ERA NanoSci - Nanoscale Optical-toMechanical Energy Conversion: Coupling Nano-Object with Light Powered Molecular Lifters

我们的目标是证明，通过将纳米物体耦合到光活性自组装单分子膜(SAM)上，可以垂直和水平移动纳米物体。含有偶氮单元的分子棒以自组装膜的形式组织，进行高效的光异构化，产生能够表达受控机械功的协同分子运动。通过整合不同研究小组的专业知识，我们打算利用偶氮自组装膜所表达的力，以便i)坐在偶氮自组装膜上的纳米粒子垂直移动，ii)通过横扫顺反异构体交替形成的表面图案来横向移动纳米粒子。这些图案是由周期性干涉光栅产生的。实验数据将借助理论模型进行解释。这项工作可以得到短期应用于三维移动纳米物体的相关结果。

We aim to demonstrate that is possible to move vertically and horizontally nano-objects by coupling them to photoactive self assembled monolayers (SAMs) of “light powered molecular cargo lifters”. Molecular rods incorporating azo units and organized in SAMs, undergo efficient photoisomerization, producing cooperative molecular movements able to express a controlled mechanical work. By integrating the expertises of different research groups, we intend to harness the force expressed by azo SAMs, in order to i) move vertically nano-particles sitting on the azo SAMs, and ii) move laterally nano-particles, by sweeping across the surface patterns formed by alternating cis and trans isomers. The patterns are generated by periodic interference gratings. The experimental data will be interpreted with the help of theoretical models. This work can lead to results relevant for short term application in moving nano-objects in three dimensions.