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层（sam）的“光动力分子货物升降机”，可以垂直和水平移动纳米物体。分子棒包含偶氮单元并组织在sam中，进行有效的光异构化，产生能够表达受控机械功的合作分子运动。通过整合不同研究小组的专业知识，我们打算利用偶氮SAMs表达的力，以便i)垂直移动位于偶氮SAMs上的纳米粒子，ii)横向移动纳米粒子，通过扫描由交替的顺式和反式异构体形成的表面模式。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。这项工作可以导致在三维移动纳米物体的短期应用相关的结果。

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.