Project description
Harnessing nanomechanical dissipation in a miniature pendulum to characterise materials
Many phenomena present at the macroscale can be leveraged at the nanoscale to investigate the physics of classical and quantum materials. Oscillating tip-based atomic force microscopy (AFM) instruments present such an opportunity. The EU-funded ULTRADISS project is exploiting ultra-sensitive pendulum-AFM and its nanomechanical dissipation in dissipation spectroscopy. Building on previous pioneering results investigating structural, electronic and magnetic effects in 3D classical solids at equilibrium, the team plans to extend the methodology to study much weaker effects caused by non-equilibrium perturbations, nanomanipulations and quantum effects.
Objective
Dissipation spectroscopy: Nanomechanical dissipation, experienced by oscillating tip-based Force Microscopy (AFM) instruments, provides an innovative probe of the physics of classical and quantum materials, solids, surfaces. My group made, in the last decade, well-recognized experimental and conceptual advances by exploiting and adapting advanced AFM techniques, especially the ultra-sensitive pendulum-AFM, (p-AFM, dissipation sensitivity ~0.1 aW, force sensitivity ~ 10-12N) detecting collective phenomena and phase transitions including structural, electronic, magnetic. This dissipation spectroscopy was applied so far mostly at the equilibrium physics of 3D classical solids.
The challenge: I propose to extend nanomechanical dissipation spectroscopy to pick up much weaker effects caused by non-equilibrium perturbations, by nanomanipulations, and by quantum effects in carefully picked case studies. Such as measuring the imperceptible wind force exerted on a noncontact tip by a thermal or electrical current in the surface below, or the minute mechanical cost of creating and dismantling a single spin Kondo state, or a topological surface state.
Risks, benefits, relevance: None of this was done before, so despite our experience and good feasibility estimates there is some risk. The benefits however will be substantial. Thermal and electrical migration of defects and impurities is important in materials, and electrical contacts. The dragging, peeling, sensing of 2D systems like graphene nanoribbons and twisted bilayers is hot. And quantum dissipation is pertinent to the limiting factor of quantum information processes. To do all this by nanomechanics will be unique.
The opportunity: My group is ready to put its expertise in these exciting new problems, once I can through an Advanced Grant secure the instrumental and experimental human resources, as well as the theoretical support of additional beneficiary SISSA, indispensable in such a frontier context.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2018-ADG
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4051 Basel
Switzerland
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