The research focus of our group “Scanning Probe Microscopy and Nanolithography” (www.schimmel-group.de) is on fabrication, analysis, properties and applications of functional nanostructures. We develop the corresponding techniques for nanolithography (“Top-Down Approach”) as well as novel processes for nanostructure formation by self-organization (“Bottom-Up Approach”). The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is used both for structuring and imaging.
The developments of our group, which lead to 20 patents filed so far, include the world´s smallest transistor, a novel process allowing for nanocontact printing and crystalline nanowires with 30-fold increased mechanical yield strength.
Topics:
Atomic-Scale Electronics – Switching Quantum Currents with Individual Atoms
The Atomic Transistor. The controlled repositioning of one single silver atom allows for the reversible opening and closing of an electronic circuit.
Nanoanalytics and Nanolithography with Scanning Probe Techniques
Nanoanalytics and nanolithography via AFM. Functional chemical patterns on surfaces can be written and subsequently imaged with the same AFM tip.
(Bio)functional and Biomimetic Nanostructured Surfaces
Pattern formation of the nanometer scale by self-organization. An example for biofunctional films is shown.
Pattern Formation and Self-Organization on the Nanometer Scale
Pattern formation of the nanometer scale by self-organization. An example is shown for metallic nanowires.
Five selected Publications
1. F. Xie, R. Maul, Ch. Obermair, E.B. Starikov, W. Wenzel, G. Schön, Th. Schimmel:
Atomic transistors with predefined quantum conductance by reversible contact reconstruction.
Nano Letters, 8(12), 4493-4497 (2008).
2. T. Geldhauser, P. Leiderer, J. Boneberg, S. Walheim, Th. Schimmel:
Generation of Surface Energy Patterns by Pulsed Laser Interference Lithography
on Self-Assembled Monolayers.
Langmuir, in press (2009).
3. F. Xie, R. Maul, Ch. Obermair, E.B. Starikov, W. Wenzel, G. Schön, Th. Schimmel:
Pre-selectable integer quantum conductance of electrochemically fabricated silver point contacts.
Applied Physics Letters, 93(4), 3103 (2008).
4. S. Zhong, P. Dupeyrat, R. Gröger, M. Wang, Th. Koch, Th. Schimmel:
Periodical Nanostructured “Multiline” Copper Films Self-Organized by Electrodeposition:
Structure and Properties.
J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol., in press (2009).
5. S. Zhong, Th. Koch, M. Wang, T. Scherer, S. Walheim, H. Hahn, Th. Schimmel,
Nanoscale Twinned Copper Nanowire Formation by Direct Electrodeposition.
Small, published online 2009-08-10, in press (2009).
