Transcript Physics of soft matter, surfaces, and nanostructures

Jozef Stefan Institute
University of Ljubljana
Physics of soft matter, surfaces, and nanostructures
S. Žumer;
S. Kralj, H. van Midden, I. Muševič, J. Pirš, A. Prodan, M. Remškar,
M. Škarabot, M. Vilfan ;
Younger scientists: M. Conradi, G. Skačej, D. Svenšek, A. Šarlah, A. Vilfan, R. Žitko;
PhD students:
B. Črnko, M. Humar, M. Ravnik, U. Tkalec, M. Viršek, A. Vrečko;
technicians:
I. Kvasić, S. Mendizza, S. Pirš, E. Zupanič;
Leading scientist:
Senior scientists:
9 FTEs
Research methods
Experimental tecniques
AFM
STM
Optical tweezers
Ellipsometry
Optical microscopy
SEM &TEM
Vapor deposition
Lithography
UHV techniques
Nanoparticle detection
Substrate preparations in clean room
Electro-optical studies
To establish basic
equipment nearly a
milion € was
invested in 2004-08.
Theory, modeling &
simulations
Landau - de Gennes approach
Topology
Hydrodynamics
Elastic theory
Kinetic equations
Transport equations
Monte Carlo simulations
Molecular dynamics
Second quantization
Numerical renormalization group
Collaboration
(local & international)
Dynanamic light scattering
NMR & Relaxometry
Magnetic field techniques
Complex optical tweezers
Microfluidics
Tribology
Calorimetry
Lattice-Boltzman approach
Publications 2004-08
• ~ 125 SCI papers (>15% - PRL, Advanced materials, Science)
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19 chapters in monographs published by international publishers
3 edited books and proceedings published by international publishers
(Springer, Taylor & Francis, and Kluwer)
7 international patents
Citations
 ~ 2300 - 1998-2008 papers
 ~ 7800 - all papers
Structural forces and 2D colloidal structures →2008
Laser trapping of low refractive
index particles in nematic LC
PRL 2004
Colloidal assembly
2D quadrupolar
colloidal crystal
Assembling of 2D colloidal crystals in nematics
 Science 313, 954 (2006)
 2 Plenary lectures at 21th ILCC 06, Keystone, USA
 Plenary lecture at 9th ECLC 05, Lisbon, Portugal
2D dipolar
colloidal crystal
Structural forces and 2D colloidal structures → 2008
Colloidal particles entangled by a nematic disclination line PRL 2007
Entangled dimer
Modeling
Experiment
Formation via I-N thermal quench →
Entanglad chain:
Possible applications of
1D & 2D structures:
Light guiding and
beam stearing
2D colloidal lattice with
superstructure PRL 2008
Dipolar &
quadrupolar
layers
Colloids, complex mesophases,... 2008 →
assembling of superstructures
1D colloidal chain → nematic colloidal optical microresonators
Nematic colloidal wire
Transport
of
light
along
fluorescent colloidal particles,
tightly entangled by defect lines, Fluorescently-labelled
colloidal microcavities,
could be controlled by light.
embedded in a liquid crystal.
Hierarchical structures → meta materials
Entangled colloidal particles
decorated by small
conductive or dielectric
particles
Application: Micrometer sized split ring resonator with negative resonant magnetic response
Colloids, complex mesophases,... 2008 →
3D nematic colloidal structures: defect & disclination entangled
Assembling & modeling
Possible applications of 3D
colloidal crystals in
photonics and plasmonics
Chiral nematic and blue phase colloids
BP2 and colloidal particles
Colloids, complex mesophases,... 2008 →
Fuctionalization of colloidal particles
PRL 2008
• colloids covered with nematic shells:
topological defect and colloidal valence control;
• Patterned colloidal particles
• Magnetic particles
• Dedrimers as building bloks
Fuctionalization of nematic elastomers
Modeling of the responsiveness to external
stimuli: temperature, ultra-violet light
irradiation, electric or mechanical field…
5nm
Bio & bioinspired systems
Motor proteins: Myosin V
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2008 →
Active swimmers: 2 cilia
Phys. Rev. Lett 2006
- mechanics, kinetics, coordination,
branching behaviour (Biophys. J 2008)
Novel motors (dynein)
Beating patterns
Biomimetic cilia
maximum
efficiency
N cilia, phase waves
No. 1 ranked proposal to International
Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) 2008
(collaboration: Leeds, Tokyo, Sendai, Ljubljana)
Liquid Crystal Applications → 2008
• Study of mechanisms affecting performances of LC light modulators :
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Alignment surface influence on switching times
Ionic contamination/field screening/memory effects/degraded gray scale performance
[J. Appl. Phys. 2x, 2006, Displays 2004, SPIE 2004 , patent granted in EU and USA]
• Novel wide-view angel LC light modulators: Highly Twisted Light
Shutters (HTLS)
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Concept, computer modeling, compensation, TN LCD
LC blending, prototyping eye protective filters
Technology transfer to spin-off company
Balder Ltd yielded the best filter on the market
[SID Digest 2003, 2005, J. Appl. Optics 2008,
3 patents granted in EU, USA]
• Spin-off company of IJS, Balder Ltd:
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World recognized producer of eye protective filters:
• 60% increase of sales in USA in 2007 (10% total)
• Long term ( 4 years) no. 1 supplier to Germany (>25%),….
