@Unibasel
• SPM control systems: Nanonis

Contact:

Dr. Thomas A. Jung (Group Leader): thomas.jungpsi.ch

References:

[1] S. Berner et. al. Chem. Phys. Lett. 348, 175 (2001)
[3] T. A. Jung et al. Nature 386, 696 (1997)
[4] S. Berner et. al. Phys. Rev. B 68, 115410 (2003), Additional Manuscript in Preparation
[5] M. de Wild et al. ChemPhysChem 10, 881 (2002)
[6] D. Bonifazi et al. Angewandte Chemie Intl. Ed. 43, 4759 – 4763 (2004).
[7] M. Stoehr et al. Angewandte Chemie Intl. Ed., (2005)
[8] H. Spillmann et al. Advanced Materials 18, 275–279 (2006),
     A. Kiebele et al. ChemPhysChem, in press (2006)
[9] A. Scheybal et al. PHYSICAL REVIEW B 79, 115406, 2009
[10] A. Scheybal et al. Chemical Phsyics Letters 411  214–220 (2005)
[11] M. von Arx et al. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 6, 1-7 (2005)
[12] Materials Research Society, MRS Bulletin 24 (8), 20-24 (1999).
[13] T.A. Jung et. al., Science 271, 181--184 (1996).
[14] M. de Wild et al., Chimia 56, 500-505 (2002)

Note: if you are interested in receiving one or the other reprint,
please send an email to: Thomas.Jungpsi.ch