Abstract
(English)
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The development of nanosciences and nanotechnologies is based on the use of new tools to fabricate and manipulate materials at the nanometer scale, to achieve miniaturisation through atomic and molecular manufacturing techniques. One major challenge is to be able to identify, to characterize, to manipulate and to get detailed information on nanoscale objects and devices. In this context, the electron transport through single molecules or semiconductor nanostructures receives an increasing interest from the researchers. Indeed, semiconductor nanostructures are often considered as artificial atoms or molecules, having in common with the molecules a discretisation of their energy levels. The development of the Tunnelling Spectroscopy on single nanostructures allows now to determine the electron levels with a high accuracy and, very recently, to image the corresponding waves functions.
This field of science is emerging, with the main developments obtained within the last two or three years. There is a need to share knowledge, tools and techniques in order to improve the spectroscopy and to explore a broad range of new properties. Thus, the aim of the network is to build collaborative projects in the field of 'Tunnelling spectroscopy on single molecular and semiconducting nanostructures'. The nano-objects which will be studied in the project are semiconductor nanocrystals and quantum dots, and single molecules adsorbed on surfaces. Major breakthroughs are anticipated in several directions: knowledge of the electronic structure, inelastic tunnelling, imaging of electron and hole wave functions using Scanning Tunnelling Spectroscopy or Magneto- Tunnelling Spectroscopy, probing spin polarization using Spin Polarized Tunnelling Spectroscopy in magnetic field, and fabrication of nanodevices (molecules, semiconductor nanocrystals, quantum dots) with the desired electronic properties.
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