Breakthrough into the sales network of ESAB – No.1 producer
of welding equipment in EU (2008)
HTLS
Liquid Crystal Applications
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2008 →
Research of basic mechanisms affecting shutter performances:
- anchoring energy of LC mono-layers on surfaces,
- influence of adsorbed water molecules on the anchoring energy,
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High light-efficiency LCD light shutters:
- Polarizer free LCD light shutters: Multilayer CLC light shutters &
electrically controlled polarizing filters
(EU FP7 – pilot protection; invitation of EADS, FOI, Fraunhofer),
- Ultra-high speed OCB light shutter for medical application
(cooperation with Japanese company Yamamoto).
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Invitation to participate in ISO work group
for “Eye protection standard” (ISO/TC94/SC6/WG2 in WG4):
Only three World best producers were invited: 3M, Sperian, Balder!
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Nematic biosensor based on anchoring strength sensor:
regular array of micrometer scale wells in a solid substrate filled with
a nematic LC that are exposed to dispersions of biological molecules.
Inorganic nanotubes → 2008
WS2 “nanobuds”
Nano Letters 2008
Synthesis and
characterization of new
hybrid nanomaterials
- Adv. Matter. 2004,
100 citations!
MoS2 peapods “mama”- tubes
Advanced Matter.
2007
Detection of
nanoparticles in air
Prototype based on our
inovative idea
- 3 national patents
- 2 PCT patent applications
Participation in legislation
process in nanosafety
Josef Stefan Institute
“Spin-off” company
EU projects:
Possible applications:
• tribology
• catalysis
• composite materials
-Industrial FOREMOST
(lubricants)
- Industrial NANOSAFE2
(detection of oparticles)
- IMPART (nanosafety)
development, synthesis
and commercialization
of new nanomaterials
Inorganic nanotubes and nanoparticles 2008 →
Hybrid nanomaterials for use in
tribology, solar cells, polymer
composites and in catalysis.
Drop of friction using MoS2 “mama”-tubes
Development of a new generation of a
prototype for detection of nanoparticles;
- patent application
- cheap portable detector
- commercialization
Synthesis of new hybrid inorganic
nanomaterials
Nanotoxicity data for public use
Kalin, SF-UL
Photovoltaic effect in visible light
- Collaboration in legislation for safe nanotechnology
- Preliminary monitoring of polution with
nanoparticles at exposed locations in Slovenia
Electrical mobility diameter
MoS2 “mama”-tubes in TBAP
Nanoparticle size distribution before and after
opening a hard coating reactor (IonBond, UK)
Synthesis of ordered surface nanostructures → 2008
STM single atom manipulation
Transport properties
of nanostructures &
Kondo effect
2 software packages have
been developed :
Low temperature STM addapted
for single atom precision.
• “SNEG” calculates in the
framework of the 2nd
quantization formalism.
• “NRG Ljubljana”
efficient implementation of
the numerical
renormalization group
technique.
Cu(111) , T=9K
1nm
Applications to clusters of
impurities (quantum dots)
1 PRL, 6 PRBs
Atoms & Surfaces
2008 →
Spintronics using NMR-LT STM
Joint programme of developing a combined
NMR-Low temperaqture STM instrument
Chemical identification of single atoms, based
on local spin NMR measurements.
Manipulation and spectroscopy of
single/cluster atom magnetic impurities
Effects of single atom magnetic
impurities on the surfaces of
superconductors and magnets, the
magnetic interaction between impurity
pairs and local properties of larger
impurity clusters will be studied.
International impact
Last 4 years
• 30 invited and plenary talks at international meetings
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4 organizations of international meetings
4 memberships in international conference boards
2 memberships in boards of international societies
Editorial work for European Physics Journal E
9 partnerships in EU projects 350 000 €
New
• Samsung Mid-Career Award of the International Liquid Crystal Society
(I. Muševič 2008)
• President of the International Liquid Crystal Society (4 years starting
July 2008- S. Žumer)
• 3 partnerships (JSI-Muševič, FMF-UL-Žumer, Balder-Pirš) out of 9 in
HIERARCHY ITN EU project starting September 2008 (4 years) - close to
1 000 000 € for Slovenian partners
• Partnership in No. 1 ranked proposal to International Human Frontier
Science Program (HFSP) 2008 (collaboration: Leeds, Tokyo, Sendai,
Ljubljana - A. Vilfan)
National relevance
Indirect effects:
. Strog research is crucial for good university education
• 7 PhDs completed (one foreign student)
• 9 employments (industry 2, university 2, research 2 ,
government 2, education 1)
• Internationally competitive research as a cure for brain drain
• International promotion of the country
Direct effects via stimulation and support to technological development:
• direct collaboration (Balder, Fotona, Iskra Mehanizmi,…)
• industrial projects (270 000 €)
• spin-off company Balder Ltd - the best eye protection filters
• new spin-off company Nanotul Ltd devoted to the
commercialization of inorganic nanotubes
Recognition of the relevance:
• The Zois award for outstanding achievements: Muševič 2006;
• 3 Jozef Stefan Golden Emblem Prize: Žitko 08, Svenšek 06, and Kočevar 04
Conclusions
 Synergy
• of approaches: experiments, applications, simulations and theory
• institutional (IJS in FMF UL): lab facilities & source of new researchers
• personal (IJS, UL, UM, Balder, Nanotul)
• international (formal and informal collaboration)
 Internationally competitive research with leading roll in some
segments
 Priority fields: nanotechnology, biotechnology & technology for
informatics
A 10% increase in funding would enable:
• postdoc position,
• redistribution between research and teaching loads.
This would enable a full scale realization of our ambitious goals.